What Should You Say on a Home Care Inquiry Call? A Script That Books Assessments
A 15-minute inquiry call script for home care agencies: listen first, learn needs and schedule, quote your rate, and book the in-home assessment before hanging up.
By Caregiver Scheduling Team ·
A good inquiry call does four things in about 15 minutes: listens to what is happening in the family, learns the care needs and schedule, explains how you work and what it costs, and books an in-home assessment. Answer live during business hours, call back within the hour otherwise, and follow up the same day in writing.
Who is calling, and what do they want?
Usually an adult daughter or son, often after a fall, a hospital discharge or a scare, and they want relief today. They are calling two or three agencies. The one that answers, listens and gives a clear next step usually wins.
So the goal of the call is not to sell hours. It is to make the family feel heard, confirm you can help, and get the assessment on the calendar. See how to get home care clients and home care referral sources.
What does the call look like, minute by minute?
| Stage | Time | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Open | 1 minute | Let them talk; get their name and the client’s name |
| Situation | 3 to 5 minutes | What happened, where the client lives, who decides |
| Needs | 3 to 5 minutes | Tasks, mobility, memory, start date |
| Schedule and payment | 2 to 3 minutes | Hours, days, payer, your rate and minimum |
| Next step | 1 to 2 minutes | Book the assessment, confirm contact details |
| Follow-up | Same day | Email with rates, appointment and what to expect |
Keep notes in your intake form as you go so nothing is asked twice at the assessment. See the home care client intake form.
What is the script?
Use your own words, but keep the order and the questions.
1. Open
“Thanks for calling [Agency], this is [name]. How can I help?”
Then stop talking. Most callers will tell you the whole story if you let them.
2. Situation
- “Who is the care for, and what’s going on right now?”
- “Where does [client] live? Alone, or with someone?”
- “Who else is involved in decisions about care?”
3. Needs
- “What does a typical day look like for [client] now?”
- “What kind of help would make the biggest difference: bathing, dressing, meals, housekeeping, company, rides?”
- “Any falls, memory changes or trouble getting around?”
- “Is there anything medical, like wound care or injections, that a nurse handles?”
- “When would you like care to start?”
4. Schedule and payment
- “How many hours and which days are you thinking?”
- “Will this be private pay, long-term care insurance, the VA or Medicaid?”
- “Our rate is $[rate] an hour with a [minimum]-hour visit minimum. Nights and weekends are $[rate].”
5. Next step
“The next step is a free in-home assessment with our care manager. We meet [client], look at the home, and build a care plan together. I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]. Which works?”
Confirm the address, the best phone number and who will be there.
6. Follow-up
Same-day email: what you heard, your rates, the appointment time, and what happens at the assessment. Attach the service agreement so there are no surprises later. See the client service agreement.
Should you quote prices on the first call?
Yes. Families want a number, and a clear rate qualifies the inquiry before anyone drives across town. Hiding the rate until the assessment wastes your care manager’s afternoon on families who cannot pay it.
Give context with the number. The 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey puts the national median for non-medical in-home care at $35 an hour, so a family comparing you to a neighbor’s $20 private hire needs to hear what the rate covers: screened and trained caregivers, backup when someone is sick, supervision, insurance and verified visits. See how much to charge for home care.
How do you handle the payer question?
Ask it plainly, then route the call. Private pay is your fastest start. Long-term care insurance usually pays the family, who pays you, and policies have elimination periods, so start care now and bill from day one. See long-term care insurance billing.
VA callers may be asking about the Homemaker and Home Health Aide program, which the VA buys from community agencies under contract (VA Geriatrics and Extended Care). If you are not a VA provider, say so and refer them. Medicaid callers need an agency enrolled with the state or plan. See becoming a VA home care provider and private pay vs. Medicaid agencies.
What should you track?
Four numbers, by week: inquiry calls, assessments booked, clients started, and days from first call to first visit. If calls are high and assessments are low, the script or the answerer is the problem. If assessments are high and starts are low, look at pricing or the assessment itself.
How Caregiver Scheduling handles this
After the assessment, enter the client’s recurring schedule once and the calendar fills from it. Open shifts for the new client appear on the map so you can match a nearby caregiver, and caregivers see the address and care plan in the app before the first visit. Invoices built from verified visits are coming soon. $199/month for up to 10 caregivers or $299/month for up to 50, free for 30 days.
FAQ
Should I quote prices on the first call? Yes. Families want a number, and it qualifies the inquiry. Explain what the rate covers.
Who should answer inquiry calls? Someone warm who knows your services, ideally the care manager or owner. Never voicemail during business hours.
How fast should I return a missed inquiry call? Within the hour. Families call several agencies, and the first to respond usually gets the assessment.
What if the caller is not ready to book? Offer the assessment anyway as a free, no-commitment visit. If they decline, send the follow-up email and call back in three days.