In home-based care, the intake coordinator often serves as the first voice clients hear when seeking critical support and assurance.

Despite the importance of this position, providers face ongoing challenges in finding candidates who bring the right mix of empathy, critical thinking and communication skills. Industry leaders say that a great intake coordinator doesn’t just fill a role — they set the tone for the entire care experience and position the company for success.

“This person has decided to call for help, and we need to solve their problems quickly,” Kenneth Helmuth, franchise owner of Right at Home of the Triangle, told Home Health Care News. “Having the right empathy and compassion to put oneself in the caller’s shoes, or at least make them feel understood, is critical for showing them that we can help.”

Right at Home of the Triangle provides personal care, companionship and specialized services, including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, to the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina.

The best intake coordinators ensure a smooth onboarding experience while providing guidance and understanding during challenging times, according to Kai Ory, vice president of owned and operated at Home Instead.

“Great intake coordinators blend emotional intelligence with structured execution,” Ory told HHCN. “They know how to guide families through a highly emotional and often urgent process while still hitting the milestones needed to qualify, educate and convert a prospect.”

Founded in 1994, Home Instead, based in Omaha, Nebraska, provides personal care, end-of-life care, medication management, meal preparation, transportation and companionship services. The company also offers support for Alzheimer’s and chronic illnesses in all 50 states in the U.S. and 12 countries.

The intake coordinator must ensure the caller feels heard and assured of guidance toward a positive outcome.

“Intake coordinators must be genuine, recognizing what the prospective client is experiencing,” Helmuth said. “Often, this is their first situation of this kind, and they don’t have a roadmap. We guide them through the unpracticed aging process. It’s important to thank and praise the caller for taking that first step.”

Intake coordinators must be collaborative, Helmuth said, working with the local team to manage client onboarding logistics, including effective scheduling and staffing. They must engage in meaningful conversations about the family’s situation without “making them feel like they’re following a checklist.”

Ory agreed, stating that establishing a connection is key.

“What sets the best [intake coordinators] apart is their ability to establish trust, ask the right questions at the right time and lead the conversation with confidence and empathy,” he said. “Intake coordinators are not just order takers; they’re advisors who anticipate needs, surface unspoken concerns and keep the conversation moving forward with compassion.”

Hiring the right coordinator

The home-based care industry continues to grapple with a challenging workforce landscape, Helmuth said. Securing qualified candidates for intake coordinator roles is no exception from these struggles.

When it comes to filling these roles, it’s less about the number of applicants and more about finding the right blend of traits, Ory said. A unique combination of resilience, empathy and sales acumen is required for intake coordinators to succeed. Applicants with generic sales backgrounds or administrative roles may experience challenges when faced with supporting distressed families.

“Training someone on systems and scripts is doable, but teaching them to balance urgency with emotional intelligence takes a different level of hiring judgment and coaching,” Ory explained.

Ory said the strongest candidates often come from people-centric fields, prioritizing needs, well-being and development. They also must have a performance-driven mindset and be naturally motivated to help others while taking pride in meeting goals and owning outcomes.

“We’ve seen success with candidates who are confident communicators, skilled listeners and energized by solving problems in real-time,” Ory explained. “If an individual is performance-motivated in a healthy way – driven but still mission-aligned – they tend to thrive with us.”

Some of the most complex challenges these roles face are navigating the wide variability of family dynamics, care needs and local market conditions, according to Ory.

What resonates with one family may not land the same way with another, and intake coordinators need to be able to flex their approach without losing sight of the process or outcomes. Solid judgment and emotional intelligence are required to quickly adapt, ask the right follow-up questions and tailor the presentation of the organization’s services to each unique situation.

Ory said that the balancing act between consistency and customization is where great intake coordinators shine.

The key to finding the right person for the position is an understanding that they are the face of the company to the family in need, Helmuth and Ory agreed.

“The intake coordinator is critical in our company as the first point of contact for many clients,” Helmuth explained. “They set the tone for our business and ensure smooth onboarding. Their ability to achieve this consistently – without over-promising or under-delivering – is essential.”

Ory added that this position is not only the first impression but also the “emotional translator” of the agency’s work.

“Their ability to understand a family’s needs, build trust and clearly articulate our value proposition is what sets up the rest of the journey, and everyone involved, for success,” he explained. “In many ways, a great intake coordinator turns a difficult, stressful decision into a situation where the families feel supported, heard and confident in their path forward.”