Individual professional vs. agency
3 min read · Last reviewed
Care Mason lists both individual care professionals and agencies, and you can search for either. This guide explains how they tend to differ so you can decide what suits you — the decision is entirely yours.
Individual professionals
An individual professional is a single person you find, contact, and arrange with directly.
- You usually build a one-to-one relationship with the same person over time.
- Scheduling and terms are worked out directly between the two of you.
- Continuity depends on that person’s own availability.
Agencies
An agency is an organization that coordinates a team of people.
- Some families value an agency’s ability to provide coverage when one person is unavailable.
- An agency profile represents the organization; you contact the agency directly.
- How a specific agency operates varies, so it is worth asking in your first conversation.
Which to search for
There is no universally better option. Use the listing-type filter to focus on individuals, agencies, or both, and compare a few profiles either way.
Whichever you choose, Care Mason’s role is the same: help you discover providers and contact them. Any arrangement is made directly between you and the professional or agency.