Frequently asked questions
The questions families ask before hiring a maid for elderly care.
What a helper can and cannot do, how matching works, what it costs and what happens after arrival, answered plainly, before you speak to anyone.
Showing all 62 questions
Getting started
How do I start looking for a maid for my elderly parent?
Start on our Biodata page. Every helper we have available is there with her experience, languages and work preference, so you can see for yourself who might suit your parent.
When you find one or two who look right, send us a WhatsApp message or call 03-7680 4028 and tell us who you are interested in and what your household needs each day. There is no charge and no obligation for the first conversation.
How long does it take to get a helper for elderly care?
About three months, and we would rather tell you that now than after you have started.
We do not hold helpers who are ready to start immediately. Every placement is a new arrival, and her permit, medical screening, training and travel all have to be arranged before she can begin. Your consultant confirms the timeline at the first conversation and keeps you updated at each stage.
Do you serve my area?
Yes. We place helpers with families across Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang, Perak, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak. Our office is in Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya.
Placements outside the Klang Valley may carry additional charges, and your consultant will go through these with you. Distance is not a reason we will turn you away.
Can I visit your office before deciding anything?
Yes. Families are welcome at F-2-08, Neo Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/1, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya. Call ahead so a consultant is free when you arrive.
My parent does not want a stranger in the house. What do we do?
This is the most common worry we hear, and it is a reasonable one. Involve your parent in the choice rather than presenting a decision. Let them see the biodata, watch the interview videos with you, and hear the helper's voice.
In our experience the objection is usually about losing independence rather than about the helper herself. A helper who is introduced as someone to help with the house, rather than someone to look after them, is often accepted more easily.
Should we consider a nursing home instead?
That is a decision only your family can make, and it depends on how much clinical care your parent needs. A live-in helper suits an elderly person who is largely well but needs company, meals, help around the home and a hand with mobility.
Someone who needs regular medical intervention, tube feeding or round-the-clock nursing needs qualified healthcare, whether at home or in a facility. We will tell you honestly if we think a helper is not the right answer.
The helper
Where do your helpers come from?
Mainly Indonesia and the Philippines, which are the two source countries approved for domestic helpers in Malaysia.
Indonesian or Filipino: which is better for elderly care?
Neither is better as a rule, and choosing by nationality alone is the most common mistake families make.
Filipino helpers usually speak stronger English, which matters if your parent is English speaking or if instructions need to be precise. Indonesian helpers often share more of the language, food and household customs of Malay and Chinese Malaysian households, which can make an elderly person settle faster.
Look at the individual candidate's elderly-care experience and temperament first, then use nationality as a tiebreaker.
Can I request a helper who speaks Mandarin, Cantonese or a dialect?
It is possible, but it is rare, so tell your consultant early and we will note it on your shortlist. Some helpers have picked up Mandarin or a dialect during previous placements in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong or Taiwan.
Fluency varies a great deal. Ask the candidate directly during the interview rather than relying on what is written on a form.
How old are the helpers?
Our helpers are aged up to 44. Each profile shows the candidate's age, and all candidates are within the age range permitted for domestic-helper permits in Malaysia.
For elderly care, families often prefer a helper in her thirties or forties, who tends to have more patience and more experience with older people. That is a generalisation, not a rule.
Do your helpers have actual elderly-care experience?
Some do, some do not, and every profile says which. Past work experience is listed separately from work preference for exactly this reason.
A first-time helper who is patient and willing can do very well with an elderly person who is largely independent. A parent with dementia or serious mobility needs is better served by someone who has done it before.
Can a helper look after my parent and the children as well?
We recommend one scope of work, not two. Caring for an elderly parent who needs help with mobility, and small children at the same time, is two jobs, and a helper asked to do both usually does neither well.
Helping with the children occasionally is fine. It should not be part of her daily work. If your household genuinely needs both, say so at the first conversation so we can be honest with you about what is realistic.
Will the helper live with us?
Yes. Domestic helpers placed under a Malaysian work permit live in the employer's home. You must provide her with proper accommodation, food and a minimum of eight hours of rest a day.
Elderly care duties
What can a maid actually do for an elderly parent?
Companionship through the day, preparing familiar meals, help with dressing, grooming and bathing where appropriate, and the housekeeping that keeps the home safe and comfortable.
She can also assist with mobility: helping your parent move around the home, steadying or supporting them where needed, and going with them on walks. If your parent should not be left alone at night, she can share a room with them.
Every duty is agreed with your family before placement, so nobody is surprised on either side.
Is this the same as nursing care?
No. Helpers provide non-medical support. Diagnosis, injections, wound care, tube feeding, medication administration and other clinical tasks require appropriately qualified healthcare professionals.
Many families use both together: a helper for daily life at home, and a visiting nurse or doctor for clinical needs.
Can a helper give my mother her medication?
She can remind your mother to take medication that has already been prepared and organised by the family, and she can tell you if a dose has been missed. She should not be deciding doses or administering medication herself.
A weekly pill organiser filled by a family member, plus a written schedule on the fridge, is the arrangement that works best.
My father has dementia. Can a helper cope?
Some can, and we have candidates who have cared for someone with dementia before. Dementia care asks for patience with repetition, a calm response to confusion or agitation, and a very consistent daily routine.
Tell us at the first conversation that dementia is involved. It changes who we shortlist, and it changes the questions we help you ask at interview.
My parent needs help getting out of bed and to the bathroom. Is that allowed?
Yes, mobility support is a normal part of elderly care at home, and includes help transferring from bed to chair, walking with a frame or stick, and assistance in the bathroom where the family agrees to it.
If your parent is heavy or cannot bear weight at all, say so plainly. Lifting an adult safely is a skill, and it is unfair to both people to place a helper who has never done it.
Can the helper take my mother out of the house?
Accompanied walks, appointments and visits to the market are normal, if your family agrees to them. Agree the boundaries early: where she may go, how far, and whether she should call you first.
What about night-time care?
She can. A helper can respond at night if your parent needs the bathroom or is unsettled.
If her nights are broken, she needs the sleep back during the day. We suggest two to three hours of rest in the daytime for any helper whose night is regularly interrupted, because she is not getting eight uninterrupted hours. A helper who is awake all night and working all day will not last, and the placement will fail.
Will she cook the food my parent is used to?
Some helpers arrive with real cooking skill, and household compatibility on each profile shows whether a candidate has a stated interest in cooking. That does not mean she will cook the way your family does, and you should still expect to teach her your parent's meals.
Write down two weeks of your parent's usual meals before she arrives. It is the single most useful thing a family can prepare.
Can she help with physiotherapy exercises?
She can support and encourage exercises that a physiotherapist has prescribed and demonstrated, and remind your parent to do them. She is not a therapist and should not be designing a programme herself.
Biodata and interviews
What is a biodata?
A biodata is the candidate's profile: her age, height, marital status, education, religion, the type of work she prefers, what she has done before, any overseas placements, and her household compatibility such as cooking or comfort with pets.
You can browse them on our biodata page and download the full sheet for any candidate.
Can we interview a helper before deciding?
Yes, and you should. The order is this. Look through the biodata on our website and shortlist anyone who interests you. Send us a WhatsApp message with your shortlist and we send you her interview video. When you are ready, you place a booking with us and we arrange a one to one interview with her.
You are not limited to one candidate: interview as many as you need to feel sure. The booking fee does not expire, and it comes off your agency fee when a helper is placed with you.
How do I request an interview video?
Every profile on the biodata page has a Request for Interview Video button. It opens WhatsApp with a message naming the candidate, already written for you. Send it and a consultant will reply with her video during office hours.
What should I ask during the interview?
Ask about her last elderly employer: what the person could and could not do, and what a normal day looked like. Ask what she found hardest. Ask how she would handle your parent refusing a shower or repeating the same question all morning.
Have your parent in the room if they are able. How the two of them speak to each other tells you more than any answer.
Can my parent join the interview?
Yes, and we encourage it. The placement is with your parent, not with you, and their reaction to a candidate is worth more than a form. Anyone else in the family you would like to join is welcome too.
Why do some profiles have no photograph?
Because we only publish a photograph when the candidate has given written permission for it. If consent is not on file, the profile shows a placeholder rather than her picture.
Is the information on the biodata verified?
Identity, age and work-permit eligibility documents are checked before recruitment proceeds. Work history is recorded as the candidate reported it, together with any references she can provide.
Treat the biodata as a starting point for your interview, not as a substitute for it.
How often are new candidates added?
Twice a week. New biodata is added twice a week, and availability changes from day to day. If nothing on the page fits, tell your consultant what you are looking for and we will contact you when a suitable candidate is available.
Cost and payment
How much does it cost to hire a maid for elderly care in Malaysia?
The total cost has several parts: the agency placement fee, the government levy and permit costs, medical screening, insurance, travel from the source country, and the helper's monthly salary.
Fees vary with the source country and the type of placement, so we quote in writing for your specific case rather than publishing a single figure that would be wrong for most families. Ask your consultant for a full written breakdown before you pay anything.
What is included in your fee and what is not?
Your written quotation itemises exactly what the agency fee covers and what is billed separately, such as government charges paid on your behalf.
SST and SOCSO are not included in the quotation. SST is a fixed charge of RM400, and your consultant tells you the SOCSO amount before you sign, so there are no surprises.
If any line is not clear to you, ask before signing. We will explain every item.
Do I have to pay a deposit?
Payment terms are set out in your placement agreement before any money changes hands. Never pay a deposit to any agency without a written agreement and a valid JTKSM licence number. Ours is 807.
Who pays the helper's salary?
You do, as the employer, monthly. The amount is agreed before placement and stated in the employment contract.
It must be paid directly into the helper's own bank account. Not into a joint account, and not to anybody else on her behalf.
Are there ongoing costs after she arrives?
Yes. Her monthly salary, her food and accommodation, permit renewal when it falls due, insurance, and her return flight at the end of the contract in the circumstances set out in your agreement.
Is the placement fee refundable?
Refund and replacement terms are stated in your written placement agreement, including what applies if a replacement is needed. Read that section carefully before signing and ask about anything that is unclear.
Documents and permits
What documents do I need to provide as the employer?
Typically identification for the employer, proof of residence, and household details required by the authorities. Some applications ask for evidence of the need for care.
Your consultant gives you the exact list for your case, because the requirements differ depending on the source country and the type of application.
Do you handle the permit and immigration paperwork?
We guide you through the applicable employment, immigration and medical screening requirements, and prepare and submit what an agency is permitted to submit on your behalf. Some steps require the employer's own signature or presence.
What medical screening does the helper go through?
The health checks required for a domestic-helper work permit in Malaysia, arranged before departure and repeated after arrival as the authorities require.
How long is the work permit valid?
Domestic-helper permits are issued for a fixed term and renewed. Your consultant tells you the term that applies to your placement and reminds you before renewal falls due.
What happens when the contract ends?
You may renew if both sides are willing and the authorities approve, or the helper returns home. Your placement agreement sets out who bears which costs at that point.
Can I transfer a helper who is already working in Malaysia?
Transfers are possible in certain circumstances and are subject to approval, the current employer's release, and the applicable rules. Ask your consultant whether a specific case qualifies before you make any commitment.
Arrival and first weeks
What should we prepare before she arrives?
A private place to sleep with somewhere to keep her belongings. A written list of daily routines and duties. Two weeks of your parent's usual meals. Emergency numbers on the fridge. A house key arrangement you are comfortable with.
Decide in advance who in the family gives instructions. Conflicting orders from three relatives is the fastest way to unsettle a new placement.
What are the first days usually like?
Quieter and more awkward than families expect. She is in a strange house, often in a new country, and your parent is adjusting to a stranger in their space.
Keep the first week simple, show her the routine rather than explaining it, and expect it to take a few weeks before things feel normal.
How much time off does she get?
Rest days and working hours are set out in the employment contract and must comply with the applicable law and the terms you agree. Agree them clearly before she arrives rather than improvising later.
Can she have a phone?
Yes. She has family at home and the right to contact them. Agree reasonable expectations about when she uses it during working hours, in the same way you would with any employee.
Do you check in after the placement?
Yes. The first weeks matter most, so your consultant stays reachable for routine setting, early misunderstandings and the practical questions that always come up. Our support does not stop once the fee is paid.
Problems and replacement
What if the helper is not right for my parent?
Tell us early rather than waiting for it to become serious. Most concerns we hear in the first month are about communication or routine and are solved with guidance on both sides.
If it genuinely cannot work, we help you find a replacement helper. The exact terms are in your written placement agreement.
What happens if the placement does not work out?
If the placement does not work out, we help you find a replacement helper. Your replacement helper starts a new contract of her own.
A replacement is free for an initial period, and after that a replacement fee applies, which is lower the earlier it is needed. Your consultant tells you the exact amount before anything is arranged.
Guidance comes first, because most concerns are solved without a change. The full terms are set out in your placement agreement, which you should read before signing.
What if my parent simply does not get along with her?
Give it a fair few weeks if there is no safety concern, because early friction is normal and often passes. If it does not, call your consultant and describe what is actually happening rather than the general feeling. Specifics are what we can act on.
If it still cannot work, we arrange a replacement. A replacement is free for an initial period, and after that a replacement fee applies, as set out in your placement agreement.
What if the helper wants to leave?
Contact us. Sometimes it is homesickness in the first weeks and it passes with a phone call home. Sometimes there is a real problem in the household that is better addressed than ignored.
If she genuinely cannot continue, we handle the process properly and help you with a replacement under your agreement.
Who do I call if something goes wrong at night or on a weekend?
For a medical emergency, call 999. For anything about the placement itself, contact us on WhatsApp at 012-273 9272 and we will respond as soon as we are able.
Your responsibilities
What are my legal responsibilities as an employer?
Providing proper accommodation, food, rest days and the agreed salary paid on time, keeping her permit valid, and treating her in accordance with Malaysian employment law and the terms of her contract.
Your placement agreement and the employment contract set out the specifics for your household.
Can I hold her passport?
No. Her passport is her property. Provide a safe place for her to keep it if she wants one, but it remains hers.
Can I ask her to work at my other property or for a relative?
Her permit ties her to the employer and the household stated on it. Sending her to work elsewhere puts both of you at risk. Ask your consultant before making any such arrangement.
How should we handle the salary?
Pay in full, on the agreed date, every month, and keep a simple record that you both sign. Late or partial payment is the fastest way to lose a good helper and the most common cause of disputes we are asked to resolve.
What if I need to travel with my parent and take her along?
Discuss it with your consultant in advance. Travel arrangements have implications for her permit and her contract, and are best sorted out beforehand rather than at the airport.
About TC Resources
Are you licensed?
Yes. Agensi Pekerjaan TC Resources Sdn. Bhd. holds JTKSM licence 807, Licence B, valid to 31 August 2027. Our company number is 201601014706 (1185637-U).
Ask any agency you speak to for its licence number and expiry date before you pay anything.
What is your relationship with Innovedge?
TC Resources is part of the Innovedge Group. Innovedge has been recruiting and placing domestic helpers in Malaysia since 2002, with recognition from the Philippine and Indonesian embassies.
That history and recognition belong to Innovedge and are presented as group heritage. TC Resources holds its own licence and its own consultants.
Why do you only focus on elderly care?
Because matching a helper to an elderly person is a different job from matching one to a young family, and doing both well at once is difficult. Patience, pace, language and physical support matter more than speed and multitasking.
We do place helpers for general household work and childcare, but elderly care is what we are built around.
What do you do with the information I give you?
We use it to find a suitable match, and to make the permit and immigration submissions to the relevant Malaysian authorities on your behalf as the employer. It is not used for anything else.
Personal data is handled under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010. If you want to know what we hold or want it removed, email [email protected] and we will confirm in writing.
Can you help in Bahasa Malaysia or Mandarin?
Yes. Enquiries are handled in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.
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