Your father may say he does not need a haircut, and he will say it with the confidence of a man who has not looked in a mirror in a while. A barber who comes to the house can change that. Not by making a fuss, but by giving him one ordinary hour in a chair that is his, with someone who talks to him about nothing in particular. Everything below is about checking that the person you hire can deliver that in your kitchen.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Start with what he wants

Ask him what he wants done, even if the answer is 'just make it look like it did before.' If he cannot say, pick two or three photos from the family album, or ask him about the last haircut he liked. Bring those to the barber rather than your own guess. He will notice if the cut is yours.

What to check in the first call

Ask whether they bring their own cape, towels, clippers, and a way to keep the tools clean between customers. Ask whether they cut in a kitchen or a bathroom, and what surface they put down. Ask who sweeps the hair up afterward and whether they leave the room as they found it. A barber who answers these without hesitation has done this before.

Ask whether a neck shave or a straight razor is included. If it is, ask whether they use a new disposable blade, what they do if they nick the skin, and whether they carry a basic first aid kit. Skin changes with age, so ask whether they have worked on older men before.

Ask whether they hold the license required for this work where you live, and whether they carry liability insurance for work in a private home. Ask to see the paperwork, not just hear a yes.

What to compare

Put two or three barbers side by side on the same five things: what is included, how long a visit runs, how far ahead they book, what happens if your father cancels on the day, and whether the price is set per cut or per visit. Ask for the full price in writing, including any extras such as a beard trim or a return visit to fix something. Do not compare by who is friendliest on the phone. Compare by who answers every question with a plain answer.

Ask for two references from customers who have had them come to the house for at least a year. Call them and ask one question: did they show up on time, every time?

The first visit

Be in the room for the first visit. Not hovering, just in the kitchen making coffee or reading the paper nearby. Watch how he talks with the barber, whether he relaxes, and whether the barber lets him set the pace. Afterward, ask him how it went. If he says it was fine, that is a good sign. If he says nothing at all, that is also an answer, and it is worth asking again in a week.

Starting the list

If you are in St. Louis, the local help page is a place to start looking for names. Use it to make the first phone calls, then apply the questions above.

What to do tonight

Ask him one question about the last haircut he liked. Do not offer a plan. Write down what he says and the name of one barber you can call. Telling him you are looking into it is enough for now.

When to ask his doctor first

If there is a rash, a sore, an open wound, or a spot on his scalp or neck that he does not want anyone to look at, ask his doctor before a razor goes near it. A barber is not the right person to decide whether a cut is safe on skin that is hurting.