Find a Trusted Private Caregiver for Your Parent Living with Dementia or Parkinson's — Without the Agency Markup
We match your family with a vetted caregiver — with deep experience in dementia and Parkinson's care. You hire them directly. We handle everything else.
What you want is simple: someone your parent trusts, who shows up every day, who knows their routine, who treats them like a person — at a price your family can actually sustain.
That's not what agencies tend to deliver. And doing it yourself — finding someone, vetting them, running payroll, staying legal — is a second job you don't have room for.
Meanwhile, your parent or spouse needs help now. Not next month. Now.
Here's What We Do
1. We find your caregiver — within 48 hours.
Tell us about your family: your parent's diagnosis, stage, daily routine, personality, location. We identify candidates with verified dementia and Parkinson's experience who match your specific situation — not just whoever's available.
2. We vet them so you don't have to.
Background checks. Reference checks. In-person interviews. Dementia and Parkinson's experience verified. We only present caregivers we'd trust with our own parents. (That's not a line — our founders' parents have dementia and Parkinson's. This is personal.)
3. You hire them directly.
Your caregiver works for your family, not a staffing agency. Same person every day. They learn that Dad likes his coffee before the morning walk, that Mom does better with music during meals. That's the care your parent deserves — and it only comes from a real relationship, not a rotation.
4. We set everything up — and give you the tools to maintain it all.
Payroll, taxes, employment paperwork — handled through our trusted payroll partner so you're protected legally and your caregiver is protected too. Our job is to make it easy forever, not just the first week.
5. We don't disappear after placement.
You get our family coordination app so your entire care team — siblings, spouses, neighbors, the caregiver — stays on the same page. When your caregiver is sick or on vacation, you get access to our backup network so you're not the fallback. We check in. We troubleshoot. We're in your corner.
This Is for You If…
Your parent has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, dementia, or Parkinson's and needs in-home support in the Charlottesville area
You've tried an agency and the consistency your parent needs hasn't been there
You want to hire privately but don't know where to start or how to do it safely
You're the one managing everything and you need a partner, not another thing to manage
Built by People Who've Lived It
Alula was founded by two families here in Charlottesville. Bridgid and Jason have been caregivers to Bridgid's parents — who live with Parkinson's and dementia — for years. Kathryn and Justin are clinicians and educators who navigate caregiving in their own families, and who help others understand the clinical and human side of caring for someone every day through their practices.
Our content library helps families navigate every stage of the caregiving journey. Now we're helping them find and keep the right caregiver.
Common Questions
What does it cost?
Our service fee is $279 per month. That covers matching, payroll setup, and ongoing support — and it's separate from what you pay your caregiver hourly. There's no fee until we present candidates you're happy with.
What happens if our caregiver is sick or on vacation?
You're not the fallback. We give you access to a backup network of caregivers — vetted the same way — so there's always a trusted name to call.
What if it doesn't work out with the caregiver?
We help you find a replacement. You're not on your own.
We've never hired someone directly before — is this complicated?
That's exactly why we exist. We handle the hard parts. You focus on your family.
Where do you serve?
Right now we're focused exclusively on Charlottesville and the surrounding area. We'd rather do this exceptionally well in one place than spread thin across many. If you're nearby, reach out — we'll tell you honestly whether we can help.
Tell Us About Your Family
It takes less than 5 minutes. We'll reach out within 24 hours to schedule a conversation.
There's no commitment. No fee until you're satisfied with your candidates.
Get Started
Tell us a little about your situation and we'll be in touch.