Are There Any Reliable Home Health-Care Agencies?

[Anonymous]

I've been working for the last several months with a home health care agency to provide help to my aging parents - two shifts (AM and PM) seven days a week - after their other caregiver retired for her own health reasons.

The people at the agency are perfectly nice but the consistency of the service is lacking. There are frequent last-minute cancellations by their contract employees and, while they find replacements about 50% of the time, at other times they can't fill the shift, which is not a good situation.

Has anyone worked with a local home health care agency that is truly reliable in terms of its ability to find caregivers who consistently show up more or less on schedule? I'm assuming the hourly rates are fairly consistent across the board but maybe I'm wrong.

[Anonymous]

We've had a good experience with Warman.

[Anonymous]

Our experience was-for periods of time, maybe. We thought hiring a case manager who has connections to companies and can manage it all would make the difference. They promise you the moon and you have the same issues as you pay the case manager a small fortune.

These are miserable jobs that at the care-giving level (as opposed to manager level) pay terribly. There is not going to be a lot of loyalty unless your elder is maybe unusually easy and pleasant and you provide great tips under the table. There were good people, but for them it was often a means to an end- a temp job as they work to get advanced degree or go through college.

Also, make it as easy as possible. I see people on here who want someone to cook, clean, and bathe elder and take her/him on field trips. Hire a meal service, get a cleaner and if your parent needs lots of excitement, look into residential facilities that have field trips and social gatherings.If budget is low, look into your options, but if you try to take advantage, there will be even more turnover.