• Report: #461184

Complaint Review: Home Instead Senior Care

Thank You

Read how Ripoff Report saves consumers millions.

  • Submitted: Friday, June 12, 2009
  • Last Posting: Saturday, September 18, 2010
  • Reported By:Chicago Illinois
Home Instead Senior Care
3100 Dundee Road Suite 902 Northbrook Illinois 60062 U.S.A.

Home Instead Senior Care DON'T USE. Doesn't check references and rips off employees. Lies about bonus $$ in ads. Northbrook Illinois

*UPDATE EX-employee responds: Defending the disgruntle employees


1Author 1Consumer 4Employee/Owner

Respond to this Report

  • Respond to this report!
    What's this?
  • Also a victim?
    What's this?
  • Repair Your Reputation
    ...the right way!
    Corporate Advocacy Program
First and foremost, to potential clients, don't hire this agency. They never checked ANY of my references. For all they know, I could have lied about all my former work experience. They sent me on the job with ZERO training and without giving me any kind of orientation or even introducing me to the client- their exact words were "wing it." Maybe this is because they could tell from talking to me that I am brilliant. But I had NO experience other than babysitting my grandmother occasionally in her final years, and the first thing they did was send me to a nursing home to be with a woman in extreme pain who had just had a SPINAL FUSION. Also, they pay their employees less than half what they charge you ($22.50/hr and up). Get someone from craigslist and pay them $15/hr. These people are a bunch of hacks.

This is, by far, the worst company I have ever worked for. In all their ads, they put in big bold letters "$$$$ $500 bonus for 12-hour shifts $1500 bonus for live-in $$$$" I worked for them, 5 days a week, 12-hour shifts- no overtime-- for 13 straight weeks. As of 6 months later, I have received $25 of that $500 bonus. I called TEN times about it. Most of the time no one returned my calls. When I did talk to the payroll supervisor, I got promises that of course were not kept.

Also, my first ever job was a one-day twelve hour shift on New Year's Day- I was supposed to get paid time and half. Never got the "half". No one returned my calls from the payroll office.

Their staff is terrible. I was given ZERO notice that my 60 hour a week job was ending- I found out from the client on the last day, even though the agency had known for quite some time what was happening. I found out, basically, when the transport van came to take her home from the nursing home. They never called me. I had to call them to verify. Then, while waiting for another job, they staffed me on another temporary job. This person needed VERY personal care- which is not supposed to be part of the job description-- and then the crowning glory was, a week after this job ended, they called me and told me that the live-in- whom I was relieving-- had told them she thought I was sleeping on the job. I assured them I had been awake the entire time (overnight). They told me they'd "investigate further" and then never called me again- even though I had been in constant daily contact with them (when unstaffed) for close to 6 months, working overnight with no complaints whatsoever of sleeping on the job (with plenty of nursing staff at the home to tattle on me) and the three clients I had been with LOVED me and made a point to tell the agency for me.

That was 4 weeks ago. 10 additional unreturned phone calls in the meantime. I had been a model employee- I was called in several times on my "weekend" and agreed to fill in to help them out, working 72-hour weeks twice- always on time, never left them in the lurch, and just like that, they didn't even have the decency to fire me.

These guys suck. They'll be hearing from one of the many lawyers I have in my family.

Md79
Chicago, Illinois
U.S.A.

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 6/12/2009 2:49:02 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/home-healthcare/home-instead-senior/home-instead-senior-care-don-t-8754p.htm.

Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.

Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Home Instead Senior

Search for additional reports

If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:

Search Tips
Report & Rebuttal
Respond to this report!
What's this?
Also a victim?
What's this?
Repair Your Reputation!
What's this?
REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
1Author 1Consumer 4Employee/Owner
Updates & Rebuttals

#1 Consumer Suggestion

I am with another Home Instead Senior Care office and this is NOT my experience

AUTHOR: Smithless - Parkinson (U.S.A.)

I am sorry to hear you had such an unfortunate experience at your office.

***Please keep in mind every office is independantly owned and operated, therefore, not all locations operate like yours did/do.***

I suggest you take your complaint to the BBB to see if you can resolve the dispute(s) peacefully and professionally. As for the agencies in our area, I can honestly say every reference is checked, all backgrounds are done annually and everyone is paid the stated amount for services provided.

Relative to cost of services, please also keep in mind private pay clients go to people like Home Instead Senior Care because they bear the burden of cost when it comes to hiring, bonding and insuring the caregivers. Out of the $22 or so dollars your agency charged, the majority of it goes to employee wage, then the insurance, bonding, rent, office employee wages, taxes, taxes and more taxes, admin fees, and other costs of doing business (there are many). After everyone else gets their cut, the owner then gets what's left over. Please don't be misled.

Good luck to you on your next endeavour. :)
Respond to this report!
What's this?

#2 Employee

Read the first complaint, don't be mislead by the rebuttal

AUTHOR: Mary - Chicago (U.S.A.)

I am currently an employee of Home Instead in the SW suburbs of Chicago. I can verify that I too was hired almost instantaneously by them after answering a simple ad on Craig's List. Forget any kind of background check either, I could've easily been an ax murderer for all they cared! But I guess I was brilliant too, just like the first respondent. As far as the training goes, it last about an hour. It was mostly about limiting their liability, less about helping the people they were hired to care for.

Although I like my job I'm not crazy about the agency itself and am just about to quit. For example, whenever they send me out on an assignment they tell me as little as possible about the client. Just recently I accepted an assignment where they told me the person lived in a questionable area, so naturally I drove out there to check it out. However, it turned out the area wasn't all that bad, but what she neglected to tell me was the client had 2 pitbulls....that is until after I accepted the job. I'm not a dog lover to begin with & I especially don't like those kind of dogs. It didn't help either that I later learned the client had a big scar on her leg because one of the dogs scratched her. Not only that but I walked into an extremely stressful family situation where the client's family along with the client were arguing back and forth on a daily basis about her care and exercise routine. The agency has a tendency to leave out some of the little details.

Another problem I have with them is their tendency to call me at the last minute or not have extra staff to fill-in when I need a day off. Even the people they do have for the fill-ins I find questionable. It's like they don't have any standards when it comes to hiring people, they're just warm bodies to fill a slot.

Personally I think the people that run these agency's are irresponsible and not fit to handle all the needs of the elderly. It's about making as much money as possible off the clients and paying the caregivers as little as possible.

In Response to the rebuttal:
"Relative to cost of services, please also keep in mind private pay clients go to people like Home Instead Senior Care because they bear the burden of cost when it comes to hiring, bonding and insuring the caregivers. Out of the $22 or so dollars your agency charged, the majority of it goes to employee wage."

This is an out and out lie, it doesn't cost anything to advertise on Craig's List, I'm not bonded and am not insured by Home Instead. As far as charging $22 an hour and saying the majority goes to the employee wage that's completely false. The majority of us don't even make half that. I don't know where this person gets off making that claim! I suspect she works as a manager or owner of one of the offices.

Please think twice about using Home Instead.

Respond to this report!
What's this?

#3 Employee

All business are independently owned!

AUTHOR: ladybugmom1 - smithfield (United States of America)

I think it important to respond because all Home Instead facilities are Independently owned. If what was written was fact then that is only one specific owner. I work for a HISC in Virginia and absolutely love it. Our owners take the time to train and set up in person introductions for new clients and new caregivers. As far as how much is paid, that is not my concern. I am business savvy and understand that a company must make a profit. When you accept a job for a big company that makes millions, you cannot expect that amount. I would hope that people will read this and judge based off of each different business. Anyone who has had interactions with the business in VA can provide a reference to our services. I hope you get your situation worked out.
Respond to this report!
What's this?

#4 Employee

Response to other employee

AUTHOR: ladybugmom1 - smithfield (United States of America)

Again, all the franchises are independently owned! I understand the frustrations but I do not understand why one must bad mouth an entire organization because of a single group. All the caregivers are licensed and bonded. I do not think an employee would be able to know this for sure because they do not work with the paperwork in an office. I would like to see proof that none of the caregivers were insured since this accusation was thrown out. I am a caregiver and do not get paid $22 an hour. At the same time, I see how much effort my home office puts into the clients. They do so many personal visits. They do advertise on tv and network through out the community. They fill in shifts on weekends when people call out. They do not have days off and never complain. I would think they should get some compensation for what they do. Our last training event was a few weeks back and they provided food and beverages. They gave raffle gifts and awards. There are plenty of good Home Instead Offices out there. Please anyone who is looking for care, do not be discouraged by what two disgruntled employees have to say. There are two sides to every story. I will pray for them and hope they find a job that gives them everything they are looking for. 
Respond to this report!
What's this?

#5 Ex-Employee

Defending the disgruntle employees

AUTHOR: eth - Warrenville (United States of America)


No body is bad mouthing the whole organiztion. I know that home instead senior care is independently owned. I had a bad experience working for one of home instead franchise the one that is located in Naperville IL. I have civil rights to speak for myself, defend myself and protect myself. Don't insult people by saying employees. In case you forgot we are human beings too. we have feelings. I have a right to speak inform the public so nobody will go through what i went through.My payments when I work there were never accurate. It is the most disorganize company i have never seen. companies should pay what they promise to pay to the employees. The last time I remember I signed a contract employee and employer contract. what happened to that. I did my job as an employee it is the franchise who does not know what they are doing. It was not my job to run the company for them. The agency should read their own policy. May be their is some where in their booklet that explain employees rights. In case you dont know business have bosses like the federal government. I need to be paid because the government said so. I have employee rights because the labor department said so. Thank God for the government. If your franchise is doing the right thing find a way to differentiate yourself. Don't call the previous employees names. We have a right to speak. We live in America. we have freedom of speech. I do not live in Russia or China.I will never work for home instead company every again even if you pay me million dollar. I do not make the same mistake again. I will work for $5/hr any company that will treat me like a human being. I am proud to defend the care givers.
 

 

Respond to this report!
What's this?
Report & Rebuttal
Respond to this report!
What's this?
Also a victim?
What's this?
Repair Your Reputation!
What's this?
Search for additional reports

If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:

Search Tips

Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.