home care aide

caregiver

home health aide

personal care aide

state tested nursing assistant

Addus HomeCare

From top to bottom, this company is awful to deal with. During the hiring process, I was presented with a binder "cheat sheet," and asked to take 3 or 4 tests. Not one time did anyone offer any information about specifics of the job, not even my pay rate. I specified that I would not like to provide at-home care for any single men, and they did not acknowledge this request, as they attempted to schedule me with a man. Luckily I noticed the name was not a female name when they were listing my clients, because when I asked to confirm that none of them were men, the office assistant who was dealing with me confirmed that none were (was she not paying attention to me as I was sitting directly in front of her, asking?). 

On the job, things are not As bad. My clients were all relatively considerate and nice to work with. I did have constant anxiety about being asked to help someone bathe though, as I was never shown how that process goes. I saw in the cheat sheet book that we are not supposed to lift clients, but of course I wasn't instructed as to how we should help our clients with mobility issues. Clock-in and clock-out must be done using client phones which caused many issues including, but not limited to: client phone not working which required office-call (when I was supposed to be on the clock and assisting my client), late clock-in (by 1 minute or 2) would sometimes cause the system to require a patient ID number (which also required a call to the office), etc. Whenever the office assistants needed to get ahold of me, they would call my cell phone, and if that didn't work (it never did, because Every Time they called while I was on the clock and trying to do my job), they would call the client's house and ask to speak with me. Can we say "unprofessional"?

Clock-in/Clock-out issues were also caused simply by the system not working. I could do everything right in the process and would get a call saying that I'm not clocked in. All of these issues with clock-in/out required manual adjustment, which meant I would receive paperwork in the mail that would then need to be signed by both the client and myself. The stamps alone that I had to use sending in that paperwork (or gas, if I had driven 40 minutes to the office) cost more than the gas I was (presumably- the process was never fully explained to me) being reimbursed for.

As for the office environment, it was scattered, stressful, and constantly filled with workplace gossip and drama (yes, the manager was a party in all of it). I once called in with an issue, explained it in a few sentences, and waited. A few seconds later, the office assistant says "Sorry can you repeat that? I was listening to the other girls in the office." Really? You can't even focus enough on your job to listen to people on the phone? Is that because the office assistants are underqualified or because there is so much office drama and commotion that is more important than the employees and consumers?

Now, fast forward to a month or so later when I (luckily) have the opportunity for another job, and the manager is refusing to send me a state police clearance that I PAID FOR until they receive a final paper from a day that something went wrong with clock-in (seemingly every day). Not only are they refusing, but I called THREE TIMES before someone admitted to me that I wasn't being sent the state police clearance on purpose. The first two times I called, the office assistant lied to me and told me that she "would send it," and "would send it again." 

All-in-all, I do not and would never recommend accepting employment with this company. This has been the most disorganized place I have ever worked, and they show that they disrespect and do not care about their employees or people in general. Even some of the clients I worked with had nasty things to say about management there. Save yourself time and issues, and just skip this "opportunity."

I work three days a week at Addus Healthcare. My clients are 80 and 92 years of age. My day begins at 10.00 a.m. I go into my clients' home and I observe my clients by looing at their movement to see if there is any change from the last time I saw them, I look at their skin for any changes, I listen when they speak to me for any slurred in the speech or if the client should repeat the same story to me over and over. I make sure the bathroom, kitchen, living room and dining room are clean. I ask my clients if they would anything to eat and if so what. 

I have learned that no matter how long you have know a person you really don't know them until you have spent hours upon hours with them, learning their habits, seeing exactly what goes on behind closed doors when you are behind those closed doors with them and seeing things you really wished you had not seen!

Management looks easy because there is a person giving out orders to others, but management is difficult, especially when you have to manage yourself and you have to get everything just right and God is your only audience.

I do not know any of my co-workers at Addus Healthcare. There are three scheduled inservice meeting per year, and this is the only time that I will see any of my co-workers...and within those three inservice meetings I never see the same people. 

The hardest part of the job is going into my clients' home and seeing roaches stuck to the rat traps and when I speak to my client concerning them she tells me "I bought a lot of those sticky rat traps!" I also try telling my client that she has to get rid of the problem not just capture them. I cannot sit down when I go to the clients' home because I am afraid the roaches will crawl on me and I will take them home with me!

The most enjoyable part of the job is when we talk and laugh and then sometimes we will say whoever dies first the one that is left here will have a lot of memories to look back on and laugh! I have a wonderful time talking and laughing with my clients.

Did not receive pay for first 2 months due to office error. Another time my paperwork was misplaced and I did not make copies- (always make copies). Was sent out twice to clients who were not expecting me and had to return home.Was never given printed Plan of Care for client ahead of time so made for awkward misunderstandings getting off on a bad foot when was different from what I was told verbally.Never given Certificate I trained for uncompensated or given ID to present to clients. Was in awkward spot where I personally lent client $40+ for needed groceries, was never reimbursed by client or company-(my mistake).
   If there is a "team" working for the senior, such as social worker, Doctors, hospice,nurses, relatives etc- always left out of the loop, your input is never asked for even though you are the person who spends the most time with them and witness any change of physical condition, abilities, etc. Treated job-wise like maid or servant by the seniors and company and other professionals not as an educated and trained senior  paraprofessional worker.
   Wanted to go into job to help seniors maintain lifestyle. Instead felt insulted that the overall perception and treatment by the seniors as well as the company and relatives is with suspicion that you must be doing this profession because you are either a thief, below normal intelligence or simply cannot get any other kind of job,  Sometimes also felt isolated and did not have a larger network of support to help deal with larger issues and needs that the seniors had but were outside of your jobs scope.
    
   Yes the pay was low, yes some of the work was unpleasant, but it was after doing all the work you could do to help their interests and being insulted and treated with suspicion on top of it was the last straw for me. Never, ever had to deal with that in any job I have ever worked for in my life!
  
  I do have to say, yes, I do not recommend going into this line of work at all and would suggest gaining job skills for other work.

First of all, you should never judge a book by it's cover...TYPICALLY. But for this place? The cover suits it well!

When I first received a call stating they wanted to interview me, I was stoked! I had been a CNA for years and wanted to do at home services. Well, I couldn't even find the place! I was almost late to my interview! It was literally a rinky dink hole underneath a main building! Talk about sketchy! At first, the manager and supervisor seemed super nice! Ha, don't they all? But that changed. IMMEDIATELY. It's union and you get cr-p pay. It only goes up 5 or 10 cents  A YEAR. It's HORRIBLE hours. Most I ever had was 26 a week. But don't be fooled! Your clients cancel A LOT. So technically, I really had about 5-10 hours a week..IF THAT. It's only for 1-4 hours a day depending on the client. And if that's not bad enough, half of the time they don't even contact you to tell you a client cancelled or a client has been added. So either you show up to be turned away (yet paid for 1 hour) or you get your butt reamed by your supervisor for not showing up at all! And it's not just the TOWN you have clients in, it's the whole county. So if you drive 20-30 minutes out of your way, I guess that's "your" fault. And if your car breaks down, you only have 5 days to get it fixed before they literally drop ALL of your clients! So you're back down to basically no job at all!

I had such a horrible experience with these people that I could only handle it for a MONTH. My own paycheck was withheld from me and I tried to do everything that I could to get it. And you want to know what was said to me about my "issues" by the MANAGER of the COMPANY...

"Okay, I'm hanging up now. Your issues aren't important right now, I have to pick up my kids. Goodbye." -CLICK- !!!

Real professional, right? Like I said. If you want cr-ppy hours, cr-ppy pay, and cr-ppy management, by all means! Work for this company! Even the clients hate this place. Just look them up! Trust me, my review isn't the worst one out there!

Started with preparing patient's breakfast and dispensing meds in weekly container. I then served patient breakfast. Then fixed bed, dumped garbage and took a dirty laundry to wash area. After breakfast I then prepared lunch if patient did not have to go out for the day for Dr.appointments. If my patient had appointments we ate out.At the end of the day I got the mail and had small talk with the patient about everything and anything going on in the world or the patient's life.(which was pretty interesting).The hardest part of the job was not being able to talk with someone of my own age,also adapting to the same ole routine day in and day out. Being left in the house alone sometimes till the end of the day, whenever one of my patient's friends or family members would take them out for the day,and my patient forgot to let me know,and they forgot where their phone was to let me know. I enjoyed time with my patient getting to know someone not only by checking their breathing and making sure they don't have an accident.But because i was there spending a couple of hours with them just listening, brought them some little joy. Also their trust in me with their life gave me joy or something. Just to be apart of something and looked at by everyone with great respect was what i was looking for. I always wanted to work in a hospital around other people and feel the same joy,but I believe learning to adapt to any surrounding place that your in at the moment is fulfillment of itself.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The PTO you gain is the only good part about this position.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part about working at Addus the culture. I shouldn’t really call it a culture because it’s the boss & one of the scheduling coordinators that run everything. They’re best friends and everyone else is just a number. They wouldn’t allow me to learn & grow. They wanted me to be able to do everything in their specific way every single time even if it wasn’t by Addus’ rules. Needless to say, we didn’t get along at all because of all of the authority going to the boss’ head. She was always very controlling and watched my every move. I was constantly micromanaged and treated like garbage. I’ve never in my life been talked to the way this manager talked to me. I can definitely see why the company is going under. They’re running it into the ground.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Awful… the boss & 1 employee are best friends and everyone else is just an inconvenience.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Being micromanaged & belittled constantly. There was hardly any time to get actual work done due to the inconsistencies of the position. No one knew how to properly perform the Location Recruiter job so I had to drive 2 hours away for training (which didn’t bother me) however it was bothersome when I got back from the training and the boss let me know every single thing I was doing wrong even though I was trained by the person she sent me to! The entire place is just absolute chaos and I do not recommend anybody being subjected to this toxicity.

I have worked for A Plus Healthcare for about 1 year now and I really don’t like the sporadic hours, I would like to have regular hours each day.  8 hour a day is what I would like 40 hours a week or more I need to be working Full-time.  And I don’t like that instead of giving current PCA’S more hours that they ask for  more hire.  The benefits are not that great, the Bonuses are not often enough, and Management are often Rude to their P.CA’s when they call to ask questions that have about ther change in schedulesThere is MT a lot of room for Advancement in the area that I live in Libby, M.  The starting wage was not what I felt I should receive with the years of experience that I had when I was Hired. The  Bonuses aren’t What does should be or they should be more often. I am Relocating but I prefer her not to  transfer I don’t like there employees.don’.theemployees thank you.Don’t like the way they treat their employees thanki youdon’t like the way they treat their employees.ally broke eating but I prefer her not to transfer because I don’t like the way they treat their employees thank youhe hsvThe Benefits are poor,oftenalManagements  communications skills are not good with there PeP.A.’sand some of the employees that are in Management are Ruse to there P. C. A.s.  There is not a lot of room for Advancement in the area that I live at in Libby ,MT. The starting wages was not what I felt I should of receive when I was Hied but the Raisise have been good.people when they hire on New Clients.  I have gone from 42+ hours a week down to 35.5 hours per week and I have been as low as 22 hours per week. And working with some of theClients can be very a very Sta vene very stressful you have to take a lot

Where should I begin? This company is beyond disorganized. You will be offered a great sounding position, but once they have secured you and have made certain you have left your previous employer, they will delicately let you know that the position you applied for, interviewed for, and were hired on for IS NOT WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING. They have recently acquired a home health business and are luring in nurses seeking to do hospice, only to change their position to home health once these nurses are in the company and have left their previous gainful employment. To make matters worse, the territory you are assigned to means nothing- expect to be sent all over the world and back; they do not care where you live or what your outside responsibilities are; expect to put in a lot of miles on your car! To top it off, mediocre to poor benefits.

Training is A JOKE. Training is useless, does not help, shadowing others helps minimally; there is no opportunity to learn hands on in the field because patients cannot be assigned to you, despite the fact that you are going in and consulting with them. Training is also ridiculous in that sometimes you will be asked to go to the Barrington office and other times you will be asked to go to the Glenview office. 

I CANNOT STRESS THE INCOMPETENCE, CONNIVING AND SHADY METHODS used by management to get people hired in. Upper management telling employees to refer friends with the promise of certain hours and shifts when NOTHING like that exists, straight lying through their teeth.

I loved the patients. There were some I had gotten to see multiple times that were great and loved me and that would make it great for me. But on the other hand, the woman in charge of scheduling is rude and unprofessional. I was told before starting and taking the class that there are so many cases and they really needed help. Since starting though, I have had so many problems trying to get hours. I feel like I am constantly calling or emailing my coordinator begging for hours, to wind up with 20 hours or less a week, which just is not enough work for all of my living expenses. I also have had so many issues with my coordinator flat out lying to me or my patients, basically threatening me and my job because I missed her calls while working or out on a day off, or literally showing up to a patient's house only to find out from family that they're in the hospital and not even home and no one decided I needed to know. All of which happened multiple times. I loved the job so much, when they gave me work. But the fact that I was basically begging for work and still got almost nothing, or even weeks where I was given 0 hours because they "don't have anything available right now," is so ridiculous and unfair. I feel so let down and disrespected. I also have been told by multiple patient's I had that there were days no one even showed up for them, or days where someone new showed up and they weren't told about it. They are causing so many people stress when they just want/need help and it's sickening. I am so disgusted with my experience in this company.

The amount of time spent working isn't compensated for. You may spend 8 hours including travel time, yet only get paid for being at clients houses for 5 hours. Travel time is .41 per mile but you only get paid mileage between clients. 
Scheduling is super loose, no rules, ability to leave work or never show up to work. You create your own schedule, it varies day to day depending on client needs. Such as doctor appointments and errands. 
Surprises around every corner. The environment in each clients house varies from pathological/psychological to physical filth and pests. The director doesn't tell health care aids what environment they're walking into with any of the clients. 
I have had to stay home for a week because my manager put me in a house with a bad bedbug infestation. I took as many precautions as I could prior to walking in my own home. Yet I could not drive my vehicle because I found two or three different days following that incident. 
Employees play the system. I once met a woman that lives with her grandmother and her grandmother is her client. She is literally getting paid to sit at home for 3-4 hours each day. Along with that her mother who is her boss lives in the same home. 
Along with employees making a decision to either show up to work or not, clients sometimes aren't home. 
ALL of these things make this job seem completely pointless and 100% backwards from any other business I would rather work for. 
Point blank period, I HATE THIS JOB. 
There is no gain in working this job, it seems to do nothing but prevent me from leaving it.

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