personal care assistant

support worker

training specialist

support coordinator

scheduling coordinator

Community Resources for Independence

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working with the clients is very rewarding and the company provides good training and support.  Expectations for care are clear and realistic and rules you must follow are reasonable and ensure your protection as well as protection of the company and the client.  Unless you are on call that weekend, which won't happen until you have worked a few months, you never make a first visit to a client's residence alone. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
We are required to 'clock in' using our own smart phone or using a client's phone, and the procedure does not always work when clients are located in rural areas, or works so slowly that the 3-minute window we have to log in and out is transgressed -- especially when we need to enter notes.  For most clients, logging in using their land line phones works.  I find the cell phone a real source of vexation.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
My managers, the scheduler, trainer, and secretary have been wonderful.  Every effort has been made to help me be successful.  The office I work for does not allow harassment of its employees - such as inappropriate advances from a client.  Such issues are addressed.  My managers sincerely try to accommodate time off requests and scheduling requests.  

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Every client is different, and I don't have the same clients every workday, though I rarely have a new client.  All of them need some light housekeeping chores and varying levels of personal care.   After I arrive at my first client's residence, I clock in using my cell phone, go in and greet my client, and if he or she is bed-bound or unable to accomplish toileting independently, I assist in setting the client up .  Sometimes this means using a hoyer lift to put the client in the right location and position, helping clean up when finished.  If the client requires only light housekeeping, I get to work cleaning each room top to bottom, saving the sweeping, mopping and vacuuming for last.  I am always cleaning bathrooms and emptying bedside commodes.  We don't lift, push or pull over 20 lbs.  For the personal care patients,  I help them wash hair if they want, and to bathe or shower if that task is scheduled for my shift.  For bed bath clients with very short hair, I can do this with a washcloth and very tiny about of shampoo and water.  Bed bath clients with longer hair can often sit on the edge of their beds over a basin,  I wet their hair with pitcher of water, shampoo it if they are not able to do it, then rinse with the remainder of clean water from the pitcher.  Others have special equipment, such as an inflatable basin with a plug and tube to drain the used water into a bucket.  They wash as much of themselves as they are able.  Sometimes I do the total bath and shampoo, sometimes I wash only parts they cannot reach, such as backs and lower legs.  Some clients are capable of using a blow dryer on their hair, which I set up for them.  I may take over if they get fatigued.  I prepare meals -- whatever the client wants.  Some clients are more ambulatory and help prepare their own meals, and I clean up afterwards, starting kitchen cleanup and doing other chores while the client eats.  For some clients, I do laundry, starting it right after getting them up and eating breakfast.  It is more challenging when the client does not have his own washer and dryer and I must go to the the shared coin laundry facility.  I have to keep track of time because other people need to use the appliances too.  Sometimes I have to wait for others to finish before I can begin.  In the laundry area, I do not leave anything that is not in the washer or dryer being cleaned or dried.  I don't want the client's laundry detergent, bleach, or laundry money to be stolen, so it comes with me back to the client's apartment.  About 3 minutes before the end of my shift, I start signing out and traveling to my next client to repeat the process.

When you are hired they make it sound like a great place and great schedule. You are to have every other weekend off, this does not happen. You are lucky to have 1-2 days off in a month let alone a week.  They have you driving all over to get your hours in for the day and week. Or they have you go in for 5 hours then you have 2-3 hours off and then drive back to that house or to a different house. 
People always calling off and then they are trying to call you in to work.  
They say free health care, they have other stipulations with that to get it. One being on call for one weekend a month which then makes it that you are lucky to have maybe one weekend to yourself a month. 
Working conditions are not the best in some of the homes for example: sitting on the floor for 9 hours of your shift except to get up to make food or do some light cleaning. 
To turn in your paper work/timesheet you have to drive to the main office every two weeks or pay to fax it in and then mail it in to them. 
You have to use your personal car to take them places and run errands.  Errands can be every time you come in and they will have you run to the store for a few items each time.

I decided to leave after a very short time because the role was not what I expected based on the interview process and my initial onboarding experience.

During my time there, I found it difficult to contribute ideas or collaborate effectively. I often felt that feedback and suggestions were not actively encouraged, which made it challenging to feel engaged as part of the team.

I also observed a lack of clearly defined processes and documentation within the IT department. The workflow appeared disorganized, and I was unable to see a clear plan for improving structure or consistency.

I’ve worked in fast-paced and challenging environments before, but this particular workplace culture and management style were not a good fit for me. Prospective employees may want to ask detailed questions about team dynamics, communication practices, and operational processes during the interview process.

Greeted my clients with a warm and friendly smile, and assisted them in a dignified manner. I learned to listen carefully and empathize with each client's needs.
I kept detailed records concerning the client with reference to services they requested and what I provided, their general well-being and other personal matters.
I worked independently until my relief person arrived.  I went over my reports with the co-workers.  All co-workers were great to work with.
The most difficult part of my job was leaving.  The clients were elderly and, most of the time, wanted to visit.  They had a wealth of knowledge to share.  I knew I needed full-time work so it was difficult to know that some day I would have to leave them.
I enjoyed working for all my clients.  I enjoyed everything I did for them and it was a rewarding experience for me.

I absolutely love working for CRI! I started as an aide in the field in Feb 2019 and was promoted to Training Specialist by Jan 2020 and as of last week, was promoted to DCW Supervisor! Here at CRI we treat our employees and consumers both as we would our own family! I myself have never worked for a company who is more understanding about "life" and how it can throw you a curveball now and again! Higher management in the main office is super great and super supporting of all its satellite offices! I really have never worked for a place that makes me feel so relaxed, loved and cared for! You are more than just an employee number. Those qualities in an employer, are very few and far in-between! If you love caregiving, or are just a people person, give CRI a chance! The starting pay rate for caregivers is really good for the area also!

What is the best part of working at the company?
The clients were good for most part. But…Managment expected me to jump when they said jump. One time I was off for vacation for a week and my trip was canceled due to weather they were so mad that I wouldn’t pick up my shifts because I was still in the area. I wanted time off as to why I put in vacation time. I wound up going to work because they made me feel like was my fault my person wasn’t covered for. Yes this person was picky on people but it wasn’t my fault they didn’t have coverage. This was pre Covid.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The fact that your days off were not days off I was always called in and made feel bad if weren’t able to take on the shifts 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Demanding from management but relaxed with clients

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It’s in home care activities change day to day

I really miss this job she became like a mother to me. After putting my daughter on the school bus in the morning I would make sure her son was up and ready to head out the door for school. I would pull out her medications for the day and do any dishes that they may have used during the night. I would do what ever house work needed to be done and schedule any appointments the needed to be made. Then I would wake her and transport her to any appointments and stores she would need to go to. Some times the job included preparing meals and assisting her son with his home work. I really learned a lot about compassion from this job and time management. The hardest part of this job was adjusting to her mental state at times with her condition. She is a very strong willed person. The most enjoyable thing about this job was becoming like family.

This company has wonderful clients but office staff of five will not communicate with each other at the end of the day to promote a healthy work atmosphere for direct care attendants in the field. The expectancy is that you the DCA will read between the lines and decipher what is being relayed and if you interpreted it incorrectly, it's YOUR FAULT!  
They expect you to join the on-call cycle at will and that counts towards your ratings during the time for annual review. EVEN IF YOU ARE RESTRICTED FROM WORKING EXTRA HOURS!! This is still counted against you. Schedules are not always correct and even when you request days off and are approved, you are pestered by these people because they only want to work their 9-5.

Typically as a support service provider I give habilitation to disabled adult; I help them learn skills such as social skills, life skills, and provide them the opportunity to be involved in the community and to improve their life experience.  I spend a lot of time helping them learn new skills or improve upon skills already learned.  

The hardest part of the job I think for most people would be having extreme amounts of patience. Some tasks take a long time, and require a lot of extra guidance.  

The best part is the reward of seeing how your help and guidance has made an impact on the quality of life an individual with a disability may have.  It's wonderful to know that I personally helped an individual live a fuller, happier life by simply teaching a new skill or getting involved in the community.

I love my job and I am proud to work for CRI. The management actually listen to ideas from people at any level and work as a team to try to make things easier. The communication is great. The consumers are always thought about before the bottom line of money. Everyone is treated with respect. The pay is not the best but it is about the same as the other in home care agencies in the area and they do review and possibly give a raise yearly, some agencies do not. There are also incentives such as PCA of the month, above and beyond and others that allow you to win prizes or money, monthly 50/50 where you can win money as well. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Personal care assistant 13 salaries reported	$9.29 per hour
Support worker 5 salaries reported	$19.28 per hour
Training specialist 1 salary reported	$16.25 per hour
Support coordinator 1 salary reported	$27.50 per hour
Scheduling coordinator 1 salary reported	$16.00 per hour

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