licensed clinical social worker

registered nurse

care specialist

registered nurse manager

care manager

Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency On Aging & Disabilities

When I started with DH I thought I had found a company that I would stay with for a long, long time. Everyone was so nice, and the job that was described to me seemed like it would be fast paced but manageable. The pay was good. I was told that my caseload would be around 60 clients, most who I would see every 90 days. 
Today I have over 80 clients and a mountain of documentation that I couldn't get done if I worked 24/7.  The pace isn't fast, it's manic. Every time a client has an issue there is a required visit and several assessments. I am expected to be a case manager, telemarketer, insurance adjuster and purchasing agent. I get calls from some clients several times a week and with this population there are constant falls and hospitalizations. Somehow between all that you are supposed to complete loads of training and attend several weekly meetings.  

Then there is the insurance company that actually runs everything (CareSource). They throw out some new procedure every few weeks just for the fun of it, and it always means more work. 

I am told to make sure I keep a good work-life balance, but the only way to handle the caseload is to work evenings and weekends. The pay isn't that great if you're working 60 hours a week to keep on top of everything. I have no time to actually help my clients. I feel defeated and overwhelmed, and like many of my coworkers I am actively looking for another job. 

When I started with DH I thought I had found a company that I would stay with for a long, long time. Everyone was so nice, and the job that was described to me seemed like it would be fast paced but manageable. The pay was good. I was told that my caseload would be around 60 clients, most who I would see every 90 days.
Today I have over 80 clients and a mountain of documentation that I couldn't get done if I worked 24/7. The pace isn't fast, it's manic. Every time a client has an issue there is a required visit and several assessments. I am expected to be a case manager, telemarketer, insurance adjuster and purchasing agent. I get calls from some clients several times a week and with this population there are constant falls and hospitalizations. Somehow between all that you are supposed to complete loads of training and attend several weekly meetings.
Then there is the insurance company that actually runs everything (CareSource). They throw out some new procedure every few weeks just for the fun of it, and it always means more work.
I am told to make sure I keep a good work-life balance, but the only way to handle the caseload is to work evenings and weekends. The pay isn't that great if you're working 60 hours a week to keep on top of everything. I have no time to actually help my clients. I feel defeated and overwhelmed, and like many of my coworkers I am actively looking for another job.

The pros:  The people are wonderful at this company.  They truly want you to succeed at your job and they provide lots of training.  Even during the pandemic they have tried to provide a welcoming, family-oriented work culture.  The compensation is fair, and the benefits are good.  There is a clear sense of mission and the job can be fulfilling. 

The cons:  The case loads are insane.  There is no way to provide excellent - or even adequate - care for a caseload of 75-80 seniors or people with disabilities who have so many needs, especially when resources are hard to find.  The company is also controlled by the insurance company, so every day there is some new procedure that makes no sense or expectation that is nearly impossible to meet.   They also make it difficult to get simple things like wheel chairs for members.  There is a mountain of paperwork to complete with each incident and then additional reporting that needs to be done.  Every nursing job comes with a lot of paperwork, but the amount with this job is ridiculous.  I want to do a great job for my members. I really care about them, and I think Direction Home cares too, but there is really no way to do this job well and it's frustrating. 

I just recently left DHAD. We see an ebb and flow in staffing and caseload sizes. 
A typical day at work: 8am-930am phone calls, scheduling visits, 930-4 ish visits/emails/referrals/follow up etc. wrap up and end workday at 5pm. I have tried for years not to work overtime- ive never been able to not do this. sadly. 

Management- they say they have an open door policy. The frustrating part is when myself or coworkers went to them with problems (*AND SOLUTIONS*) we seemed to be sidelined. One of the management personnel appeared to busy to even focus on what you're saying to him- others seem to say "we will take that up to management" but then nothing ever came from it. Then there are a couple who you either don't get a straight answer from, they always have to ask the team, or they never respond to emails/phone calls of their team.....it truly affects that satisfaction of employees here. If theres any question about satisfaction of this company- look at the turnover.

DHAD was a great company to work for, but now that the rose colored glasses are off- I do not believe it is worth the headache. Good luck to all the employees currently there. 

Care Managers are the the heart of this company, we are so over worked and stressed out but this company is building an unneeded expensive building??? We need more CMs not an expensive building. The leadership is so out of touch with with what we do as care managers its laughable!
My fellow employees are leaving weekly and crying at work but no one sees what is happening. Run from this job, they care more about keeping Care source happy than they do their own employees. As a social worker I'm paid slightly higher than average but I must work 10-12 hours a day, it's not worth not seeing my family in the evening. Forget having weekends off I work just to keep my head above water. This company is so top heavy, they just promoted another person to VP when we obviously need care managers! They care more about looking impressive and promoting their friends than the poor clients we care manage. The bulk of the work and blame falls to the care manager. It is an impossible job run away.

Case management is a job where you need to strive for organization,  plan your day and realize some days may be interrupted with unexpected things, document daily, listen to voicemails and return calls, be amenable to change in your day to day activities when they occur, 
 be a team player as well as an independent worker and network with your peers. I  have described  alot; but ALL jobs have their pros and cons.  Direction Home is a leader in the industry and you will learn invaluable lessons that will help you in your career. Give yourself grace and know you do your best daily and you will succeed!

I’ve been a care manager here for over 4 years. This job has continuously become more and more stressful. The caseloads have never been less than 70/80 with many over 85 members. There is little to no support and you’re managed by a “scorecard” that tells you where you are in line with your peers. 

If you “do well”  upper management is requesting staff members leave positive reviews on indeed re this company. (Who would write anything negative with management watching). The negative reviews listed- are all factual, real, honest reviews.

The main thing keeping people here despite the lack of support and unrealistic expectations- is the salary. Unmatched anywhere else for LSWs- So it may be worth it to stick it out if you’re only in it for the money.


Direction home is a great company. Management is amazing, helpful, really cares for their team. They also really care for their members. Benefits are wonderful, salary is good, PTO is exceptional, hybrid position. Work life balance is good, time management is important as you do have a high case load. There are great resources for care managers on top of management, they have mentors to help with any questions you have or walk you through processes of things you may not understand. Overall the job and company are great and you couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with. 

Great company culture - truly caring co-workers and management that will go out of their way to help you succeed.  Very fair compensation with frequent COL raises and bonuses.  Meaningful work that makes a difference in the lives of clients.  However, the client caseload is INSANE.  Nobody could keep up with the demands of this many clients.  The charting requirements are burdensome.  Also, Direction Home is under contract to an insurance company that makes ridiculous rules and changes things every few weeks, so you never feel like you really know the job.  

I have had a few jobs over the years and have been at Direction Home for many years. I feel it is a great company. No company is perfect, no job, and no employee. The work is difficult, but it goes with the territory. Helping people to be as well as they can be requires effort and compassion. I feel the supervision is very supportive and concerned about employees and their families. The supervisors try to make meetings enjoyable and offer help for you to achieve success in your job. The administration is transparent with their planning and are very considerate of feelings of staff. The pay is good, pension plan is great, we get bonuses, cost of living raises, and gifts for longevity. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Licensed clinical social worker 13 salaries reported	$69,700 per year
Registered nurse 10 salaries reported	$69,700 per year
Care specialist 5 salaries reported	$49,200 per year
Registered nurse manager 4 salaries reported	$69,700 per year
Care manager 1 salary reported	$69,700 per year

Working at Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency On Aging & Disabilities: Company Overview and Reviews

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