caregiver

direct support professional

in home caregiver

program supervisor

group manager

Homes for Independent Living

A typical day at Home For Independent Living consist of me arriving to work at 11:45 p.m. My scheduled shift not starting until 12 a.m. but I always arrived promptly. Since this is a Certified Residential Facility it's set up was more business-like rather than casual. Once I've clocked in and got the daily report of the clients from the person on the last shift I'd check on my clients. This was during their sleeping hours so not too much went on during the night. I would attend to the laundry or any other duties that were not finished by the last staff. Occasionally a client may need assistance to use the restroom or urinal and I would be there to assist him. It was light duty work until about 5 a.m. That's when I would assist in getting dressed the first client. Then I would prepare breakfast while getting the other clients dressed and ready for their day also. After everyone was dressed they would have breakfast then go off to daily activities such as, Paragon Community Services.Assist clients with personal hygiene, including shower, tub or bed baths, oral care, hair and skin care. Assist clients in the use of toilet facilities, including bed pans.
Assist clients in and out of bed, excluding the use of mechanical lifting equipment unless trained and documented as competent. Assist clients with walking, including the use of walkers and wheelchairs, when applicable. Assist clients with self-administration of medications. Meal preparation and feeding, when required. Assist with prescribed exercises when the client and the aide have been instructed by the appropriate health professional. Record and report changes in the client’s physical condition, behavior or appearance to 
supervisor or Case Coordinator. 

I learned what family really means. Just because you are genetically related to someone doesn't make them more related to you than someone off the street, in a sense. A perfect stranger can be more like family to a person rather than the individual's actual family.

I loved management. Tamara Johnson is awesome. I worked alone during my shift so I did not have interactions between co-workers. However during the last month of my employment with Homes For Independent Living I did work with a few people and they were just great. 

The hardest part of the job was leaving. 

The easiest part of the job was being there. The environment was so warm and friendly. In addition this was the ideal work environment, compensation was great and the hours wasn't bad either. You'd work for seven days on then seven days off rotation.

The most enjoyable part of the job was getting the experience.

A typical day is basically helping people with disabilities with activities of daily living. This includes bathing, dressing, giving medications, cooking, cleaning emotional support for the clients, This may include just listening to complaints or dealing with behavior issues. Keeping records on client health and activities. Depending on the specific diagnosis and physical ability of the clients you are serving, the work may include: Lifting, frequent bending, lifting heavy boxes of supplies or groceries, constantly on your feet.

Management is varied, for the most part you work independently and only report to management if a problem with a client arises.

Coworkers are also varied. You mostly work alone but you may be asked to help a coworker with a problem. Most coworkers are team players and very supportive. The ones that only show up for a paycheck don't last very long.

The hardest part is the massive amount of physical work you must do to complete your job successfully. Some managers don't listen to staff suggestions or complaints very well and don't accept new ideas unless they come up with them themselves.

The most enjoyable part of the job is when the clients let you know how much they appreciate you and the help you give them.

I absolutely LOVED what I was doing as a caregiver, it was so rewarding to know I was helping people. I would have loved to continue being an employee, but the last straw is the last straw, and the company/management is just terrible. In this line of work, you cannot be selfish, but apparently that doesn't apply to anyone above the status of an ILA. They will take advantage of you and toss you to the curb; I've seen so many great people come and go who were so perfect for the job, but the management pushed everyone away. There is no promise of raises, the only *bonus* you would get is if you refer people to the job and they get hired. So many people warned me not to work here, and where my experience with consumers was life-changing, it was not worth what that company puts employees through. They don't have respect of seniority, supervisors generally just look at getting ahead themselves. The employee overturn is so great, I'm surprised they have any employees. I suggest talking to multiple employees that currently work there if you're desperate for a job, and see what specific home is currently being run the best, otherwise, steer clear. I don't see this company going very far, they should be shut down. I feel so sorry for the consumers under this program, their best interest is not in mind.

Caveat emptor!!! Meaningful work is utterly sullied by a toxic workplace culture, a reality that is actively perpetuated by upper management.  It's appalling that individuals at all levels of the organization can engage in insubordinate and blatantly unprofessional behavior without any fear of corrective action.    

Worse still, members of upper management are permitted to mistreat their subordinates, frequently resorting to aggression and accusatory language instead of offering informative or supportive guidance.    

Let's be clear: this company lacks a coherent direction. There is no discernible business plan, no established goals, no strategic vision, and absolutely no accountability.  The turnover rate is simply staggering – unlike anything I have witnessed in my 25+ years in the workforce.  People are constantly resigning, desperate to escape this untenable work environment.    

It's a crying shame, because the clients they serve and the dedicated individuals who have committed their careers to serving them deserve so much better than this dysfunctional organization.  Prospective employees, you have been warned.   


Having my MBA in Marketing and over 35 years of management experience (In my last corporate position, I was a VP of Marketing for a $2.3B company based in Los Angeles), I understand that an employee’s job performance increases with recognition, appreciation, and simple words like “thanks,” “awesome,” and “nice!”  A happy employee is a productive employee.  When management is constantly writing up employees, being critical, castigating them infront of peers and guardians, and even stating they know absolutely nothing about their staff, the only culture they’re cultivating is a hostile work environment and a miserable place to work. Words of advice to HIL upper management...  When the president of any company sees a pile of trash as he walks into a crowded employee lunchroom and then can look for a broom with a dust pan and proceed to humbly clean it up himself, his humility will earn him so much more than what bullying and fear could, would or ever will. HIL doesn’t understand that principle.

First, they do not let you know how violent the clients are and what they will do to you. The pay is decent, but for how stressful it is, it's not worth it. Management only cares about the clients safety, not the staff's safety. If you bring up concerns they brush it off and dont directly address them. Some of the coworkers get clients involved in drama or tell them lies about other staff to get the client to target the other staff.
Also, they will schedule you outside of your availability that you get hired for. If you are sick, you have to find your own coverage. If you are at work and have an emergency and have to leave, they make you find your own coverage and will not let you leave until somebody can get there and work for you.
A couple of the supervisors at other houses were better. But the negatives outweigh the positives by far.
My advice to the company is, if you want to keep staff and not keep losing good workers, at least act like you care about the staff (and the staff's safety) as much as you care about the clients.

My typical work day consisted of daily outings with residents, walking programs, behavioral programs, daily charting etc.
I had learned that you have to be a certain kind of person to be in this type of field with people with special needs; gained a lot of patience especially with working so closely with special needs residents. So rewarding!!!
The management was awesome at teaching us all of the training we needed and all of the hands on training as well. 
I miss all of my co-workers! Such amazing and wonderful people! Dedicated workers!!!
The hardest part of the job was being able to keep it together especially when a resident would have an outburst, truly teaches you patience! 
Although the most enjoyable part was getting to know the residents and how their emotions/feelings are on a day to day basis. Its amazing how you can read someone in a short period of time!

I've enjoyed my time at HIL so far. I enjoy taking care of the person I'm assigned to and like the one on one staffing. They provide all training, and submit certifications to the state registry, PTO is great and very competive for the field. Negatives would be traveling 3 hours round trip for classes, they do pay mileage but if you're taking a company vehicle that's 6 hours per day of unpaid work related time. The other negative for my program specifically is the NEGATIVITY it's almost constant from half of my co-workers. They seem to have nothing good to say about the job or our member and it can be extremely frustrating. They offer complaints but not solutions which is a huge pet peeve. I just don't know how long I can handle the cattiness and the total lack of empathy or respect between shifts. It really makes me miss my last job and the family feel we had for over 6 years.

There is a high turnover rate due to the fact that the employees are overworked and not compensated accordingly. While you are able to earn PTO time for every hour worked, you are often shamed when you take time off by coworkers and management. Additionally, you are mandated to work 12hour shifts on Holidays with no chance of using PTO time to take off for them and NO HOLIDAY PAY. Many employees do NOT follow the protocols in place for the clients and in result, employees who do follow the rules encounter dangerous behaviors from the clients. Communication is horrible between coworkers and harassment between coworkers is common. When issues of harassment are brought to management's attention, promises to handle are made but never followed through with. I highly suggest finding other opportunities.

I worked there for 4 months and lordt it was the worst! Upper management dont know how to treat employees. A lot of gossip and I'm the type to stay to myself. I was mandated to do 2nd shift route on a bus that I had to teach myself how to drive. They lie to lure u in but never receive full benefits promised. Constant schedule changes and to many responsibilities for one person. Loved clients but couldn't deal with the repeated disrespect from upper management. Be expected to not have a life, and your kids to miss u. Family emergencies they dont care about. They hate for employees to tell them no if asked to work on off days and doubles. I've gotten so attached to the clients that it broke my heart to leave....I'll miss them but I just couldn't see a long term commitment with a company that doesn't appreciate the employees. Get your money and run!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Caregiver 26 salaries reported	$16.23 per hour
Direct support professional 70 salaries reported	$15.89 per hour
In home caregiver 15 salaries reported	$17.33 per hour
Program supervisor 5 salaries reported	$18.40 per hour
Group manager 6 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour

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