Visiting Angels review: Failure to provide care 20

I too am a Visiting Angel caregiver as well as a 'senior'. My clients are 'friends in need' and I do everything I can to help them do those things that they cannot do for themselves. I especially love our conversations and I just LOVE to make them laugh! Seeing their smiles through adversity brings me satisfaction that I have performed my job. I believe my treatment and compassion is A+ and I'm proud of the services I am able to supply. Within my own franchise, I know of several Angels who do not meet the criteria of the clients. Hopefully, dissatisfaction with the caregiver will be reported to the franchise.

I believe Visiting Angels falls short in offering occasional 'tips, reminders, and updates'. A monthly newsletter to all employees would be well received. It would be nice to read suggestions on transferring clients, coupons for Depends, reminders on safe lifting and bending etc. I'm afraid to suggest it lest they suggest I DO IT! LOL

I had a very poor experience with this company, This was with the office out of Yukon Oklahoma, Shannon was very snooty and seemed very short with my family and I. I would never recommend this company to my friends or family.

Absolutely!

My boyfriend and his step-father were trying to meet the needs of his mother who had gone through shoulder replacement surgery. For two weeks (since the surgery) she had kept asking the two men in her life to roll and fix her hair, since she was right-handed and the surgery had been on her right shoulder. Not to speak poorly of men, but they seemed to lack both the interest and skill to make her feel that her hair was "done" so that she could deal with non-family members. So, she called Visiting Angels, and they laughed at her for wanting to have another woman come and help her with rolling her hair, putting on her make-up, and feeling "normal" again, since she could not do those things on her own. Granted, I am an outsider looking in, but as a woman who has heard the commercials for Visiting Angels, I thought that helping post-surgery patients was what this organization was about and that helping a woman who could not raise her arm but wanted to look "normal" fell within the purview of what the organization did. And, now that my own mother is about to have the very same surgery, I know that I will not be calling Visiting Angels, because I do not want people who would laugh at her just because she wants to feel "normal" again after having had shoulder replacement surgery, I am trying to be nice, but you people should really be ashamed of yourselves for your false advertising that suggests you care and want to help in the transition back to normalcy, since your people laugh and make fun of those requests.

Excuse me!?
I have been with VA 4 yrs. now. I love my clients and they are my family. We laugh together, I play bean bag toss with my blind client and he wins every time! He is still sharp! I console another client who cries every time I come to see him as he has lost 3 wives. And, after I provide the care he needs ...lots of cleaning and cooking several yummy meals for the week (he loves fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with a veggie). Also, I help out a darling couple who are slowing down due to her dementia and his health problems. They want to stay as independent as possible. They have become another grandpa and grandma to me. They have been so kind and appreciative of me. I have another little gal who is legally blind, so I help her read her meds, coupons, receipts and the labels on her food purchases. Every time I visit her, she says I am a blessing to her. I have principles and I'm happy to say my co-workers have the same work ethic. I do agree with every organization there is one bad apple; however they are weeded out eventually. And, all of us who work for the good of our precious clients, we will speak up and rid those toxic few out who wiggle their way into home care, medical fields, and YES Hospitals! I am so happy to be a part of Visiting Angels! I have helped so many beautiful seniors and their families...their letters of appreciation have confirmed it and I am proud!. I could not save my dear mom from AlZ but I can make a difference in another Senior's life. For that I can sleep at night... Visiting Angels is not a fly by night company; here today and gone tomorrow. Or, a new home care agency popping out of nowhere! Our history and how we became Visiting Angels in 1998 came from a vision of our founder, Jeffrey Johnson, who listened to families of clients who had no alternatives but to place thier loved ones into nursing facilities He changed that with the establishment of Visiting Angles in providing the BEST CARE possible for seniors and their families (respite care) while keeping them all at home as long as possible. As a resulet, VA has agencies all over the US, Canada, Europe and Japan. We can all thank Jeffrey Johnson for this wonderful service of love and care to our precious elderly and extended loved ones!

Visiting Angels of Death might be a better name for the Houston, Texas franchise. If you want your parent abused, neglected, robbed, their home used as the caregivers personal property, get one. No, get 10 or so like we did. Many don't show up and to tell you the truth it was worse when they did. If I wrote the details behind this review you would be sickened and appalled. I highly recommend Brightstar caregivers; they were our Godsend.

why won't the visiting angels come if you're there? are they doing something they shouldn't do or treating her poorly? If what you're saying is true, Paul, this service/company sounds like it is poorly run and the providers aren't too dependable.

Called my mother yesterday morning. The Visiting Angel answered the phone and said Mrs. Gallagher was in the bathroom. Didn't ask who was calling or offer to take a message. I just said thank you and hung up

Talked with my mother during the recent abnormal warm weather for March and asked her if she had been out walking with her help. She told me no. Her doctor has givin her directions to walk and do her exercises which the help knows about and dosen't seem to be doing.

I saw my mother twice over the last 2 weeks and she has a harder time getting up and walking. The visiting angels were trained by nurses and therapist in helping my mother with exercises and walking which at sometime over the past 6 months they stoped doing for no reason. Her Dr. has told her to keep exercising and walking.

One of the caregivers told me that they come in and take over and my mother repeated that to me. It is going on five months since my mother and I have seen each other and the visiting angels still tell my mother they won't come if I am there so I don't go which hurts my mother and leave everything in my sisters hands.

My Mother is still trying everyway possible for me to go to her complex to see her. She said she would take me to dinner and even give me her lexus. Everytime I tell her no that I won't go there she say's OK and for me to come some other time.

Ran into one of my mothers neighbors and was told I was not a bad son and believe I am being bad mouthed by the visiting angels who refuse to go to care for my mother if I am there. I did not want to involve the neighbor so I let her comment go. I forgot to mention that the care takers were late to care for my mother a number of times and my mother had to call me when they didn't come. When they forgot they needed to be there on the scheduled times they would call to apologize but not send anyone to care for my mother. I hope my sister dismisses them before someting tragic happens. One of the care takers is a walking accident. Something happens or she breaks something everytime she is there
Visiting Angels
Danvers, Ma

And then came the Pirate with his parrot!

The above complaint I am rewriting because of the mistakes in it that happened while saving it for submission.
My 94 year old mother had just returned to her home and had number of medical situations and has been in the Hospital & Rehab a number of times. I called to speak with my mother and was told by a visiting angel that I couldn't because the Visiting Nurse was there with her. The visiting Angel never told my mother that I had called. When I did speak with my mother she was upset that she hadn't heard from me. I have called the Country's Headquarters to file a complaint and was told there is not anything thay can do about the situation and that I have to deal with the Danvers office.
Visiting Angels
Danvers, Ma

My 94 year old Mother had just returned to her home and has has had number of medical situations and has been in the Hospital & Rehad a number of times. I call to speak with my mother and was told by a visiting angels that I couldn't because the Visiting Nurse was there with her. The visiting Angel never even told my mother that I had called. When I did speak with my mother she was upset that she hadn't heard from me. I have called the Country's headquarters to file a complaint and was told there is not anything they can do about the situation that I have to deal with the Danvers office .
Visiting Angels
Danvers, Ma

I forgot to mention that one of the care givers was selling items of clothing to my mother, sister and neighbors and caused an uncomfortable situation between myself and the neighbors and when I became upset about it they wanted to know when I was leaving.
Visiting Angels
Danvers, Ma

My 94 year old Mother hired the visiting angels by recomendation from my sister. She was recovering from a broken hip and needed hands on care. I was upset with them for for not showing up and my mother having to be alone twice. For cooking enough spagetti sauce to last a month after I went shopping and spent over $100 on planed meals for that week. I live 100 miles away and my sister who lives in Florida part if the year is know handeling everything. I am told the Visiting Angels won't come if I am there because I was made at these things happening which I find unacceptable . I have since told my mother if they feel that way I won't go there at all which hurts my mother
Visiting Angels
Danvers, Ma

My name is Scott McIver. I am the agency representive Ms. Clarke is referring to. My family owns the Visiting Angels franchise and I wanted to take the opportunity to respond. Our company does not guarantee service with the same caregiver for three months. I feel I was clear with this client during our initial meeting that we require caregivers to sign "3 month agreements" prior to accepting new assignments from us.

We can not guarantee that our workers will fullfill these three month agreements, however they have proven to be a valuable tool in keeping our rate of turnover to a minimum. Our workers do have instances in which they are unable to fullfill their three month agreements. Sometimes they move, have childcare issues, or other life events that preclude them from completing the three months as agreed. This is made clear to our clients at the time we agree to provide service to them.

The instance in question involved our caregiver having a death in the family and being unable to work for Ms. Clarke for a period of time. This happened on very short notice and, per our company's procedures, Ms. Clarke was offered a "fill in, " or substitute caregiver. Ms. Clarke refused to allow us to send out a replacement person as it would have been a caregiver she had not met.

Subsequent to that conversation with Ms. Clarke, our company attempted to contact her several times to make sure that her needs were being met and attempting to find out whether she intended to continue using our services after her caregiver returned from bereavement leave.

We were unable to make contact with Ms. Clark after many attempts over the course of two weeks. Subsequent to that, she had an outstanding balance with us which we made multiple attempts to collect. We continued this effort to collect the monies owed for the next 5 months before turning the issue over to the magistrate court. Ms. Clarke's posting came just days after we received a judgement from the court ordering her to render the payment.

Routine and consistency are key elements to the successful care of a dementia patient. We are well aware of this and implemented the "3 month agreements" as a means to prevent these changes from occurring whenever possible. However, we are in the people business, and as I told Ms. Clarke, "these things do happen."

We knew that Ms. Clarke was dissatisfied with the short notice changes, however she did indicate to me that she was satisfied with our caregiver's services. The care instructions in the home were substantial and were created by Ms. Clarke, not by our office. We made every effort to follow her guidelines and did not receive any complaints regarding that until this posting was made.

We regret that this instance occured and that this client was dissatisfied. We wish her and her father well as they continue to deal with these difficult circumstances.

Scott McIver
Assistant Director
Visiting Angels

However wrote a negative about Visiting Angels is only Visiting Angels compitition in disguise. "Catastrophic" ? whatever... Your being stupid and dont want to pay your bill or making up stories. Your unreasonable. I just Love Visiting Angels. If my parent needed services and the "care Provider" wasnt doing the job correctly then I would expect that Visiting Angels would replace/terminate that employee (just like itt appears they had done). Changing the care provider can be "catastrophic" for Altzheimers patients... Is a false statement. I found it to be amazingly inaccurate.. Whats "catastrophic" is having altzheimers. I am a Registered Nurse and changing care priders doesnt cause a terminal or "catastrophic" anythingg. Your probably an inposter from the compition making up slanderous stories to stain Visiting Angels or a family member from a loved one that is difficult nastty and in Visiting Angels eyes a cheap payor that is trying to not pay the bill. I use Visiting Angels for my GrandMother and I Just LOve The Services They Provide. I hope my direct comment to your comment wasnt "catastrophic". hah ha... Your stupid.