Helping Hands Home Care Head Office

I am leaving a review based not on scores but what I think of the service as a whole.Reserved, bias and uncaring agency, who put profits before all else. It starts off seemingly well, then as they realise dementia has set in,(and not just some idle talk), thats where the problems are left to unfold, strait jackets by them start,(without the humour) and temperaments start to change due to decline in an older persons state of health maybe because of a need for regular medication being dispensed quite late.Instead of passing on just a few comments, instead its fired back at family members who do the best job they can already.The cost of this agency, doesnt reflect adequate respectable choices chosen, for anyone. The costs have also gone up, shame the care quality has gone back down.I think Im dealing with people who expect someone who has a progressive mental illness, to live on their own through their own independent means, and thinks they do, which is not like that at all, as they have to constantly lean on us for everything and family support for years and years. I havent had a follow up diagnosis for him, because gps say its not needed, but I would have to say its moving more to advanced stage, and its not family members who need to get on top of this, drawing up scenarios and implications, it should be the unbiased nature of the carers, who stop and think before writing up cruel portal comments out of disrespect and poor lack of training initiative for members viewing progress. I don’t have to paint the scene with poor sentences, and create imaginary scenarios, used like they choose to do. A persons behaviour changes with dementia, that’s a sorry fact of life and a common story.We already know what’s needed and who’s not, and are aware enough of the stress, this so called family run agency set up by the founder who thought he has the right idea in mind to help people, but is implementing the wrong strategy now in how to tackle a shortage. I have read that no experience is needed in a lot of cases, so more hours and tired carers are what drive this workforce then? What’s more, when the time comes to act swiftly on changing to a better care supplier, most likely NHS, that will be sped up quite quickly with or without choices because although recently understaffed, have been issued out before to us, and understand that their is a concept of care driven motives and responses, that are not to be taken lightly.A duty of care is spelled out, right across the board, and not just what suits the few at the top.

Organised an initial meeting, family members took time off work etc to be there. Grandad was having a bad day but got up and ready only for them to be a no show. No contact to cancel or anything. How can they be trusted if they cant even turn up for the initial meeting?? Then had the cheek to send a survey via sms to rate our experience! Very poor

When I arranged care for my mother I was promised continuity with the same carer. In the event they sent 5 different carers in the first 4 weeks. There was absolutely no communication to explain why this had happened and on one occasion they also changed the time agreed without any communication. To add insult to injury they put on additional charges without any prior agreement and the promised refund did not materialise. Whereas all the carers have been fine as individuals the organisation overcharges and does not provide the level of service to justify the additional cost. This organisation sends who they want, when they want and charges what they want. Go elsewhere.