Optimal Home Health Ext Care in Bakersfield, CA

Pros

• Natasha and Janna have been very helpful, understanding, and compassionate to the family's situation.
• They have kept the family posted on all stages of the medical equipment required for their dad.
• They have bent over backwards to see them through the hard times.
• They surpassed expectations and earned appreciation for their support.
• The family would recommend Optimal Health Care to others facing similar circumstances.

Cons

• They are always NO SHOWS and will lie to patients on the phone just to appease them.
• This company is not suitable for ill patients; customers will not get better with their services.
• They are unorganized and unprofessional, with visits canceled repeatedly and changes not communicated to the patient.
• They are unprofessional and inconsiderate of patients.
• The staff’s coordination is poor, with one hand not knowing what the other is doing.
• They should stay away from Optimal Home Health.

Review

Optimal Home Health Ext Care in Bakersfield is best suited for families that can act as a steady care coordinator and tolerate significant administrative rough edges. When visits actually occur, there can be genuine warmth and competence from individual staff members who communicate, show up with care, and help navigate equipment needs. But those moments are too few and far between to rely on as a standard. The realistic operating assumption should be that scheduling, follow-through, and communication will require constant supervision from a family caregiver, and without that, the patient’s safety and progress are at risk.

Alternatives should be strongly considered for anyone with complex medical or rehabilitation needs. The most damaging fault line is reliability: repeated no-shows, late arrivals, and abrupt changes to scheduled visits with little proactive notice. Therapy sessions can be canceled or rescheduled at the last minute, leaving essential rehab delayed or incomplete. In at least one case, a reviewer found a hospice option preferable after such breakdowns, underscoring that timely, coordinated support is non-negotiable when post-hospital recovery or symptom management is involved. While a few reviewers report compassionate staff, the overall pattern points to a service that needs a much stronger reliability framework.

The few tangible strengths that emerge from the reviews are worth noting but cannot overturn the dominant reliability issue. A handful of clients describe empathetic team members who provided meaningful updates and helped with equipment coordination during crises. One family highlighted Natasha and Janna as especially responsive and supportive through difficult changes in a loved one’s condition. When therapy did proceed, it sometimes improved the patient’s condition, which shows the potential for good outcomes if the schedule is kept. Yet these successes are episodic, not the baseline, and they depend on a caregiver stepping in to fill the gaps.

Where the pattern becomes decisive is in the mismatch between promised services and actual execution. Reports range from assessments and home visits being delayed for weeks to therapists not showing up or arriving well past the scheduled time. The discrepancy between what is promised, one hour of PT/OT as initially stated, or consistent daily/weekly sessions, and what arrives in the home cannot be overstated. These failures translate directly into health risks: untreated pain, diminished mobility, slower recovery from surgery or chemotherapy, and increased anxiety for family members trying to manage transitions from hospital to home.

Given these realities, families should use a rigorous vetting approach or look for alternatives that provide clear accountability and dependable scheduling. If continuing with Optimal Home Health Ext Care, demand a dedicated case manager and a written, strict service schedule with guaranteed timeframes, plus explicit escalation steps for missed visits. Insist on two-way confirmation for every appointment, immediate updates if plans shift, and a policy that prevents repeated cancellations without consequence. Verify that the provider can coordinate with other important services (PT/OT, nursing, medical equipment) and that there is a reliable backup plan when staff shortages occur.

In the end, the prudent decision hinges on risk tolerance and the level of caregiver bandwidth. For families with strong, hands-on oversight, and for patients who can tolerate irregular scheduling with occasional responsive staff, there is potential value. For anyone needing consistent, predictable, and professionally managed home health to support delicate medical conditions, this agency’s reliability gaps are too pronounced to ignore. Exploring other home health options or hospice-aligned providers with proven scheduling discipline is a rational, safety-focused path.

This part of Bakersfield, California, offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a convenient and comfortable living environment. With several restaurants nearby such as Hodel's Country Dining and Little Caesars Pizza, seniors can enjoy a range of dining options without having to travel far. Additionally, there are multiple parks in the vicinity like Emerald Cove Park and Jastro Park where residents can relax and enjoy the outdoors. The area is also well-equipped with healthcare facilities such as Kaiser Permanente Medical Group and Memorial Hospital - Bakersfield, ensuring easy access to medical care. Pharmacies like Greggs Pharmacy and Rite Aid are conveniently located for medication needs. For entertainment, there are theaters like Fox Theater Events Line and SMG Bakersfield within a short distance. Overall, this part of Bakersfield provides a well-rounded community for seniors seeking a comfortable and convenient living arrangement.

Restaurants

• Hodel's Country Dining (1.5 miles)
• Jack In The Box (1.5 miles)
• Little Caesars Pizza (1.6 miles)
• McDonald's (1.7 miles)
• Panda Express (1.8 miles)
• Young's Drive-In (2.1 miles)
• McDonald's (2.4 miles)

Parks

• Emerald Cove Park (3 miles)
• Jastro Park (4.2 miles)

Physicians

• Ashraf-Alim Muhammad MD (3.3 miles)
• Ishimori Tetsuo Md FACC Facp Faha-Central Cardiology (3.4 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Medical Group (3.4 miles)
• Mehta Anil MD (3.5 miles)
• John Raymond Owens (3.5 miles)
• Envista Medical (3.5 miles)
• Premier Medical Associates (3.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Physicians Plaza Surgery Center Healthsouth (3.4 miles)
• Golden Livingcenter (3.6 miles)
• San Joaquin Community Hospital (3.9 miles)
• Memorial Hospital - Bakersfield (3.9 miles)
• Jun, Daniel S DDS (4.5 miles)
• Kern Medical Center (4.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Greggs Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• Save Mart Supermarkets (4.1 miles)
• V & G Collective (4.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (4.1 miles)
• Walgreens (4.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (4.5 miles)
• Faast Pharmacy (4.5 miles)

Theaters

• Fox Theater, Events Line (4.2 miles)
• SMG Bakersfield (4.9 miles)

Cafes

• Dutch Bros Coffee (4.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.6 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (4.7 miles)

Transportation

• BNSF Railway Co. (4.5 miles)
• Bakersfield college, New Get Bus Transit (4.6 miles)
• Amtrak (4.9 miles)