Home Instead - San Diego, CA

Pros

• Home Instead is praised for going above and beyond by providing additional resources.
• Tim Norris is described as caring, resourceful, efficient, and knowledgeable about VA benefits.
• The Home Instead team is noted for assembling quickly, building trust, and delivering flexible, high-quality caregivers.
• The caregivers are described as angels - kind, patient, understanding, strong, and loving, 24/7.
• The office staff is a joy to work with and excels at matching clients with the best caregivers.
• The partnership with the VA is highlighted as a valuable way to optimize in-home care.
• Families feel blessed and cared for by Home Instead's attentive support.
• Home Instead is described as having beautiful values and excellent training in aging care.
• Caregivers and staff are praised as top-notch, friendly, and dedicated.
• The company is highly recommended to others seeking senior care and caregiving employment.
• The staff provides continuous, 24/7 support with responsive communication.
• The overall experience is characterized as tremendous, heartwarming, and life-enhancing for clients and families.

Cons

• The reviewers state that the company is horrible and negligent, with management described as clueless and dishonest.
• They claim that dementia-specific training promised by the company is not provided.
• They report that most caregivers arrive without any briefing or information about the client.
• They note ongoing caregiver turnover, sometimes as many as five different caregivers in a week, causing inconsistency.
• They allege caregivers were observed sleeping on the couch next to the patient.
• They report that on two occasions caregivers did not show up.
• They advise others to stay away from this company due to these issues.

Review

A family shared a deeply heartfelt account of their experience with Home Instead Senior Care, beginning with a moment of practical concern and turning into a stream of gratitude. After scheduling care for their 93-year-old mom and then having to cancel, Tim Norris didn't let the moment go to waste. He graciously provided additional resources that the family needed, turning a setback into an opportunity. The narrative frames these efforts as answers to prayers, with a sense that the care their loved ones received was a divine blessing, especially as their dad faced congestive heart failure. The family describes the Home Instead team as "caregiver angels from up above," delivering support through the initial stages and continuing through the battles of the year.

A pivotal element in their story is the partnership with the VA. Tim Norris reached out with a question about their dad's veteran status and explained how Home Instead could partner with the VA to optimize in-home care services. This connection opened access to resources they weren't sure were available, and it helped them feel that their dad could receive the best possible care at home. The family uses vivid language to describe what followed: the Home Instead Avengers assembled, earning trust and building relationships early, with a coordinated approach that was fast and flexible enough to meet changing needs. The refrain of "good, Fast & Furious caregivers" captures both the speed and the strength of the team's response.

The care team is chronicled with warmth and specificity, highlighting the people who made a difference. The family names a long list of caregivers who appeared to be deeply involved in their dad's well-being - Ms. Emily, Joyce, Kristen, LaTasha, Robin, Ashley, Heather, Mary, Vivian, Candis, Dianna, and Melissa - who stood out for their reliability and dedication, described as "Taking Care of Business." They also pay tribute to the broader group - the Home Instead Avengers - Hadja, Leni, Mayra, Alma, Amber, Anna Marie, Cleo, Diana, Dina, Esperanza, Haylee, Joelle, Kathy, Lydia, Maikely, Malolo, Mapendo, Martha, Nathalie, Sabrina, Susan, and Toni - for bringing a consistent, compassionate presence that felt like "amazing awesomeness and grace."

The depth of affection for the caregivers is further illustrated by affectionate metaphors - angels with faces - and by repeated assurances that the care was unconditional and genuine. The family describes the caregivers as "Wonder Women," delivering kindness, patience, understanding, strength, fortitude, and love every minute of every day, 24/7. This language echoes how the family experienced not just professional competence, but an extraordinary devotion to their loved one and the family's needs, and it reinforces a sense of security and trust that extended beyond routine tasks.

One part of the story centers on the impact of the caregiving on the family's daily life and emotional balance. The dad and the family were "truly blessed," and the care felt like a blessing to the soul. The family speaks to the sense of purpose and alignment that came from working with Home Instead for in-home care, especially during a challenging health journey. The sentiment is not only about competent care but about being treated with respect and compassion as part of a broader family-like relationship with the agency. The closing sentiment - "Stay GOLD and Keep Fighting the Good Fight - GODspeed and GOD BLESS Home Instead!" - reads as a heartfelt tribute to the organization and its staff.

Beyond the emotional testimony, the reviews also highlight professional strengths in the organization. The nursing staff - Ms. Iza in particular - and the nursing staff coordinator, Candis, emerge as standout figures who offered not only skilled care but personal warmth. Candis is described as supportive to a daughter dealing with multiple sclerosis and a newborn, underscoring the organization's willingness to extend care and concern beyond the patient to the family members themselves. The overall impression is that Home Instead maintains beautiful values, excellent training, and a culture in which staff feel both supported and valued.

There are multiple affirmations from other voices within the Home Instead community as well. Testimonials speak to the office staff's joy in matching clients with the right caregivers, the importance of reliable communication, and the availability of 24-hour support. People describe feeling understood and supported by a company that emphasizes accessibility, flexible scheduling, and a collaborative approach to caregiving. A caregiver themselves notes the positive experience of onboarding and ongoing support, with companions who help ensure the caregiver has everything they need to do their job well. The overarching message is that Home Instead is a company with strong values, dedicated professionals, and a commitment to treating clients as part of the family.

Not every voice in the collection is uniformly glowing. One review stands out for its stark contrast: "Horrible. Negligent. The management is clueless and liars." The writer describes dementia care as frequently lacking proper briefing and consistency, with caregivers rotating or not showing up, sometimes resulting in up to five different caregivers in a week. They recount observed lapses such as caregivers sleeping in the home and a perception that the agency did not take responsibility or adjust schedules to align with preferred caregivers. This candid, negative perspective cautions that, while many clients rave about Home Instead, there can be significant variability in experience, particularly around dementia care and caregiver continuity.

Taken as a whole, the collection of reviews presents a vivid, multi-faceted portrait. The majority of voices praise Home Instead for its compassion, responsiveness, and family-like care, highlighting support for veterans, strong partnerships with the VA, and a broad constellation of caregivers who show up with love and professionalism. The organization is described as an institution that trains well, communicates clearly, and treats clients with deep respect, often becoming an extension of the family in times of need. Yet the dissenting view reminds readers that experiences can diverge, and the quality of care may depend on staff consistency, training adequacy, and effective scheduling. For families seeking in-home care, the message is to weigh both the warmth and the practical strengths of Home Instead while staying aware that experiences can vary and that ongoing dialogue with the office is essential. If you're looking for a caregiving partner, many families have found Home Instead to be the right choice, joining hands with a mission they describe as noble, loving, and profoundly human.

This part of San Diego, California, offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to seniors. With several medical offices, pharmacies, and hospitals in close proximity, residents have easy access to healthcare services. The abundance of cafes and restaurants provide options for socializing and enjoying meals outside the home. Additionally, there are several parks nearby where seniors can enjoy nature and outdoor activities. The convenient transportation options, including airports and transit centers, make it easy for residents to travel within the city or beyond. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded environment for senior living with a mix of healthcare facilities, dining options, recreational spaces, and transportation accessibility.

Physicians

• Kaiser Permanente Viewridge Medical Offices 2 (0.1 miles)
• Sharp Rees-Stealy San Diego Radiology (3.1 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente Vandever Medical Offices (3.1 miles)
• Sharp Rees-Stealy Mira Mesa (4.7 miles)
• San Diego Mental Health Services (6.3 miles)
• Internal Medicine Associates (6.7 miles)
• Pearl Mini IVF (6.8 miles)

Cafes

• The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (0.6 miles)
• Starbucks (3.5 miles)
• The Simple Coffee House (4.7 miles)
• Starbucks (5.7 miles)
• Communal Coffee (5.7 miles)
• Blue Bottle Coffee (6 miles)
• Sharetea (6.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (1.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.9 miles)
• Kaiser Zion Pharmacy (2.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Sonic Drive-In (1.3 miles)
• Rally's (1.6 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (1.8 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (2.8 miles)
• Sombrero Mexican Food (3.1 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (3.4 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (4.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Sharp Soc (1.6 miles)
• Rady's Children's Hospital San Diego Large Waiting Room, Frost Street, Entrance 8 (2.8 miles)
• Rady Children's Hospital (2.8 miles)
• Sharp Memorial Hospital (2.9 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center/Kaiser Foundation Hospital (2.9 miles)
• Kearny Mesa Convalescent and Nursing Home (3 miles)
• UC San Diego Medical Center (5.8 miles)

Transportation

• Montgomery Field Airport (MYF) (1.7 miles)
• Fashion Valley Trolley Station and Transit Center (5.2 miles)
• Balboa Avenue Transit Center (5.7 miles)
• UTC Trolley Station (6.2 miles)
• Old Town Trolley Station and Transit Center (6.9 miles)
• Grossmont Transit Center (7.1 miles)

Parks

• Lindbergh Park (2.5 miles)
• Civita Park (3.9 miles)
• Cal's Point (5.1 miles)
• Mission Bay Park (5.9 miles)
• Mira Mesa Community Park (6.1 miles)
• Westview Park (6.6 miles)
• Semillon Boulevard. Mini Park (6.8 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Mission Valley 2 (4.6 miles)
• AMC Fashion Valley 18 (5 miles)
• Regal Edwards Mira Mesa 4DX, IMAX & RPX (6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Good Shepherd Catholic Church (5.6 miles)