Prime Home Care Services

Pros

• Vilma performed her duties satisfactorily.
• The nurses were consistently on time.
• The assigned physical therapist was amazing.
• Colleen was an awesome physical therapist.
• Beatrice and Kathleen were nice initially.

Cons

• The agency's practice of rotating caregivers every four days leads to inconsistent care.
• The caregivers who replaced Vilma had bad attitudes and wouldn't take directions.
• One caregiver did not wake for a nighttime call, forcing the patient to crawl to the commode and soil herself.
• A caregiver who barely spoke English made communication very difficult.
• The PT Supervisor repeatedly arrived late for evaluations, sometimes by over an hour, with no apology or update.
• On another occasion, the supervisor was late again with no apology, and the replacement PT arrived late as well.
• The staff were rude to the 17-year-old daughter and asked invasive questions.
• The owner (Carl) did nothing for 2.5 weeks and offered excuses rather than solving problems.
• Beatrice and Kathleen started nice but later showed no regard for the patient's time.

Review

An elderly woman, 89 years old, was hospitalized for three weeks after a serious fall that left her with a broken hip, leg, and arm. When she was finally discharged from Providence St. Joseph's, a representative from Prime Home Health named Jean pushed the idea that she would need 24/7 care "for a long time," and in the absence of other options she felt she had to agree. My grandmother was wheelchair-bound and unable to manage basic tasks without assistance, including getting to the bathroom, so the promise of ongoing support sounded like a lifeline. But the arrangement that followed quickly exposed a troubling pattern that would set the tone for the next years.

The first caregiver, Vilma, turned out to be competent and did what was expected. Yet Prime Home Health uses a practice of rotating their caregivers roughly every four days, a policy that meant Vilma's duties were handed off to Rebecca. Rebecca's attitude was poor and she wouldn't follow directions, preferring to do things "her way." The problems escalated one night when my surrogate mother needed help to urinate. Rebecca did not wake up, and the patient had to crawl to the commode and ended up wet herself. After that episode, Rebecca was replaced by Virginia, who was at least better, but eventually Virginia was replaced by Zita, who spoke very little English and made communication extremely difficult.

These caregiving changes painted a picture of inconsistency and communication barriers that would recur over years. The family had used Prime Home Health again in November 2020 for rehab and nursing. In that round, the nurses were consistently punctual, which was a bright spot. The trouble came with the Physical Therapy supervision. The Physical Therapist Supervisor arrived for the initial evaluation late by more than an hour, and there was no call or text to explain the delay. When asked if the supervisor would still be coming, the reply was a dismissive "it's Saturday traffic, always bad." This pattern of lateness continued at the next visit with no apology. Interestingly, the individual physical therapist assigned to the case - Colleen - was exceptional, and because of her, the family decided to stay with the service despite the tardiness of the supervisor.

Two years later, in October 2022, the family hoped for a repeat of that positive therapy experience. They were hoping for Colleen again, given how effective she had been, but they were met with the same supervisor who was late again, with no apology. The regular PT was scheduled for a 1?2 window but arrived at 3:30, again without any apology. The lateness continued to be excused by the supervisor's explanation that she had another closer client to attend to, yet she pressed ahead and continued to show up. The situation deteriorated further when the PT began to display behavior that made the family uncomfortable; she was rude to the 17-year-old daughter and asked questions that felt inappropriate for someone in a professional setting. This combination of lateness, lack of accountability, and personal boundary concerns left the family reeling and questioning the overall professionalism of the organization.

Frustration boiled over as the family tried to address these ongoing issues by reaching out to the supposed owner, Carl. Over the course of two and a half weeks, the response they received was little more than excuses, with no concrete steps taken to address the worsening situation. The family felt abandoned at a critical time when their grandmother needed steady, trustworthy care, and the lack of responsiveness from leadership only deepened their concern about safety and reliability. By the time October 28 arrived and my grandmother fell again, breaking her knee, the situation had clearly reached a breaking point. The family decided to pursue formal action and to report the experience to the relevant authorities, with the hope of protecting others from a similar ordeal.

In the aftermath, there were strong warnings to consider alternatives. Beatrice and Kathleen stood out as caregivers who were pleasant at first but did not demonstrate reliable regard for time and scheduling, which compounded the sense of instability and frustration. The ongoing issues - the rotating staff without clear continuity, miscommunication, repeated lateness, and dismissive responses from leadership - created an environment where trust and safety were compromised. What began as a desperate effort to secure 24/7 assistance for an elderly, wheelchair-bound relative evolved into a troubling account of inconsistent care and unaddressed grievances, culminating in a decision to take formal action and seek other options to ensure my grandmother's safety and dignity in her remaining years.

This part of Tarzana, California offers a convenient location with various amenities nearby. There are multiple pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens within a short distance, making it easy to access medication and healthcare needs. In terms of dining options, there are a variety of restaurants such as McDonald's, Chili's Grill & Bar, and local delis like Uncle Bernie's Deli. For outdoor recreation, there are several parks in the vicinity like Lake Balboa Park and Serrania Park for leisurely walks or picnics. Additionally, transportation options are available with Van Nuys Airport and the FlyAway Bus Terminal to LAX nearby. The area also provides access to healthcare facilities such as UCLA Health Woodland Hills and Veterans Administration Hospital for any medical needs. Places of worship like Immanuel Bible Church cater to spiritual needs within the community. Overall, this part of Tarzana offers convenience, accessibility, and various resources that can be beneficial for senior living.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Valley Drug & Compounding (1.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Uncle Bernie's Deli (0.9 miles)
• McDonald's (1.4 miles)
• Chili's Grill & Bar (1.4 miles)
• The Stand American Classics Redefined (1.7 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.3 miles)
• Vinh Loi Tofu (2.4 miles)
• McDonald's (2.6 miles)

Parks

• Encino Bike Path (1.4 miles)
• Lake Balboa Park (2.2 miles)
• Serrania Park (3.2 miles)
• Top of Topanga Overlook (4.4 miles)
• Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park (5.2 miles)
• Shadow Ranch Park (5.4 miles)
• Parthenia Park (5.7 miles)

Cafes

• Winnetka Bowl (2.9 miles)
• Starbucks (3.1 miles)
• Starbucks (4.2 miles)
• Starbucks (4.5 miles)
• Porto's Bakery & Cafe (4.9 miles)
• Starbucks (5.4 miles)
• Starbucks (6 miles)

Transportation

• Van Nuys Airport (VNY) (3.3 miles)
• Van Nuys FlyAway Bus Terminal to LAX (4.1 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Sherman Oaks Galleria (3.8 miles)

Physicians

• UCLA Health Woodland Hills (4.4 miles)
• Southern California Orthopedic Institute (4.4 miles)
• Mid-Valley Comprehensive Health Center (5.5 miles)
• Liberty Pacific Advanced Imaging | West Hills (6.1 miles)
• Center For Orthopaedic Specialists (6.1 miles)
• Evan Bachner Evan J Bachner MD (6.1 miles)
• Providence Medical Institute West Hills OB-GYN (6.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Veterans Administration (6.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Immanuel Bible Church (6.5 miles)