123 Home Care Services Bay Area l LLC - Walnut Creek, CA

Pros

• The first contact with 123 Home Care was very professional and well handled.
• The caregivers were professional and understood what was needed.
• It was great not being tied to a rigid schedule, as the plan could be tailored.
• The arrangement was simple, professional, and well done.
• The agency has stand-up professionals working for them and is worth giving a shot.
• Antone Cook was described as a phenomenal, caring individual who made a positive impact.

Cons

• The reviewer describes the signup as a complete disaster and says staff cannot figure out which office provides services.
• They state the agency's system doesn't work at all.
• They label the staff as incompetent.
• They claim none of the caregivers were qualified to handle their needs.
• They had to source qualified caregivers themselves, finding cheaper and fully qualified ones.
• They say the agency has zero stability, zero reliability, and zero trustworthiness.
• They would not recommend the agency and would not want a family member cared for by its staff.
• They declare that 123homecare is a horrible business.
• They criticize recruiters and receptionists as rude and mean, note lost personal information, say calls and emails were never returned, and allege lies about pay, hours, and availability.

Review

Experiences with the agency have been a roller coaster, swinging from solid memories of competence to downright chaos in recent attempts to re-engage their services. The contrast is stark: what felt like a well-oiled, dependable operation in the past can, in a heartbeat, devolve into miscommunication, misplaced expectations, and operational breakdowns that leave families frustrated and unsure of who's actually delivering care.

One thread running through the comments is the sense that, two years ago, the agency - back then known as 123 Home Care - provided a smooth, reassuring experience. A customer recalls a first contact that was professional and well managed, with the team laying out what was being offered and moving quickly to set up a schedule that fit the family's needs. The caregivers were described as professional and capable, and the arrangement was "simple, professional, and well done." The flexible approach - something not being tied to a rigid schedule but instead tailored to the situation - made the process feel doable even for someone who had never navigated a care plan before. In that older memory, the system worked, the plan could be implemented, and the family felt confident with the care pathway they chose.

Fast forward to the latest attempt to sign up under the new branding, The Key, and the mood shifts dramatically. The experience is described as a complete disaster. The caller spends eight hours on the phone without resolution, and the agency can't identify which office should provide the services. There's a troubling misrouting to an office four hours away, suggesting a serious breakdown in routing, intake, and internal communications. The overall sense is that the system simply doesn't function, and the staff handling the call seems incapable of directing the inquiry to the right place. The frustration isn't just about a single misstep; it's about a pattern of inefficiency and mismanagement that makes it feel impossible to obtain basic information or a reliable point of contact.

Within these broader frustrations, some reviews zero in on the care that was actually delivered or proposed. A number of users express that none of the caregivers they encountered matched the needs they had explained. In some cases, families ended up sourcing qualified caregivers themselves - sometimes at a lower cost - because the agency's team didn't seem able to provide appropriate matches or meet the required level of qualification. It's not merely about scheduling; the pain point is a perceived mismatch between what the plan promised and what the caregivers could deliver. When expectations aren't met in terms of qualifications or compatibility, families understandably feel let down and compelled to improvise on their own.

Yet the narrative isn't uniform. There are voices praising the professionalism and capability of the staff - insisting that, when everything is aligned, the agency can deliver. One voice asserts that there are stand-up professionals working there and urges giving them a shot, suggesting that the right people can offer the right care. Another poignant observation notes a caregiver, specifically calling out a Black caregiver named Antone Cook, who provided exceptional, compassionate service to a family member near the end of life. The writer emphasizes that this individual was a beacon of reliability and care, expressing a desire for him to flourish - whether within the same organization or by starting his own caregiving venture. The sentiment is both appreciative and wistful: a standout caregiver who made a meaningful difference, juxtaposed with a broader sense that the agency as a whole isn't consistently delivering.

There's also a stark tone of disappointment about the people running the operation. Another reviewer harshly questions the agency's stability, reliability, and trustworthiness, painting a picture of an organization that lacks consistency and accountability. There's a sense that the leadership or administrative side isn't delivering the level of service families need to feel secure about long-term care for a loved one. In the same vein, another review highlights a contrasting experience where recruiters and receptionists came off as rude or unhelpful, focusing more on pointing out negatives than offering solutions. Lost personal information, lack of timely follow-up, and rumors or misstatements about pay and availability are all cited as red flags that undermine confidence in the agency's administrative competence.

Taken together, the collection of experiences reads like a cautionary tale about relying on a single agency for complex, ongoing care. There are clear wins when the system works: initial professional engagement, flexible and responsive scheduling, and compassionate, qualified caregivers who can truly meet a family's needs. But those wins are fragile. They appear to be offset by operational missteps, misrouted inquiries, poor data handling, unreturned calls, and inconsistent caregiver suitability. The most resonant theme is that care quality can be excellent in the hands of the right caregiver, yet the organizational framework - notably intake, routing, and communication - can derail an otherwise good plan.

For families considering this agency, the reviews suggest approaching with caution and clarifying a few critical points up front: who is the correct office to contact for your area, how the scheduling and plan tailoring will work in practice, and what assurances exist about caregiver qualifications and continuity of care. They also underscore the value of having a backup plan or a process for quickly escalating issues if the system falters. And, for those who have had positive experiences, there's a reminder that skilled, compassionate caregivers do exist within the ranks; one standout professional can make a meaningful difference, even if the broader organizational experience remains inconsistent.

This part of Walnut Creek, California, offers a convenient and accessible location for seniors looking to settle in a vibrant community. With a variety of healthcare options nearby, including Muir Orthopedic Specialists and Golden State Dermatology, residents can easily access quality medical care. There are also several pharmacies within a short distance for prescription needs. The area is home to a diverse selection of dining options such as Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria and Nation's Giant Hamburgers & Great Pies, providing plenty of choices for meals out. Additionally, the proximity to parks like Arbolado Park and Heather Farm Park offers opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Transportation options such as the Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre BART Station make it easy to get around the city and beyond. Overall, this part of Walnut Creek provides a convenient and comfortable environment for senior living.

Physicians

• Jain, Suprabha - Suprabha Jain MD-MDI Wellness Center (0.1 miles)
• Muir Orthopedic Specialists (0.5 miles)
• Muir Orthopaedic Specialists - Redwood (0.5 miles)
• Michael Y Chang, DO (0.7 miles)
• Ipm Medical Group (0.9 miles)
• Golden State Dermatology (1 miles)
• Ford Lloyd C MD (1.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Rocco's Ristorante & Pizzeria (0.3 miles)
• McDonald's (2.3 miles)
• McDonald's (2.7 miles)
• Wendy's (2.7 miles)
• Nation's Giant Hamburgers & Great Pies (2.7 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.7 miles)
• Subway (2.8 miles)

Parks

• Arbolado Park (1 miles)
• Heather Farm All Abilities Playground (1.7 miles)
• Heather Farm Park (1.7 miles)
• Heather Farm Dog Park (1.8 miles)
• Markham Nature Park and Arboretum (2.3 miles)
• Lime Ridge Open Space (2.5 miles)
• Newhall Community Park (2.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (2.6 miles)
• Bondadoso Coffee & Tea Collective Add to Favorites (3 miles)
• Marketplace Cafe (3.3 miles)
• Philz Coffee (3.6 miles)
• Starbucks (4.5 miles)
• Peet's Coffee and Tea (5.5 miles)

Transportation

• Pleasant Hill/Contra Costa Centre BART Station (2.3 miles)
• U-Haul of Concord (2.4 miles)
• Walnut Creek BART Station (3.4 miles)
• North Concord/Martinez BART Station (5.1 miles)

Theaters

• Century 16 Downtown Pleasant Hill and XD (2.8 miles)
• Century Walnut Creek 14 and XD (3.5 miles)
• Solano Drive In (5.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Kaiser Permanente Medical Center (3.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Queen of All Saints (3.8 miles)
• Our Lady Queen of the World Church (7.2 miles)