Home Care Advantage Inc

Pros

• The reviewer is an advocate for supporting Black-owned businesses.
• The reviewer has no problems with running a small family business.

Cons

• The agency provides unacceptable services.
• An inexperienced worker with no training was sent to assist an 87-year-old man confined to a wheelchair.
• The worker admitted she had never bathed anyone and was afraid to do so, yet was expected to satisfy the client.
• The supervisor threatened to terminate services instead of replacing the worker after a complaint.
• The caseworker was unavailable for 10 days, causing a two-week gap in services.
• The agency showed no genuine effort to secure a replacement.
• Over two weeks, neither week had full service hours delivered, and the aide's duties were not clearly explained.
• The agency failed to honor requests to make up missed time, leaving care gaps.
• There was no on-call coverage or weekend staffing, leaving the client without care on some days.
• The agency's lack of accountability and delayed care caused extreme disappointment and stress, and it would not be recommended.

Review

The collection of experiences paints a troubling picture of a home care agency that appears to struggle with basic competencies, reliable staffing, and professional accountability. Across multiple comments, the reviewers describe a pattern of inadequate care, poor communication, and management decisions that seem to leave a vulnerable elderly client without essential support. The overarching sentiment is one of disappointment and frustration, with callers questioning whether the agency's services meet even minimal standards of safety and reliability.

In one account, the reviewer describes an encounter with an inexperienced worker who arrived to assist an 87-year-old man confined to a wheelchair. The staff member is portrayed as lacking any meaningful training, with the reviewer noting that the worker told them she has "never bathed anyone" before and is, in fact, afraid to do so. The reviewer emphasizes that the client's age, condition, and dependency require a level of skill and confidence that, according to the account, did not exist. This combination of inexperience and fear, coupled with the expectation that the client would be comfortable with such a situation, is presented as unacceptable and unsafe.

A separate thread of the complaints centers on the agency's response to requests for support or changes in care. When the client requested a replacement caregiver, the supervisor allegedly responded by threatening to terminate the services immediately and stated an intention to report the decision to the caseworker. The caseworker, however, was reported to be out of the office for the next ten days, a detail the reviewer discovered only after making multiple calls themselves. The reviewer contends that, had they not taken the initiative, no services would have been performed for another two weeks. This narrative underscores a concerning gap in continuity of care and suggests that the agency did not have a robust process to ensure uninterrupted support for a high-need individual.

The critique extends to what the reviewers describe as either a lack of replacements or a lack of genuine effort to secure them. The perception is that there were no "honest attempts" to fill the staffing gap, and the emphasis on "knowledge, skills and abilities" as essential capabilities indicates a broader concern about the agency's staffing quality and the rigor of its hiring and training practices. The implication is that the agency's management approach prioritizes containment or cost-saving measures over ensuring that clients receive competent and consistent care.

A strong moral stance emerges in the comments about supporting black-owned businesses while insisting that accountability and standards should be non-negotiable. The reviewer explicitly states a willingness to support minority-owned enterprises but insists that providers in this sector must be held to the same level of accountability as any other. The repeated assertion that "Knowledge skills and abilities is essential!!!" signals a demand for rigorous qualification, training, and performance standards, not exceptions or shortcuts.

Another reviewer adds a separate lens to the dissatisfaction by describing missed care days, the lack of on-call support, and no weekend staffing. The client, who identifies as disabled, emphasizes the impossibility of choosing when their disability affects their need for assistance. The absence of on-call or weekend coverage translates into days or weeks where care is simply not provided, creating stress and a sense of abandonment. The reviewer notes disappointment, stress, and ongoing frustration with the agency's inability to rectify the situation or provide consistent coverage.

Taken together, these reviews depict a systemic struggle within the agency to deliver reliable, trained, and continuous care. The concerns touch on every critical aspect of home-based support: proper training for caregivers, effective supervision and escalation policies, dependable scheduling and coverage, transparent and proactive communication with family members and caseworkers, and an overarching commitment to meeting the needs of highly dependent clients. The expressed experiences also highlight the real-world consequences of service gaps for disabled individuals, where delays and inconsistencies can compound medical and emotional stress.

In conclusion, the reviewers convey a strongly negative impression of the agency's performance. The recurring themes - untrained staff, unsafe or uncomfortable care scenarios, delays in replacements, insufficient staffing, and poor communication - collectively suggest that, from their perspective, the agency fails to meet essential standards of care and reliability. The emphasis on accountability, training, and consistent coverage stands out as the core expectation that the reviewers believe must be addressed if the agency hopes to regain trust and provide a safe, dependable level of service for clients who rely on it.

This area of Jacksonville, Florida offers a variety of amenities that cater to the needs of seniors looking to settle down in a peaceful yet vibrant community. With numerous restaurants and cafes within close proximity, residents can enjoy a diverse range of dining options. Additionally, there are several reputable physicians and hospitals nearby, ensuring access to quality healthcare services. The presence of parks provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Places of worship offer spiritual fulfillment and a sense of community, while pharmacies are easily accessible for medication needs. Overall, this neighborhood presents a well-rounded environment for seniors seeking a comfortable and convenient living experience in Jacksonville.

Restaurants

• The Bearded Pig (0.2 miles)
• Bb's Restaurant And Bar (0.4 miles)
• Taverna (0.6 miles)
• The Southern Grill (0.6 miles)
• St Johns Provision (0.7 miles)
• Bellwether (1.2 miles)
• BurgerFi (1.5 miles)

Cafes

• Southern Grounds (0.3 miles)
• European Street Cafe (0.6 miles)
• The Local - San J (2.6 miles)
• European Street Cafe (2.6 miles)
• Casbah Cafe (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4.5 miles)

Physicians

• Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute (0.6 miles)
• Nemours Children's Clinic (0.7 miles)
• Jax Vision Care (1.3 miles)
• Carithers Pediatric Group (2 miles)
• Hortencia Espino, MD (2.2 miles)
• Southeast Orthopedic Specialists (2.4 miles)
• Jacksonville Pediatrics (2.4 miles)

Parks

• Riverfront Park (0.7 miles)
• Adams Park (3.2 miles)
• Cortez Park (4.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Childrens Medical Services (1.9 miles)
• Ascension St Vincent's Riverside (2.3 miles)
• UF Health Jacksonville Towers (2.5 miles)
• UF Health of Jacksonville (2.6 miles)
• Baptist Primary Care (3.2 miles)
• Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital (3.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Allen Chapel Ame Church (1.9 miles)
• Riverside United Church of Christ (2.9 miles)
• West Jacksonville Baptist Church (5.6 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (6.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (3.6 miles)
• Walgreens (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)