Home Instead - Honolulu, HI

Pros

• Home Instead provides great communication and updates, with compassionate employees.
• The care is professional-level and delivered by caring caregivers and office staff with Aloha.
• Honolulu's Home Instead team has been wonderful and a great relief, offering meals, medications, bathing, laundry, and housekeeping, with visits three times a week for four hours.
• Ty Bedford and the team are attentive, personable, reliable, and diligent, with highly responsive and professional service.
• The service brings safety, kindness, and peace of mind to families.
• The agency is considered one of the better care options on the island, with responsive leadership, a capable team, and clear communication of care plans and changes.
• The caregivers are caring, compassionate, and understanding, and the office staff is amazing.

Cons

• The reviewer notes that there is no direct caregiver communication; all messages must go through the office, which can delay urgent updates and create potential hazards.
• The online caregiver log is described as rudimentary, making it hard for families off-island to get meaningful post-shift updates and often requiring improvised workarounds.
• Kat Trilles is described as a nightmare who lectured the family about their responsibilities, refused to collaborate with other caregivers, and was unreliable about tasks and scheduling.
• A separate experience is cited where Karen did not show for a scheduled visit and did not return calls, described as unprofessional and unreliable.

Review

Across miles and time zones, the repeated threads in these experiences paint a consistent picture of Home Instead Honolulu as a trusted partner in elder care. A family living in Michigan, whose mother resides in Hawaii, describes a relationship built on dependable communication, genuine compassion, and real peace of mind. They note that the team's updates and responsiveness are noteworthy, and that the caregivers' kindness and professionalism help them rest easy knowing their loved one is in good hands.

The Honolulu team is repeatedly praised for delivering professional, compassionate care that feels personal and heartfelt. The caregivers are described as skilled not only in the practical tasks of daily living - meals, medications, bathing, and laundry - but also in creating a clean, comfortable home environment. The service schedule of three visits per week, four hours each, is highlighted as a meaningful structure that provides stability and support, with staff who bring a spirit of Aloha to every interaction. The overall impression is that Home Instead goes beyond basic duties to offer a level of care that feels like family support, or an extended Ohana, which is particularly meaningful for families who live far away.

Key to the positive experience is the way the local office engages from the outset. Ty Bedford, described as the office manager, is credited with an exceptionally thorough onboarding: a same-day home visit for an assessment, followed a few days later by a detailed three-hour briefing. The aides are said to be highly attentive, personable, reliable, and diligent, with training provided by staff members Ericcka and Erion. This combination - swift assessment, careful briefing, and hands-on training - sets a tone of professionalism and preparedness that families rely on when they cannot be on-site themselves. The result, according to the reviews, is a tremendous relief for families facing the challenge of caring for a loved one from afar.

An update in May 2024 adds another layer to the narrative: a new care team - Kaleigh, Erin, and Kylien - brings flexibility and steadiness during stressful times. When a loved one's needs and timing shift, this trio is described as being incredibly understanding and adaptable, preserving safety, kindness, and peace of mind for the family. This sense of continuity and responsiveness reinforces the impression that Home Instead Honolulu can scale with changing needs while keeping communication clear and compassionate.

Beyond routine daily support, the agency is appreciated for its role during health crises and emotional moments. One reviewer recounts how Home Instead's team was essential when their grandparents faced a health scare and they were off-island. The staff's professionalism and empathy helped navigate the emotional terrain, and they even helped keep the caregiver calm on the phone when immediate presence wasn't possible. This narrative underscores the agency's capability to manage complex situations with sensitivity, acting as a reliable anchor when family members cannot be physically present.

Members of the Honolulu team are also recognized for their direct, practical contributions to daily living. Acknowledgments include caregivers who assisted with tasks like driving to doctor appointments, coordinating shopping, and providing companionship - support that can easily go beyond what some people expect from in-home care. The appreciation extends to the overall administration, praised for prompt responses to emails and calls, dependable on-time visits, and a robust sense that the team is "amazing" to work with. When families call, they often encounter a responsive office that strives to answer questions quickly and keep lines of communication open, including after-hours support.

Not every experience is without its caveats, and the reviews do not shy away from them. A specific negative experience is recounted: a consultation with Karen that did not progress as planned, with no-show and no follow-up, which understandably left a sour impression. This episode stands in contrast to the otherwise consistently positive testimonials and serves as a reminder that even well-regarded agencies can have isolated hiccups. The reviewers use this example to highlight two recurring themes in their broader feedback: the importance of reliable direct communication with caregivers and the need for transparent, timely follow-through from the office. They acknowledge that, for most families, Home Instead offers a team-based approach that can avoid being left in the lurch, but direct caregiver contact and straightforward reporting remain areas where expectations can diverge.

Throughout these narratives, there is a strong sense of Home Instead Honolulu being more than a service provider - it functions as a flexible, compassionate ally that can accompany families through routine days, sudden health changes, and emotionally charged moments from afar. The caregivers are celebrated for their warmth, competence, and ability to support both the person receiving care and the relatives who rely on regular updates and reassurance. Instances of exceptional care, training, and management are repeatedly highlighted, painting a portrait of an agency that, for many families, feels like a trusted surrogate family when loved ones are not physically nearby.

This part of Honolulu, Hawaii, offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities that cater to the needs of seniors. With several physicians' offices, pharmacies, and hospitals in close proximity, residents have easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, there are various dining options such as McDonald's, Zippy's Makiki, and Golden Duck nearby for those looking for a quick meal. The area also features parks like Makiki District Park for outdoor leisure activities. For social and cultural enrichment, there are cafes like Mariposa at Neiman Marcus and places of worship such as Sacred Heart Church within a short distance. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded living environment suitable for seniors looking for convenience and accessibility in their daily lives.

Physicians

• Invision (0 miles)
• IMUA Orthopedics, Sports & Health (0 miles)
• Internal Medicine & Infectious (0 miles)
• Vascular Center (0.2 miles)
• David Mcewan (0.2 miles)
• Alapai Audiology (0.2 miles)
• Retina Associates of Hawaii (0.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Longs Drugs (0 miles)
• Walgreens (0.2 miles)
• Piikoi Sundries (0.4 miles)
• Times Supermarkets (0.5 miles)
• Times Beretania Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• Queen's POB I Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• Longs Drugs (0.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Honolulu Clinic (0.1 miles)
• The Queen's Medical Center (0.6 miles)
• Queen's Medical Center (0.6 miles)
• Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children (1 miles)
• Kuakini Medical Center (1.5 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.1 miles)
• Zippy's Makiki (0.3 miles)
• Golden Duck (0.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.4 miles)
• Hana Koa Brewing (0.4 miles)
• Harry's Cafe (0.4 miles)
• McDonald's (0.5 miles)

Parks

• Makiki District Park (0.8 miles)
• Magic Island (1.1 miles)

Cafes

• Mariposa at Neiman Marcus (0.8 miles)
• Honolulu Coffee Experience Center (1.1 miles)
• Brew & Foam (1.4 miles)
• Goofy Cafe & Dine (1.4 miles)
• Hiking Hawaii Cafe (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (1.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Sacred Heart Church (1.1 miles)
• Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii (1.3 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Dole Cannery ScreenX, 4DX, IMAX & RPX (1.7 miles)