Respite Care Svc

Pros

• Respite Care is a valuable asset to any family with a special needs family member.
• Respite Care is there to help for those needing a caregiver for a much-needed break or work.
• Respite Care provides programming and outings in the community to enhance the lives of those they serve.
• The care provided by Respite Care is excellent.

Cons

• The reviewer claims Respite Care did not send the person to a doctor as advised after the injury.
• They allege the PA-C did not examine the injured area or assess the pain, only watched the gait.
• The reviewer says the PA-C prescribed ibuprofen and sent them home with minimal treatment.
• They say Respite Care delayed hospital care and forced another PA-C visit despite worsening pain.
• The reviewer alleges the PA-C prematurely released them to full duty, claiming the pain was pre-existing.
• They report being told to report to the client's house while unable to walk and under medications that advised against driving.
• The reviewer describes the insurance staff as disrespectful and insisting the problem was pre-existing.
• They claim paperwork delays and incorrect forms from West Bend caused confusion and delays.
• They note a long delay - about a month - before a doctor could be seen.
• They state Respite Care did not follow work-restriction guidance, resulting in no back pay.
• They warn that a consumer under their care is not receiving 24-hour care, which could be fatal.

Review

What began as a routine injury at work quickly spiraled into an exhausting and frustrating ordeal that stretched over weeks and involved multiple agencies, conflicting instructions, and a medical system that seemed slow to respond. On October 15, while performing respite care duties, the injury occurred and the protocol called for a prompt medical evaluation. I was advised to see a doctor on October 16, but the agency did not arrange or send me to a physician. Instead, they insisted I see a PA-C (physician assistant), something I accepted at first, hoping to get timely care. The expectation was clear to me: assessment, treatment, and a path back to work. What followed, however, would become a cascade of missteps and a sense that the right care was being deferred or misunderstood.

The first encounter with the PA-C, Marielva Banks, stands out as a turning point in how this ordeal unfolded. I felt dismissed from the start. She didn't touch the area where I was in pain, didn't palpate or even attempt to determine the exact site of injury, and instead merely watched my gait, ordered X-rays, and sent me home with ibuprofen. It was a disconcerting experience, given that the pain was significant and the situation required careful assessment to rule out anything more serious. The overall impression I took away was that the visit was more about a quick ruling than about a thorough examination of the injury.

Within 24 hours the pain had intensified despite constant bed rest, and I felt unable to move without crying out. I begged the respite care team to send me to a hospital or at least to a different clinician who might take the problem more seriously. Instead, I was instructed to wait while they spoke with Liz Gonzales, the director. Hours later I was told I could go back to the same PA-C, this time at a clinic in Highland, even though I was in Valpo and in the worst pain when sitting in a car. The approach remained slow, with the medical team delivering a shot of anti-inflammatory in my butt that supposedly should have made me feel better within 20 minutes. It didn't help, and I left with Nabumetone (750 mg) and Cyclobenzaprine (10 mg).

Three days passed, and I saw the same PA-C again, with no real improvement. This time she did finally palpate and examine the area and concluded it was a muscle spasm. She released me with Tramadol (50 mg) and, telling me that if pain persisted beyond a week it was pre-existing, predicted a "release to full duty" at my next visit. The logic behind labeling new pain as pre-existing was confusing and frustrating, especially since I was using the medication and facing real, debilitating symptoms. My follow-up appointment arrived two days later, but the pain medication offered little relief, and I was released again, this time on Tuesday the 22nd.

Respite Care then instructed me to report to the client's house the very next day, despite being unable to walk unaided and taking multiple medications that advised against driving. I notified them I could not comply, and I arranged to see my GP, who adjusted my treatment plan - prescribing the same anti-inflammatory at a higher dose and adding a different analgesic strategy. My GP ordered a month of physical therapy (three times a week) in an attempt to address the underlying muscle issues. Despite this, the pain persisted, and the prescribed medications became a moving target: from Nabumetone to a Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen combination (5-325 mg, two tablets every eight hours), which offered only limited relief. The plan for PT moved forward, but insurance denied coverage for outpatient PT, citing the problem as a workers' compensation issue.

The insurance labyrinth added another layer of delay and frustration. I had to navigate between Respite Care's insurance (West Bend) and my own (Prairie States). To pursue my own treatment, Prairie States needed a denial form from West Bend. West Bend initially dragged its feet, sending an incorrect form after a week, and I had to persist with daily voicemails to obtain the correct paperwork. Eventually, West Bend stated they would not deny my claim, but by then the process had dragged on for weeks. Thirty days after my injury, and thirty-seven days after the injury I was still waiting for a definitive path to medical care, with the hope that I would finally be seen by a physician soon.

Meanwhile, the work restrictions from the PA-C and my GP were not being matched by Respite Care's scheduling. There were no hours aligned with the medical guidance, nor any back pay for the period I spent dealing with the injury and being unable to work. The gap in income stretched over a month, compounded by the earlier disruption that had already cost me time with another employer and the period it took to start with the client in need of respite services. The financial and professional strain was real, weighing heavily on every decision and every next step.

Despite the chaos and the bureaucratic hurdles, the agency remains, in my view, a valuable asset for families with complex needs. Respite Care is capable of excellent programming and meaningful community outings that can enrich the lives of those they serve. Yet the experience I endured underscored the clash between well-intentioned service and the rigid constraints of funding and insurance systems. The broader picture, as I see it, includes not only individual missteps but also systemic issues that can leave families and workers without timely care or fair compensation.

Toward the end of the account, there is a prolonged concern about a consumer who is falling frequently and not receiving 24-hour care. It is raised as a troubling example of how administrative inertia and funding constraints can translate into dangerous neglect for the most vulnerable. The person in charge is pressed to deliver care, and the administrator is criticized for not ensuring it happens. While I still value the mission of respite services, this closing note highlights a serious worry: without sustained funding, clear processes, and accountability, the most vulnerable among us can suffer the consequences. In the end, the experience is a cautionary tale about balancing compassionate care with the realities of paperwork, insurance rules, and the imperative to act decisively in moments of urgent need.

Restaurants

• Les Cafe Pancake House (0.1 miles)
• McDonald's (0.6 miles)
• Sophia's House of Pancakes (0.9 miles)
• Cracker Barrel (1.1 miles)
• White Castle (1.2 miles)
• McDonald's (1.6 miles)
• Danny Z's Grub N Pub (1.6 miles)

Cafes

• Sip Coffee House (0.2 miles)
• Panera Bread (2.5 miles)
• Windmill Brewing (5.2 miles)
• Starbucks (8.1 miles)
• Great Lakes Cafe (8.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Vyto's Pharmacy in Highland (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)

Parks

• Wicker Memorial Park (0.5 miles)
• Beech Park (1.6 miles)
• The Park (2.2 miles)
• Riverside Park (2.3 miles)
• Central Park (2.4 miles)
• Briar Creek Park (2.5 miles)
• Redar Park (4.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Illiana Islamic Association (1.1 miles)
• Woodmar United Methodist Church (2.1 miles)
• St Mary Church (2.6 miles)
• St. Paul's Lutheran School (2.6 miles)
• St George Greek Orthodox Church NW Indiana (5.2 miles)
• Trinity United Church of Christ Gary (6.1 miles)
• Christ Community Church (6.8 miles)

Physicians

• Pediatric Health Care Assoc (1.4 miles)
• Premier Oncology Hematology Associates (2.2 miles)
• North Point Orthopaedics (2.4 miles)
• University of Chicago Health Specialist (2.6 miles)
• Hoehn Medical Center (4.5 miles)
• Northwest Oral Surgeons (4.5 miles)
• Kids First Pediatrics On 30 (4.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Community Hospital (2.2 miles)
• Franciscan Physicians Hospital (2.7 miles)
• Franciscan Health Emergency Department Munster (2.8 miles)
• Franciscan St Margaret Health (5.4 miles)
• Ingalls Family Care Center (5.4 miles)
• St Catherine Hospital (5.6 miles)
• Methodist Hospitals (6.3 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Schererville 12 (4.1 miles)