A First Name Basis Home Care - Lafayette

Pros

• The company is a great place to work with excellent supportive staff.
• First Name Basis Home Care is a very professional and knowledgeable company.
• The staff are very kind, helpful, and caring.
• The company is very professional and cares about its patients.
• They have great caregivers who are kind, caring, and work hard to provide quality care, with superb communication.
• The office staff and caregivers are great at what they do and would be recommended to care for loved ones.
• They are very understanding and go the extra mile to help their clients, and they are kind and friendly.

Cons

• The billing department runs customers' cards without their knowledge or consent.
• They bill for caregiver overtime when their own relief caregiver is late.
• Caregivers are hit or miss, and some are lazy as all get out.
• Most caregivers are glorified babysitters who can't cook more than a TV dinner.
• The company has an incompetent billing office and poor communication.
• They are very unreliable, with too many patients and not enough caregivers.
• They didn't even have the decency to email, text, or call to say they were closing a work file during the pandemic.
• Upper management is nice, but they're surrounded by an incompetent team.

Review

A First Name Basis Home Care ? Lafayette is best suited for families who want intimate, in-home senior care with a strong emphasis on compassionate, relationship-driven support. It serves elders who prefer to stay at home while receiving help with daily activities, light housekeeping, and memory-supportive assistance. The agency shines for families that value experienced, knowledgeable caregivers who can work with conditions like dementia and Alzheimer's with patience and familiarity. It is a practical choice for those who can supervise a rotating cadre of aides and want a cost-effective option that prioritizes personal connection over a facility-based model. This is not the pick for families needing full-time clinical nursing oversight or guaranteed 24/7 expert medical supervision.

Those weighing alternatives should consider whether a facility-based option or a larger home-health provider might be a better fit. If 24/7 skilled nursing, rigid scheduling guarantees, or strictly standardized programs are non-negotiable, a memory-care or assisted-living campus may deliver more seamless continuity. For families prioritizing unquestioned billing transparency, fully consistent caregiver teams, and formal conflict-resolution processes, shopping other agencies with stronger enterprise-level oversight could be worthwhile. In short, this agency excels in warmth, adaptability, and Alzheimer's-appropriate care, but it requires careful contract terms and vigilant ongoing management to counterbalance notable operational risks.

The core strengths are real and meaningful. The staff's kindness, professionalism, and willingness to go the extra mile repeatedly appear in reviews, translating into meaningful daily support for clients. Families note that caregivers are "great," "compassionate and caring," and capable of handling the nuances of memory-related needs. The office team is praised for being responsive and supportive, with several accounts highlighting superb communication when shifts need coverage. The cultural backbone - staff appreciation, care for caregivers, and a genuine commitment to patient well-being - helps families feel confident that their loved ones are not being treated as interchangeable assignments. When the agency functions smoothly, the experience can be genuinely reassuring and cost-effective.

However, several red flags emerge in the critique, and they cannot be dismissed. Multiple reviews report billing irregularities and a lack of transparency around charges, including warnings not to share credit card details and to scrutinize bills for overtime or late payments. Staffing instability surfaces as a persistent concern: an impression that some caregivers are dependable while others are not, with anecdotes of gaps in service, late arrivals, and even instances where aides were unproductive or disengaged. There are also complaints about inconsistent caregiver assignment, with families receiving variable levels of experience and care quality, and a few negative anecdotes about the reliability of schedules. Taken together, these issues point to a need for stringent oversight, contractual guardrails, and proactive supervision.

The key to leveraging the positives while mitigating the negatives lies in due diligence and ongoing program management. Families should request a clearly defined care plan with a scheduled point of contact, and insist on a minimum standard for caregiver experience, rotation policies, and backup coverage. Demand a transparent billing process with itemized, timely statements, and consider implementing a written authorization and consent protocol for any charges. Ask for a dedicated supervisor or care manager who can monitor performance, coordinate shift coverage, and promptly address scheduling gaps. Establish a trial period with measurable expectations and a process for escalating concerns, ensuring there is a pathway to replace caregivers who do not meet the agreed standards.

In the end, A First Name Basis Home Care ? Lafayette offers a compelling, human-centered approach to at-home senior care that rewards families with warmth, empathy, and practical support when managed actively. For families comfortable with hands-on oversight, it represents strong value - especially when memory-care needs are present and a home-like environment is preferred. The decision hinges on tolerance for operational risk and the ability to enforce clear contracts and monitoring. If these conditions can be met, the agency can be a sturdy partner in keeping a loved one safely at home with dignified, attentive assistance. If not, exploring alternatives that emphasize stringent billing controls and rock-solid staffing consistency may be the prudent course.

This part of Lafayette, Louisiana offers a convenient location with easy access to several hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, and cafes. The proximity to Acadiana Management Group and Children's Hospital Burdin Riehl Clinic provides peace of mind for any healthcare needs. There are also a variety of dining options nearby, such as Whataburger and T-Coon's Restaurant, as well as recreational opportunities at Girard Park and Moncus Park. Additionally, the Lafayette Regional Airport is just a short distance away for any travel needs. Overall, this area provides a combination of essential services and amenities that could make it a comfortable choice for senior living in Lafayette.

Hospitals

• Acadiana Management Group (0.4 miles)
• Children's Hospital Burdin Riehl Clinic (0.8 miles)
• LCMC Health Children’s Hospital New Orleans Specialty Care - Lafayette (1.4 miles)
• Lafayette Physical Rehabilitation Hospital (1.7 miles)
• University Medical Center H R (2 miles)
• Red River Health Care (2.8 miles)
• Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center (3.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Whataburger (0.5 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (0.5 miles)
• T-Coon's Restaurant (0.5 miles)
• Chris' Po-Boys (0.5 miles)
• Edie's Restaurant (0.6 miles)
• KFC (0.6 miles)
• Hub City Diner (0.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.5 miles)
• Benny's Sportshack (1.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (2 miles)
• Kung Fu Tea (2 miles)
• CC's Coffee House (2.1 miles)
• Johnston Street Java (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (3.5 miles)

Physicians

• Health Management Services (0.6 miles)
• Acadiana Family Physicians (0.8 miles)
• Jennifer Daigle Hanby MD (0.8 miles)
• Southern Urology (0.8 miles)
• Oral & Facial Surgery Center (0.9 miles)
• Patterson, Damon Neuroscience Center of Acadiana (1 miles)
• Lafayette Arthritis & Endocrine Clinic (1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Carmichael's Home Iv Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Drug Emporium (2.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Pius X (1 miles)
• Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church (1.8 miles)
• Our Savior's Church Midtown Campus (2.8 miles)
• The Bayou Church (2.9 miles)

Parks

• Girard Park (1.1 miles)
• Beavers Park (1.6 miles)
• Moncus Park (2 miles)
• Oakland Park (3 miles)

Transportation

• Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT) (1.4 miles)

Theaters

• The Grand 14 - Ambassador Theatre (3.2 miles)