Home Instead - Southwest Oakland County, MI

Pros

• The staff and caregivers were absolutely amazing in helping with loved ones after their falls.
• The company provides professional service.
• Home Instead did an amazing job with a relative and felt like family.
• The caregivers are amazing and truly care about their clients.
• The aides and staff from Home Instead Senior Care on Haggerty Rd have been absolutely wonderful, caring for them in their apartment.
• The staff is polite and understanding and makes clients feel like family.
• Jeanne Merchant and the Home Instead team were excellent, listening and providing care with dignity.
• Their scheduling was flexible and the caregivers and representatives worked to meet needs.

Cons

• They criticized the policy of switching caregivers whenever the company wanted.
• They described reassigning their caregiver the night before a shift as incredibly wrong.
• They stated that clients cannot contact the assigned caregiver and called that policy incredibly wrong.
• They said they would not recommend Home Instead to anyone who loves their family and felt the company doesn't care.

Review

There is a striking mix of experiences in the collection, with a strong current of praise running through most reviews and a notable, sharply negative outlier related to caregiver assignment and contact. Taken together, the stories depict a service that many families found invaluable for their loved ones, paired with a caveat about how caregiver changes are managed and how much families can control or influence those changes. The overall pattern is one of genuine appreciation for compassionate care and professional leadership, tempered by concerns about caregiver switching and intimate contact with the person who becomes part of a family's daily life.

Several accounts center on the positive impact a good care team can have after a fall or during recovery. In these entries, the caregivers and staff are described as instrumental figures who help a family member regain confidence, remain independent, or simply regain a sense of normalcy. One review notes that the staff and caregivers were deeply supportive of a dad after a fall, helping him return to an active life on his bike, thanks to the right people being present during his recovery. In another, the company is described as professional with great service, and yet more praise highlights how the caregivers made a grandmother feel cherished, reinforcing the sense that they treat clients with respect, kindness, and a strong work ethic. The repetition of phrases like "amazing caregivers" and "felt like family" underscores a consistent theme: when the match feels right, the care experience is transformative for both the clients and their families.

Across numerous testimonials, the care extends beyond basic tasks to a genuine emotional connection. Families talk about caregivers who are attentive, patient, loving, and capable of brightening a loved one's days. A variety of anecdotes illustrate how caregivers bring warmth into everyday moments - watching Christmas movies, singing carols, baking cookies, or simply being a dependable presence during difficult times. The sentiment that "the caregivers take such good care" and that caregivers are "caring, helpful, knowledgeable and compassionate" recurs, illustrating a belief that good Home Instead teams can create a sense of safety and comfort within a home.

There is a particularly strong thread of end-of-life and hospice-focused care in several reviews. One family credits Jeanne Merchant with exceptional involvement and responsiveness, taking the time to listen and coordinate care for a mom on hospice at home. The caregiver named Carmen is singled out as kind and dignified, with the overall experience helping family members sleep better at night during trying times. Another reviewer contrasts Home Instead's performance with a different service from the previous year, concluding that Home Instead offered a miles-better experience and greater confidence in the care team. These stories emphasize that, when the care goals center on dignity, comfort, and consistent support through to the end of life, Home Instead staff can be especially impactful.

Location-specific gratitude and continuity also surface in the feedback. A recurring note highlights the Home Instead Senior Care team on Haggerty Road, where families with parents in their 90s describe the aides and staff as absolutely wonderful - caring, helpful, knowledgeable, and compassionate. The accounts stress that families can voice concerns easily, receive responsive answers, and rely on the team to find thoughtful solutions to complex problems. The repetition of "I highly recommend this agency" and similar endorsements reinforces the sense that, at least for many households, the local operation delivers steady, dependable service that helps seniors stay in their homes longer and with dignity.

Perhaps the most distinctive yet contentious thread concerns caregiver assignment and the ability to control contact with the assigned caregiver. One reviewer expresses a strong, negative reaction to the policy of switching caregivers, describing a night-before shift reassignment as "incredibly wrong." The post emphasizes that clients should not be in contact with a caregiver who is assigned to their family and uses emphatic language to convey frustration and a lack of trust. This perspective contrasts with the many positive comments about the importance of compatibility and matching personalities, suggesting that the operational approach to caregiver changes can dramatically affect family trust and satisfaction. It serves as a caution that excellent care can be undermined by rigid or poorly communicated policies around caregiver assignments.

Finally, the overarching sentiment about management and caregiver matching is consistently positive. Several reviews praise the way Home Instead staff take the time to match personalities and ensure caregivers are easy to like or even loved. Management is described as wonderful, clearly caring about both employees and clients, and actively involved in the process - such as a manager accompanying new caregivers on their first day. This emphasis on thoughtful onboarding, personal fit, and supportive leadership reinforces the impression that Home Instead's strongest outcomes come from stable, well-matched teams backed by engaged management.

In sum, the experiences form a portrait of a homecare company that many families rely on for compassionate, individualized, and dependable support. The positive testimonials celebrate caregivers who feel like family, staff who respond with empathy and professionalism, and leadership that prioritizes fit and continuity. Yet there is an undercurrent of concern about how caregiver changes are managed and how families can engage with the assigned caregivers, reminding readers that the quality of in-home care hinges not only on caring individuals but also on clear communication and flexible, family-centered policies. The recurring endorsement of specific staff like Jeanne Merchant and Carmen, the clear praise for the Haggerty Road team, and the emphasis on matching and responsiveness together sketch a picture of a service that many families would recommend - while acknowledging that the policy around caregiver reassignment can be a make-or-break factor for some.

This part of Farmington Hills, Michigan offers a convenient and accessible location with a variety of amenities for seniors. The area features several pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians' offices within a short distance, providing easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, there are a number of restaurants and cafes nearby for dining options. A selection of parks is also available for outdoor recreation and relaxation. The presence of theaters in the vicinity offers entertainment options for seniors looking to enjoy cultural activities. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded living environment with essential services and recreational opportunities close at hand.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.8 miles)
• Henry Ford Pharmacy - Columbus (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• Rite Aid (3 miles)

Restaurants

• Kerby's Koney Island (0.8 miles)
• McDonald's (2.5 miles)
• Uptown Grill (3.1 miles)
• The Cheesecake Factory (3.1 miles)
• McDonald's (3.2 miles)
• Sedona Taphouse (3.3 miles)
• One World Market (3.5 miles)

Parks

• Woodland Hills Nature Park (1.5 miles)
• Karner Farm (3.2 miles)
• Liberty Park Playground (4.1 miles)
• Flanders Park (4.6 miles)
• Rotary Park (5 miles)
• Clara Miller Park (5.9 miles)
• Wixom Wetlands (6.9 miles)

Cafes

• Tim Hortons (1.7 miles)
• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.9 miles)
• Panera Bread (5 miles)
• Starbucks (5.1 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Brightmoor Christian Church (2.2 miles)
• Church of the Holy Family (3.4 miles)
• Ward Church (6.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital (2.3 miles)
• Providence Park Hospital (5.8 miles)
• Botsford Hospital (6 miles)
• Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital (7.6 miles)
• Trinity Health Wound Care - Livonia Hospital (7.7 miles)

Physicians

• Michigan Institute For Neurological Disorders (2.5 miles)
• Meadowbrook Medical Center (2.9 miles)
• Beaumont Medical Center - West Bloomfield (3.3 miles)
• Millenium Diagnostic Center (3.3 miles)
• Lakes Urgent Care (3.9 miles)
• Providence Medical Center (4.3 miles)
• Beaumont Midwest Internal Medicine Associates (4.9 miles)

Theaters

• Emagine Novi (4 miles)
• Riviera Cinema (4.8 miles)
• Phoenix Theatres Laurel Park Place (6.3 miles)