Kalet South Side Home - Adults

Pros

• Access to Home Care Services has been a wonderful addition to Mom's in-home care team, with a dedicated group working with compassion and shared goals to support independence and safety.
• The staff are incredibly wonderful to work with and truly care about their clients and employees.
• The coordinating staff prioritize communication and consistently strive to provide the best possible care.
• They respond quickly to family questions and concerns, supporting families through transitions and challenges.
• The service provides excellent overall care with prompt, friendly, on-time service.
• The agency places people first, focusing on safe, individualized care rather than treating clients as just a number.
• The Home Waiver Program and Access to Home Care Services enable loved ones to live at home with the needed care and support.
• Access to Home Care has been a wonderful addition for almost two years, bringing comfort to families and reducing anxiety.

Cons

• The nurses never come when needed.
• The office staff never listens or helps employees when in need.
• They will burn you out if you let them.
• There are life-threatening situations and no one checks until it's too late.
• HR Brian will claim to have their back, but lies and does nothing when problems arise.
• Aides leave with no prior notice; it's a revolving door.
• Aides are hired without vehicles to assist with errands and don't perform them.
• They drop patients who are not available within the aides' schedule and report to the insurer that the patient is not cooperating.
• The agency is unorganized and incompetent.

Review

Across a spectrum of experiences, the notes about Access to Home Care Services reveal a company that can be a lifeline for some families and a source of frustration for others. The reviews reflect a real variance in how care is delivered, how staff are managed, and how well the organization coordinates with families during some of their most stressful moments. Several families describe a deeply compassionate, responsive, and cohesive team that makes it possible for loved ones to stay in their homes with dignity. Others recount missed visits, burnout among caregivers, and a perceived disconnect between what is promised and what is delivered. The result is a complex portrait of a service that can be transformative in the right circumstances, while potentially falling short in others.

On the negative side, some reviewers voice serious concerns about access and reliability. They describe situations where nurses and other caregivers do not come when needed, leaving families in precarious or unsafe positions. The office staff are characterized as unresponsive or unhelpful, and there are mentions of life-threatening or urgent concerns not being promptly checked or addressed. In one particularly pointed critique, a reviewer accuses an HR representative, "Brian," of promising support but ultimately lying about incidents and taking no effective action, with the implication that the organization only pretends to care. The overall sentiment in these accounts is that the quality of care can be inconsistent and that the internal governance and supervision may fail to protect vulnerable clients when problems arise.

Another prominent theme among the critical reviews is turnover and instability within the caregiving staff. A common observation is that aides come and go, with little or no notice, creating a revolving door that makes it difficult for families to build a stable support system. Several commenters suggest that when tasks become more challenging or when the schedule is complex, the agency struggles to maintain continuity. The implication is that while basic, straightforward assignments may be handled adequately, more demanding care needs - such as those associated with serious medical or daily-living concerns - expose gaps in staffing, scheduling, and reliability.

Yet the story is not uniformly negative. A number of reviews speak highly of Access to Home Care Services, painting a picture of a devoted, compassionate organization when things go right. For instance, one family notes that they have been working with ATHCS for almost two years to care for their mother, praising the organization for loving, caring, and high-quality services. These reviewers describe a supportive environment where caregivers are genuinely valued, and where the leadership and staff exhibit a sincere commitment to both their clients and their employees. They emphasize the importance of a positive culture, where the wellbeing of the caregiver team translates into better care for clients, and they describe a sense of relief and gratitude in having a partner who shows patience and understanding during challenging times.

Other reviewers highlight the strengths of a coordinated, team-based approach. They describe situations in which a team - comprising aides, nurses, and a dedicated service coordinator - works together to maintain a high level of safety and independence for the person receiving home care. In particular, one account emphasizes that Mom's transition from a facility to home was handled with meticulous attention. The transition involved introducing the home care team and nurses at the outset, ensuring the client and family members knew who would be involved and when, and aligning everyone around the same goals of safety, independence, and comfort. The reviewer notes that communication was actively encouraged and readily accessible, with prompt responses to questions and concerns. The impression is of a well-orchestrated, compassionate operation in which the client's needs - and the family's peace of mind - are prioritized.

Several testimonials draw attention to the stability that a well-run program can bring to a home environment. In one long-form review, the staff is described as dedicated and professional, with a clear focus on ensuring the client's safety and needs are met while preserving the client's independence to the greatest extent possible. The Home Waiver Program is cited as an enabling framework that helps families keep loved ones at home, and a named service coordinator is highlighted as a key facilitator in coordinating services and smoothing transitions. The reviewer commends the agency for welcoming and accessible communication, stressing that the team's proactive stance and quick responses to questions or concerns contribute to a sense of confidence and trust. The overall tone is one of gratitude for a care partner who is attentive, organized, and aligned with the family's goals.

Other positive narratives emphasize the client-centered philosophy of care. Phrases like "patient-first" and "you're not just a number" appear to reflect a broader belief that ATHCS can distinguish itself by treating clients with dignity and attention to individual needs. Some reviewers describe timely, friendly service and a sense that the agency genuinely cares about both clients and staff. In these accounts, the experience is less about fulfilling a rigid checklist and more about cultivating a trustworthy relationship in which families feel heard and supported, and where the care team's dedication translates into better day-to-day living for the person receiving services.

Amid the mixed reviews, there is a cautionary note about real-world limitations. One strongly negative account portrays the agency as disorganized and unreliable, with claims that aides lack means to run errands, do not perform tasks such as grocery shopping or prescription pickup, and that patients are dropped if schedules do not align. The reviewer accuses the agency of promising services that never materialize, while aides quit after only a few weeks. This perspective also raises concerns about how the agency interacts with insurance providers, suggesting that families can be penalized for perceived non-cooperation. The location noted is Auburn, New York, and the cautionary tone invites prospective clients to weigh the potential benefits against the risk of inconsistent service.

Taken together, the collection of reviews suggests that Access to Home Care Services can be a powerful and compassionate ally for families seeking in-home care, especially when a strong, well-coordinated team is in place and communication is robust. It also serves as a reminder that the quality and reliability of care can vary significantly from case to case, and that organizational leadership, staffing stability, and proactive management play critical roles in shaping outcomes. For families navigating in-home care, these accounts underscore the importance of clarifying expectations up front, securing clear care plans, ensuring reliable staffing for the specific needs of the client, and maintaining open channels of communication with service coordinators and managers so that concerns can be addressed before they escalate. In the best cases, ATHCS is described as a supportive partner that helps families achieve safer, more comfortable caregiving at home; in the more difficult cases, the experience serves as a caution about how quickly problems can arise when coordination, staffing, and accountability fall short.

This area of Auburn, New York offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to senior living. With several places of worship nearby, including the United Church of Auburn and Church of the Holy Family, residents can easily maintain their spiritual practices. In terms of healthcare, there are reputable physicians such as Cayuga Health Network and Auburn Internal Medicine & Pediatrics in close proximity, providing convenient medical care options. Additionally, there are pharmacies like Kinney Drugs and Wegmans Food Pharmacy for easy access to medications. For leisure activities, parks like Emerson Park and Hoopes Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. The presence of cafes like Cafe 108 and Crow City Roasters provide cozy spots for socializing or enjoying a cup of coffee. Overall, this area provides a diverse range of resources that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a supportive community in Auburn.

Places of Worship

• United Church of Auburn (0.6 miles)
• Skaneatles Religious Society (1.5 miles)
• Church of the Holy Family (1.6 miles)
• First Love Fellowship (1.7 miles)
• Auburn Church of the Nazarene (2.8 miles)

Physicians

• Cayuga Health Network (1 miles)
• Associated Medical Professionals (1.1 miles)
• Auburn Internal Medicine & Pediatrics (1.1 miles)
• Auburn Eye Care (1.1 miles)
• Auburn Pediatrics (1.2 miles)
• Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center (1.4 miles)
• Summit Pediatrics (1.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Gaetano's Pizzeria (1.1 miles)
• Auburn Diner (1.2 miles)
• Prison City Pub & Brewery (1.3 miles)
• Hunter's Dinerant (1.3 miles)
• Domino's Pizza (1.3 miles)
• Moro's Table (1.3 miles)
• Green Shutters (1.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Kinney Drugs (1.2 miles)
• Wegmans (1.2 miles)
• Wegmans Food Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Top's Markets (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7.1 miles)

Cafes

• Cafe 108 (1.2 miles)
• Gretchen’s (1.4 miles)
• Crow City Roasters (1.6 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.2 miles)
• Bailiwick Market & Cafe (9.3 miles)

Parks

• The Great Race (1.3 miles)
• Emerson Park (1.5 miles)
• Hoopes Park (1.7 miles)
• Shotwell Memorial Park (7.1 miles)
• Thayer Park (7.3 miles)
• Harris Park (8.4 miles)
• Cayuga Lake State Park (9.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Fingerlakes Health Center (1.9 miles)
• Auburn Community Hospital (1.9 miles)

Transportation

• Skaneateles Aero Drome (6B9) (6.2 miles)