Home Instead - Johnson City, TN

Pros

• Donna York at Home Instead is described as amazing - kind, considerate, patient, and professional.
• Home Instead Senior Care is described as a great home care agency in the community.
• The company is said to go above and beyond to take care of clients and staff.
• Donna York's support is praised for its flexibility and patience.
• Alicia, a Home Instead caregiver, is described as awesome and consistently patient.
• The agency's philosophy focuses on matching the right caregiver to the client.
• Caregivers receive thorough training and professional support.
• Care begins quickly, with services starting within hours of consultation.
• Families report high-quality sitters and peace of mind knowing help is available.
• Office staff are praised for understanding needs and arranging care promptly.

Cons

• The company is described as shady and dishonest.
• The office staff are dishonest.
• The owner (Rick) allegedly stands behind lies and does not bother getting both sides of the story.
• Families have disagreed with the company's actions; the company accuses clients and ignores proof.
• The company is the worst the reviewer has ever encountered; it is very poorly run and does not care about its clients.
• A caregiver allegedly stole pain meds and embezzled money.
• The company pays caregivers only eight dollars per hour and cannot attract good staff.
• The company is untrained and unqualified for the job.

Review

Home Instead Senior Care appears in these voices as a company that many in the community turn to for both transportation to medical appointments and in-home care. The most common thread is that the service can be reliable and helpful when you need a driver to get you to a hospital, wait through a procedure, and bring you home. Several accounts highlight smooth logistics, with drivers who arrive on time, wait patiently at the hospital, and provide a dependable, stress-reducing experience for patients and their families. Across the board, the staff's professionalism and the agency's approach to coordinating care are repeatedly cited as the core strengths.

Numerous reviewers explicitly praise the company as a strong, community-focused home care agency. They describe it as "very good" and "great," noting that the agency steps in during difficult moments and provides service when it's most needed. One reviewer even rates the experience a perfect 10 out of 10 and emphasizes that the team goes above and beyond for clients and for the staff who work there. The sentiment is that Home Instead is a solid option for families seeking support with caregiving, and that the agency's presence can feel dependable and reassuring during challenging times.

A standout thread through the reviews is the impact of Donna York, who is repeatedly singled out as a crucial and highly effective point of contact. She is described as someone who helped families navigate the complexities of arranging caregivers for elderly parents, offering kindness, patience, and professionalism. The accounts portray her as a calm, flexible resource who helps families manage the often exhausting and confusing process of coordinating care. In a landscape of services, Donna's balance of warmth and efficiency is seen as a key factor in why families feel supported and confident in the agency.

Some reviewers remind readers that there are other options in the area and encourage prospective clients to shop around. One brief note signals that there are "many more services in the area," implying that while Home Instead has its merits, it's worth considering alternatives to find the best fit for individual needs. This caution reflects a realistic perspective in a field with many providers and varied experiences.

There are also deeply personal testimonials about the caregiving staff themselves. A young man recovering from an injury describes Alicia as an exceptional caregiver who shows up three days a week and remains positive and supportive without complaint. The relationship has grown into a genuine friendship, illustrating how a strong caregiver can become a reliable part of someone's recovery and daily life. The overarching sense is that the agency's caregivers, when well-matched, can become trusted partners in the healing process.

Several reviews highlight the agency's philosophy of prioritizing a good match between client and caregiver. The emphasis on creating compatibility - between personality, needs, and caregiver skills - comes through as a core value. People note that when a caregiver doesn't fit well, the office is responsive and quick to make a change, underscoring an adaptive and client-centered approach. This focus on fit, paired with training and ongoing support, is repeatedly cited as a positive differentiator for Home Instead.

There are more personal endorsements from those who became caregivers themselves after seeing family members benefit from the agency. One reviewer describes a grandmother who spoke highly of her caregivers and inspired a transition into caregiving, with the process described as easy and well-supported. The reviewer recounts training led by professionals, including a registered nurse, and notes a significant number of veteran clients, which provided common ground and purpose. The sentiment is one of pride and gratitude for the opportunity to contribute meaningfully, with the reviewer expressing a strong recommendation for others to consider Home Instead for both care and employment.

Not all threads, however, are uniformly positive. A harsher viewpoint describes Home Instead as shady and dishonest, with a sense that office staff act in ways that misalign with families' needs. The reviewer claims the owner, Rick, backs the office's lies and that there's no effective recourse when families dispute what's happening. This account describes a breakdown in trust, disputes with families, and a perception that proof and fairness do not always carry weight. The tone is markedly negative and contrasts with more favorable experiences, highlighting that experiences can vary significantly from one family to another.

There are also specific anecdotes about staff interactions that illustrate both strong positives and troubling concerns. One reviewer says they found sitters to be professional, helpful, and reliable, which provided substantial peace of mind during a period when coverage was crucial. They describe consistent, good-quality sitters who met expectations night after night. Conversely, another review praises two individuals, Rick and Robbie, as excellent to work with and highly recommends them, while the same piece of feedback includes a broader indictment of the company as a whole as being poorly run and uncaring toward clients. This juxtaposition indicates that even within the same network of staff, experiences can diverge dramatically, depending on location, assignments, and specific office dynamics.

In a final note of reflection, several reviewers share a broad sense of appreciation for the care they received. The consensus from the more positive reviews emphasizes quick responses, well-trained caregivers, and a willingness to adjust when a fit wasn't right the first time. Families recount that care could begin within hours of consultation and that the agency's staff demonstrated genuine dedication to the people they served. The overall takeaway is that Home Instead Senior Care is a trusted option for many, delivering reliable transport, attentive in-home care, and a supportive framework for both clients and their families - though it's also clear that experiences can vary, and prospective clients may want to evaluate options in their area to find the best match for their unique needs.

Physicians

• Appalachian Neurosurgical Clinic (0.1 miles)
• Regional Cancer Center (0.3 miles)
• Appalachian Radiation Oncology Associates, PC (0.3 miles)
• Ask-A-Nurse (0.3 miles)
• Mountain States Medical Group General Surgery (0.3 miles)
• East Tennessee Brain & Spine Center (0.4 miles)
• Mountain States Health Alliance 310 Buildiing (0.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• West Towne Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• Ballad Health Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• ProCompounding Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• Hillcrest Drug Store (0.8 miles)
• The Compounding Lab Johnson City (0.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Sahib (0.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.4 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.4 miles)
• Cootie Browns (0.6 miles)
• Knight's Pizza (0.6 miles)
• Cook Out (0.7 miles)
• Pal's Sudden Service (0.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Woodridge (0.4 miles)
• James H. Quillen VA Medical Center (0.6 miles)
• Franklin Woods Community Hospital (2.2 miles)
• Center For Women's Health (2.5 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.8 miles)
• Open Doors Coffeehouse (1.5 miles)
• Dos Gatos Coffee Bar (1.9 miles)
• Starbucks (2.1 miles)
• Panera Bread (3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Grace Fellowship Church (1.3 miles)
• Covenant Presbyterian Church (1.9 miles)
• St Mary's Church (1.9 miles)
• Islamic Center Of Northeast Tennessee (2.1 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Johnson City 14 (1.7 miles)