Today, I would like to share with you a Yelp review from
Susie L.
Albany, CA
My long-time caregiver, who had been with me for 5 years and was privately paid, moved out of the area in May. After 5 years, she was family, and we were all sad that she had to go. I realized that she spoiled me, but I had no idea how much until I had to find a replacement. People failed to show up or call in sick, so I was frequently left hanging. I work full-time, and rely on my caregivers to get me dressed and ready to leave, so I was missing a lot of work and I was really stressed out by having to search for a new caregiver every few days. The final straw was when a highly recommended caregiver stole my checkbook! I got the money back, thanks to my bank, but “stressed out” didn’t even begin to cover it.
At that point, I decided to try working with an agency, which is a much more expensive option, but much safer, since they manage the caregivers for you. I tried several of the big chain companies, but they wouldn’t accommodate the hours that I need.
Then I found Raul Mendez and Avida. Raul really cares about his clients and his workers. I called him on a Saturday and he came out to see me the next day! We developed a plan that suits my needs, and he came on Monday to introduce me to my new caregiver. He comes with the caregivers on their initial shift to make sure that they don’t walk into a strange house and that the clients don’t have to deal with a total stranger. For some reason, this is not the industry standard. Raul is also very responsive. I can email, text, or call him and he always gets back to me within an hour or so.
The first caregiver Raul sent me had a lot of things going on in her life that prevented her from coming in on a regular basis. I discussed this problem with him, and the next day, he was there with a new person. He has also been excellent about getting me help for unscheduled care, which is something that the chain agencies don’t do.
He also really cares about everybody. He pays his workers above minimum wage and has health insurance coverage for them, which never happens. After the theft, he suggested that I install cameras outside my house. He recommended a brand of camera and came out (again on a Sunday) to install them. He takes care of me like family.
TL, DR: Excellent, small caregiving agency with fantastic customer service! Also treats employees well. You can’t go wrong with Avida!
Emma