In 2013, I became permanently disabled and needed to use home health aides. The first agency I…read morefound provided me with a reliable, on-the-ball aide. I had her for two years. Then she graduated and got a job at U of M's hospital. That's when I learned she had been a fluke. I had been lucky, and having MDHHS funding for services is a mixed blessing. You're able to afford home help but the percentage of "caring" agencies who accept it is small. The number who provide quality care is almost nonexistant.
One week exactly before the Covid lockdown happened, I fired an agency. Once lockdown happened, no one was taking on new clients. It was a horrible year. And I struggled thru with help from a friend. I also deteriorated physically and required a back fusion, which meant I had to find new home care help fast.
Unfortunately the year of lockdown had closed down many of the small agencies. The survivors I found didn't take MDHHS funding.
One day looking up an agency on Yelp, I happened to see an ad for the J and E Pickens Family agency. But they were out of my county. With my surgery a week and a half away, stressed out, depressed and desperate, I called the agency. When the owner, Michael Pickens, told me they didn't work in my county, I thanked him and said goodbye. He stopped me, said I sounded upset, and asked me what was going on.
I told him about my situation. He was very sympathetic and told me why he started his company--he cared for his aged parents and wanted to help others. He said he needed to do some thinking about my situation and he'd call me "tomorrow".
Michael, was a man of his word--he called the next day. He agreed to take me on as a client, despite not working in my county. His words were, "I got into this business to help people. And you're in need of help. What kind of man would I be if I didn't help you. Not a man my parents would be proud of--God rest their souls. Rest yourself. You have an agency now."
Like so many other fields, during this pandemic, home help agencies have been struggling with staffing. Despite this problem, in the year I have been with J and E Pickens, Michael has made sure I have received quality care. He has discharged an abusive aide and one that exposed me to Covid--which I did come down with (thank goodness I was vaccinated). And when there have been no aides, Michael has, personally, provided my care.
J and E Pickens is a very good company to use if you need a home health aide.
Nothing says that more about than the owner personally providing care for their ONE and ONLY client, in a county, they don't generally serve.