Tender Heart Home Health Arlington, TX

Steven M. Huffstutler, DDS

My mom received a referral from a local rehab hospital at her discharge for return home. She'd been screened for possible stroke at a local hospital, then rehabilitation was suggested for balance and strength improvement. The staff member at the rehabilitation facility suggested Tender Heart as a good option for limited PT, OT, home health aide, and nurse checks 1-2 X/week as recommended by her supervising neurologist. Initial intake screening by Tender Heart was professional, detailed, promising. I have supervised mom's care for three years. I work full time. No professional advice or orders given by her physicians for inpatient care, with their understanding of my limited availability daily due to my work. Mom discharged from rehab able to walk unassisted with walker over 100 ft daily, use of wheelchair for self transfer, toilet, bathe, etc. Upon return home, mom often refuses to help me help her- claiming she can't do these things. In person neurologist consult two weeks ago states to her and I she is capable and needs to cooperate. I received multiple calls over a 45 min period from Adult Protective Services agent yesterday, aggressively demanding to know why I wasn't with her around the clock. I explained I work and my schedule prevents this. Explained there's been no medical advice or orders given stating this is required for mom's care. APS agent was very aggressive, demeaning, and acted as if I am somehow responsible for mom not being cooperative with some home health care visits (initial intake I asked to have appointments scheduled by me so that I could have her dressed and door unlocked for their entry. I limited the abuse of the APS agent and gave my requirements for her courtesy and respect. It appears that a staff member of Tender Heart has reported mom's limited cooperation with her normal self care as abuse or neglect on my part. Please be very cautious of your interaction or work with representatives of this privately owned firm. They have not in my interaction with them since intake, been honest, communicated clearly, or informed me of any concerns about mom's condition. I have communicated near daily to her assigned caregivers by phone and text my concerns about mom. They have the contact information for mom's neurologist, provided by me, and have been asked to consult with him. It's upsetting to mom and me to have to endure APS interrogation claiming neglect and lack of provision of round the clock care when no representative of Tender Heart has spoken to me about this, and her neurologist hasn't ordered it or spoken to me about it. They are not your advocate or team member in helping you care for a difficult parent. They have acted subversively, and in bad faith. Additionally, one of the caregivers entered her home unauthorized, without discussing it with me, using a different access point than authorized without my permission. This has been extraordinarily stressful for mom and for me in interacting with the business. I don't want anyone else to suffer from their lack of candor, lack of honest communication, and attempts to treat me as a limited caregiver for an independent adult as if I am somehow at fault for her refusals and lack of self care that is developing. If their report to mom's neurologist was that they believe she needs 24 hour care, shouln't they have discussed this with me concurrently? Certainly before making an Adult Protective Services referral as if mom is being neglected? Really, a nightmare experience.

Just4mom

My mother is in the early stages of dementia and still wants to live as independently as possible. She resides in a senior living facility and Tender Hearts provides daily care to assist with insulin injections and medication reminders. We initially used another company and were terribly unhappy with her care. Moms physician suggested Tender Hearts and mom is extremely happy with Ann...her nurse!! The exceptional care and appropriate communication from the staff has taken a huge weight off my shoulders. I whole heartedly recommend them if you are looking for home health care!