By Veronica Griffiths, Former Owner, Acti-Kare Home Care – Greater Seattle
From 2015 to early 2024, I owned and operated a home care agency in the Seattle area. After selling, I stayed in the industry as a Care Advisor — and with nearly a decade of hands-on experience, I’ve collected more than a few memorable stories.
Some are heartwarming. Some are hilarious.
This one is all about how a small change fixed a big problem — and it taught me a powerful leadership lesson I still share with agency owners today.
The Background
A few years back, we accepted a new client for a one day a week transportation to medical appointments. I rarely turned down small cases because they often grow. This one did.
Within a few months, that one-day case became a 14-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week client.
The family loved our consistency, communication, and how much easier their lives became once we were in the picture.
But there was a catch…
The Problem
The client lived in a home with a shared family space — the adult children lived in the other half of the house.
That meant everything was visible.
If a caregiver clocked out 30 seconds early, we heard about it.
If a dish was hand-washed instead of using the dishwasher, we heard about it.
But the one complaint that just wouldn’t go away?
Vacuuming.
“Could you remind the caregivers to vacuum more regularly?” the family would ask — politely, but persistently.
We took it seriously:
- We created a light housekeeping schedule
- We clarified the care plan
- We did side-by-side visits to model expectations
Still, the complaint kept coming. My Care Director dreaded the emails.
The Breakthrough
Months later, during an unannounced quality visit, I sat with the client and their caregiver, casually chatting while music played in the background.
I asked, “By the way, where do you keep the cleaning supplies and vacuum? Is it working okay?”
The caregiver chuckled, rolled his eyes, and said,
“Oh, it works great… unfortunately.”
That was the clue.
He wheeled it out: a massive, all-metal antique that looked like it belonged in a museum.
It was heavy, awkward, and clearly a pain to use. It technically worked, but no one wanted to use it.
That was the real issue — not laziness, not forgetfulness, but bad tools.
The Fix
That same afternoon, I stopped by a local thrift store and picked up a lightweight, modern vacuum for under $30.
I brought it to the client’s home and handed it to the caregiver.
His face lit up like I’d given him a raise. Within hours, other caregivers were calling the office to say thank you.
And the client?
The complaints disappeared — permanently.
What Home Care Owners Can Learn from This
This wasn’t about vacuuming. It was about something bigger:
👉 Recurring complaints aren’t always performance issues.
Sometimes, the root problem is a tool, a process, or an unspoken frustration that no one’s voiced yet.
👉 Your team won’t always speak up.
Many caregivers avoid confrontation or feel uncomfortable raising concerns — especially about something like a vacuum.
👉 The family often has no idea.
They assume things aren’t being done because of laziness or oversight, not because the tools are outdated or unusable.
3 Steps to Get to the Root of a Recurring Complaint
- Get curious, not defensive.
Ask open-ended questions. Don’t assume the caregiver’s at fault. Get the full picture before jumping to conclusions. - See it for yourself.
Do a surprise visit. Observe how tasks are done. Look at the tools and experience the workflow from the caregiver’s point of view. - Fix the barrier — not the person.
If it’s a broken mop, a worn-out vacuum, or a missing supply — replace it. Small upgrades can save you from weeks (or months) of frustration.
Bottom Line for Home Care Owners:
Set your team up to succeed.
It’s not always about training harder or reminding more. Sometimes, the path to better care and happier clients starts with a $30 vacuum — and a mindset that asks, “What’s really going on here?”
These small wins build trust with families, boost caregiver morale, and eliminate the kind of recurring issues that chip away at your brand over time.
Article Written by Veronica Griffiths
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® | Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP)
Placement Services Specialist
Senior Care Authority – Eastside King County & Surrounding Areas
www.seniorcareauthority.com/eastside
