BrightStar Care Review: Senior Care Services

BrightStar Care provides compassionate care for seniors in their homes in 40 states plus Washington DC, from over 400 locations nationwide. For over 20 years, this company has employed well-trained, dedicated professionals with the goal of offering at-home care supervised by a registered nurse.

Care available in many areas

BrightStar Care offers companion care and nursing, though the website noted that Connecticut locations are unable to provide medical services (unlike the rest of the 39 states where BrightStar Care is located).

Simple to set up an in-home assessment

To set up a no-cost, no-obligation, in-home assessment with BrightStar Care, enter your ZIP code to find the office closest to your location. Answer a couple of easy questions about the type of care you are seeking for your loved one, and then provide your personal information. Once you submit the form, you can expect to hear back from the location nearest you. If you prefer, you may instead call them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Numerous care options offered

Several types of care are available from BrightStar Care professionals for both short-term and long-term options, as well as 24-hour care. Personal care (daily living activities such as bathing, meal prep, companionship, and light housekeeping) and companion care (provides respite for family caregivers, transports to doctor and social events, and even includes travel companionship) are two options. For those with Alzheimer's and dementia, BrightStar Care provides memory care, which offers specialized guidance and support to help clients live a fulfilling life at home and promote overall well-being. Short-term transitional care is offered for those leaving a hospital or rehab center yet are still needing extra support as they make the trip home, thus reducing the likelihood of rehospitalization, medication errors, and falls. Finally, BrightStar Care also has in-home therapy services - including physical, speech, and occupational - performed by licensed, experienced therapists. Skilled care from nursing professionals is offered in some locations (possibly including blood sugar testing, home infusion therapy, medication management, and wound care).

Care oversight by a nurse

Something that makes BrightStar Care stand out are the nurse-led teams which create care plans for each client. Caregivers communicate any changes in your loved one's condition with the nurse, which reduces the likelihood of hospital visits or falls. Nurses may provide services, resources, or education, as well as prevent or identify medication interactions.

Joint Commission accreditation

Another place BrightStar Care stands out is in their insistence that all independently-owned agencies under their name must earn Joint Commission accreditation. They are the only national home care brand to require this designation, which indicates that a health care organization adheres to the highest standards of healthcare quality and patient safety. (We like this feature for a home care company and wonder why the others don't insist on meeting these standards..).

Caregivers are screened, insured, and continue their training

All caregivers at BrightStar Care must pass rigorous recruiting and stringent screening practices, which include background checks, drug screenings, and licensing or certification verification. Additionally, the nurses and caregivers take ongoing training courses in order to better meet the ever-changing needs of their clients. They are all bonded and insured. Also, BrightStar Care provides medical staffing services to hospitals and nursing homes, so you can rest assured that they are professionals.

Changing services is easy

You are not locked into a contract with BrightStar Care. If you need to increase or decrease services or time with a caregiver, it is possible to change things at any time, including choosing a different type of service or even canceling service.

Other services offered

BrightStar Care provides services for adults with disabilities, in-home child care for those with chronic conditions or short-term disabilities, and pediatric nursing in some locations for complex, in-home care for younger patients.

Mixed customer reviews

Similar to many companies with independent franchises, BrightStar Care does not have one single page on the BBB. Local offices are individually accredited and rated. The five locations we viewed had "A+" ratings from the BBB with only one complaint filed. However, across online review platforms, the 600 reviews on various websites ranked the company between 1.6 and 3.9 stars, with the majority of reviews on the Yelp page. Negative experiences label them as a "very expensive and poor service," with multiple mentions of failure to show up to provide care. On the other hand, the happy clients mention caregivers by name, noting positive personality traits such as friendly, accommodating, dedicated, compassionate, and understanding. Individual locations are reviewed, so we recommend doing a quick search to find feedback about the one closest to you when looking into BrightStar Care.

An excellent choice

Only the fact that BrightStar Care isn't available in all 50 states kept it from the top of our list. We like that they require Joint Commission accreditation and have RNs overseeing their care teams. As such, we can confidently recommend them as an excellent choice for senior care - if there's one in your area.

Learn More  ➜

On the BrightStar Care website