FirstLight HomeCare of Arlington Heights

Pros

• Caleb listened to the family's needs and exceeded them.
• Jeannette provided great care during the initial 12 hours.
• Alvan was a perfect match and took excellent care of their father.
• The staff and owner are kind, caring, and truly committed to high-quality care.
• Tara is considered the absolute best.
• The team helped obtain the necessary approvals and resources with dedication.
• The team keeps families well-informed and works toward the best outcomes.
• Meyssen is kind, helpful, and reliably supportive.
• The office staff are understanding, helpful, and make visits easy.
• FirstLight Home Care provides outstanding, professional service.
• The company is responsive, flexible, and goes above and beyond.
• Kendra is easy to work with and provides a smooth care setup.
• The care team treats clients like family with uplifting energy.
• FirstLight delivers personalized, compassionate care for loved ones.

Cons

• They did not get the help they needed while taking their grandfather to and from his appointments, as promised.
• They had to request that the VA send a different company due to employees not showing up.
• The first caregiver repeatedly called off, arrived late, and left early.
• Two additional caregivers were sent; one never showed on either of her days, and the other stayed only five minutes before leaving for another job.
• The reviewer described the experience as disappointing, noting the grandfather's need for reliable care.

Review

Across a broad array of personal testimonials, FirstLight Home Care emerges as a company that families repeatedly describe as caring, responsive, and incredibly capable. Several accounts begin with a sense of relief that the team really listened. In one family's experience, Caleb sat down with them to discuss their needs for a father in the home, and what followed was not only listening but action: a caregiver named Jeannette stayed with the family for 12 hours until a full-time home care person could be arranged, and Alvan later joined the care team to work alongside hospice. The sense conveyed is that FirstLight doesn't just assign staff; they align people who genuinely fit the family's situation and the patient's personality, yielding a care experience that feels like a trusted extension of the family.

Praise for the leadership and front office is a common thread. The owner, Caleb, is repeatedly described as beyond awesome, with testimonials from a nurse referral underscoring the importance of his involvement from the very start. Families consistently note that Caleb helps with practical hurdles - such as getting the patient approved for the needed support - and that he and his staff demonstrate sincere care for the patients they serve. The sentiment is not just about competence; it is about a level of personal engagement and commitment to top-notch staffing that families say is rare to find.

Several stories highlight how this care team takes a holistic, proactive approach to a loved one's needs. For example, Caleb and his team have worked with families to secure the best care after a fall, ensuring the patient is not only physically supported but also kept well-informed throughout the process. The team has helped with arranging physical therapy and making sure the care plan evolves as the patient recovers. The recurring theme is that the FirstLight crew prioritizes the best possible outcomes, actively addressing concerns, and keeping families in the loop so everyone feels involved and reassured.

The qualities of the caregivers themselves frequently stand out. Multiple reviews praise caregivers who are friendly, uplifting, and professionally trained, with one family emphasizing that the caregivers' energy makes them feel like part of the family. Notably, Meyssen is singled out as kind and helpful, and Kendra as excellent to work with during the assessment phase. Families describe office staff as understanding and helpful, creating a smooth and supportive experience from the first contact through ongoing care. The consistency of this positive tone - caregivers who are respectful, attentive, and capable - helps explain why many families say they would not trust anyone else with their loved ones.

Communication and reliability are central to the strong recommendations. A common observation is that FirstLight keeps families informed about what is happening with the care team and the patient's status, which reduces stress during what are often challenging times. Some testimonials specifically mention how staff take family concerns seriously and work hard to resolve issues promptly. The overall impression is that the company not only provides care but also partners with families to tailor that care to individual circumstances, whether the patient is at home, recovering from a fall, or needing coordinated support with physical therapy.

Geographic reach and flexibility also come through in the reviews. One story describes FirstLight of Libertyville as a fast, responsive option that could step in on short notice when other agencies could not. The leadership also demonstrates an ability to adapt beyond a single location: after a family found themselves outside the company's territory, Caleb still offered help by pointing them to the right resources and ensuring their loved one received appropriate support. Another caregiver, Cal Johnson, is praised for coming on a Sunday to help develop a care plan, underscoring the agency's commitment to urgent needs and flexible scheduling. Together, these accounts illustrate a provider that prioritizes rapid response, clear communication, and practical problem-solving.

Not every review is identical in its context. One account describes a situation involving the VA directing care from a different company due to issues with attendance and reliability. In that case, the reviewer faced significant frustration with the outside provider and with scheduling challenges. Even so, the reviewer notes that FirstLight's team, including Meyssen, remained helpful and caring during the process, and the overall sentiment underscores the distinction between FirstLight's demonstrated responsiveness and the difficulties faced with another agency. While it highlights that not all experiences with every organization are seamless, it also reinforces the value families find in FirstLight's dependable, compassionate approach.

Taken together, these reviews paint a portrait of FirstLight Home Care as a company that truly commits to people - listening closely to families, matching caregivers thoughtfully, and maintaining steady, compassionate support through every step of a loved one's journey. The repeated emphasis on personal connection, proactive problem-solving, reliable communication, and access to highly capable, friendly staff suggests that families feel seen, heard, and cared for in a way that makes difficult times more manageable and hopeful. For many, Caleb and his team appear to be more than service providers - they are partners in care, dedicated to dignity, comfort, and the well-being of their clients.

Arlington Heights, Illinois, offers a convenient and vibrant community for senior living. With multiple pharmacies, hospitals, physicians, places of worship, parks, cafes, and theaters in close proximity, residents have easy access to essential services and recreational activities. The presence of popular dining options such as Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Olive Garden, and Portillo's Hot Dogs provides a variety of culinary experiences. Additionally, the abundance of Starbucks cafes caters to coffee enthusiasts. Transportation is easily accessible with the Metra station located just 7.7 miles away. Overall, Arlington Heights provides a diverse and lively environment for seniors looking to settle in a well-connected neighborhood with ample amenities nearby.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (3.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.9 miles)
• Walgreens (4 miles)

Hospitals

• NCH Northwest Community Hospital (1.5 miles)
• Glenbrook Hospital (7.3 miles)
• Ascension Alexian Brothers - Behavioral Health Hospital (7.7 miles)
• Alexian Brothers Women and Children's Hospital (7.9 miles)
• St Alexius Medical Center (8.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (1.6 miles)
• McDonald's (1.7 miles)
• Olive Garden (1.7 miles)
• Culver's (2.2 miles)
• Portillo's Hot Dogs (2.7 miles)
• Photo's Hotdogs (2.8 miles)
• Mariano's Fresh Market (2.8 miles)

Physicians

• Arlington Eye Physicians (1.6 miles)
• Premier Eye Care & Surgery (4.5 miles)
• Ferber, Stuart Nch Buffalo Grove Outpatient Care Center (4.8 miles)
• Stuart Bergman-Bock MD - Northshore University Health Systems (7.3 miles)
• Alexian Doctors Building 2 (7.9 miles)
• Physicians Cosmetic Institute (8.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Thomas Of Villanova (2.1 miles)
• St Hubert Church (5.9 miles)
• Willow Creek Community Church (7.2 miles)

Parks

• Lake Arlington (2.4 miles)
• Ned Brown Preserve (3.1 miles)
• Olympic Park (5.1 miles)
• Abrahamsen Park (6 miles)
• Fabbrini Park (6.3 miles)
• Sheffield Park (7.5 miles)
• Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve (8.1 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.6 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3.7 miles)
• Cafe Zupas (5.6 miles)
• Starbucks (8.2 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Streets of Woodfield 20 (4 miles)
• Regal Lincolnshire & Imax (7 miles)
• AMC South Barrington 24 (8 miles)

Transportation

• Metra (7.7 miles)