BrightStar Care - Gurnee, IL in Gurnee, IL

Pros

• Al is amazing, helping with cleaning, meals, and mobility for his client.
• The BrightStar Care team is cheerful, punctual, and highly capable.
• Gabriella J. is caring and compassionate toward both parents.
• Artha and Victor deliver exceptional, personal care during hospice.
• Toni is extremely good at her job, anticipating needs with kindness.
• Marelyn is a wonderful aide, well trained and highly recommended.
• The BrightStar Care staff in Gurnee is professional, caring, and attentive.
• Families feel relieved and at peace thanks to BrightStar's capable caregivers.
• BrightStar's caregivers are responsive, courteous, and reliable.

Cons

• This company is a dumpster fire. Complete garbage.
• Working with Brightstar was full of ups and downs.
• The penalties clause is described as a heartless, bottom-line driven decision by BrightStar management.

Review

BrightStar Care in Gurnee is best suited for families seeking dependable, hands-on in-home caregiving that makes aging in place and post-hospital recovery genuinely doable. The program shines for clients who value warmth, attentiveness, and caregivers who treat the home as their own duty station. It works well when schedules need to flex - whether part-time, around the clock, or last-minute coverage - and when peace of mind matters more than anything else. Across reviews, the strongest asset is a cadre of caregivers who are patient, engaging, and capable of assisting with daily living tasks, mobility, meals, and meaningful companionship. For families intent on practical, humane home care, BrightStar Gurnee delivers that level of hands-on support with a clear emphasis on dignity and safety.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families highly sensitive about contract terms or those who insist on a guaranteed, singular caregiver for every shift. Several reviews flag the agency's agreement structure, notably a substantial private-hire fee that can complicate transitions to private care and raise long-term costs. For households prioritizing unwavering caregiver consistency, turnover and the need to re-brief new aides can be disruptive even when overall quality remains high. In such cases, smaller, locally focused providers or private-duty options that promise more predictable staffing and pricing may prove more straightforward and financially transparent.

The key pros shift the balance decisively in BrightStar's favor when matched with the right expectations. Caregivers are repeatedly described as compassionate, professional, and dependable, with the ability to handle showers, meals, housekeeping tasks, medication routines, and mobility support with real care. Punctuality and reliability are frequently cited, and the coordinating office earns praise for responsiveness and proactive communication. The capacity to scale services, including 24/7 coverage, and to coordinate with hospice or post-acute plans, is a practical advantage for families navigating complex care needs. When a loved one requires meaningful engagement - conversations, puzzles, outings, and cognitive stimulation - BrightStar's staff often rises to the occasion, turning care into true daily support rather than just tasks.

The main drawbacks center on cost clarity and staffing consistency. The contract language around hiring restrictions can feel rigid, undermining trust for families who prefer continuity without penalties. Caregiver changes, while common in any large agency, can interrupt routines and require repeated acclimation, which some reviewers found challenging. A small but pointed minority describe uneven experiences with certain aides or gaps in staffing coverage, underscoring the reality that results can hinge on the specific team assigned at any given time. These caveats matter most to families already balancing tight budgets or those who demand a single, stable caregiver lineup.

Yet the positives often counterbalance the negatives for households committed to home-based care. The practice of pairing families with capable, compassionate aides, paired with a responsive office and reliable scheduling, builds genuine peace of mind. The ability to deploy caregivers quickly, adjust services as needs evolve, and provide support during hospice or post-acute phases represents real-value for families who prioritize safety, comfort, and continuity at home. For those willing to engage in clear upfront planning - defining a preferred caregiver, requesting a dedicated care manager, and understanding the financial terms - BrightStar Gurnee becomes a remarkably effective partner in caregiving.

Bottom-line guidance: BrightStar Gurnee is a strong, practical choice for families seeking high-quality, person-centered in-home care with robust responsiveness and the capacity to scale to 24/7 support. It works best when a plan can tolerate some variability in which caregiver arrives each shift and when a careful review of the contract is conducted beforehand to avoid surprise fees. For households prioritizing unwavering caregiver consistency and a pricing model with minimal risk of penalties, it makes sense to compare alternatives or negotiate terms upfront. With due diligence - locking in a preferred caregiver, establishing a clear care plan, and confirming a dedicated coordinator - BrightStar Gurnee can deliver indispensable comfort, safety, and dignity for a loved one remaining at home.

Restaurants

• Olive Garden (0.4 miles)
• McDonald's (0.4 miles)
• Culver's (0.5 miles)
• White Castle (0.7 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (0.8 miles)
• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Superman: Ultimate Flight (0.9 miles)

Physicians

• Northwestern Medicine Family Medicine Gurnee (0.5 miles)
• Family Focused Health Care (0.8 miles)
• Towne Vision Center (1.6 miles)
• NorthShore Medical Office Building (2.5 miles)
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (2.7 miles)
• North Suburban Dermatology Associates (2.8 miles)
• Hanger Clinic: Prosthetics & Orthotics (2.9 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (0.9 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5 miles)
• Somethings Brewing (5.3 miles)
• Hansa Coffee Roasters (5.9 miles)
• Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters (6.2 miles)

Theaters

• Gurnee Mills Cinema Gurnee, Il (1.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.8 miles)

Parks

• Waukegan Park District (3.9 miles)
• Millenium Park of Lindenhurst (4 miles)
• Sun Lake Forest Preserve (5.9 miles)
• Butler Lake Park (6.1 miles)
• Lakefront Park (6.9 miles)
• Illinois Beach State Park (8 miles)
• Century Park (9.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Northwestern Grayslake Hospital (4.2 miles)
• Vista Medical Center - East (5.9 miles)
• Waukegan Il Hospital Co. (5.9 miles)
• Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (6.8 miles)
• Advocate Condell Medical Center Heart Scan (7.1 miles)
• Cancer Treatment Centers of America - Gastroenterology (7.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Gilbert Parish (5.5 miles)
• United Methodist Church of Libertyville (6.2 miles)
• Santa Maria Del Popolo Church (8.3 miles)

Transportation

• Metra (5.9 miles)