Golden Heart Senior Care - Des Moines in Urbandale, IA

Pros

• Golden Heart is an amazing company.
• The people at Golden Heart display passion, care, kindness, and respect for everyone.
• Golden Heart is a trusted, reputable, and respectable company to work with in health care.
• The staff are prompt, compassionate, understanding, and professional.
• Golden Heart delivers personalized care plans and genuinely cares for families.
• They go above and beyond to make a positive difference in the lives they serve.
• Golden Heart is skilled at matching clients with compatible caregivers and is responsive to feedback.
• The team is dedicated, dependable, and easy to communicate with.
• The caregivers are reliable, caring, and willing to go the extra mile.
• Golden Heart provides in-home care that fits clients' needs with excellent, tailored service.

Cons

• They claim providers' needs come first, leaving clients alone for hours and compromising safety, with services not worth the cost.
• They describe Golden Heart as dishonest, with management treating employees badly and showing little care for clients.
• They note that some caregivers are chronically late and that the management is ineffective, with owners hardly involved.
• They report frequent service interruptions, lack of professionalism and training among staff, and unreliable transportation.

Review

Golden Heart Senior Care in Urbandale is best suited for families seeking deeply personalized, in-home support for seniors or adults with special needs who value one-to-one attention, rapid communication, and a partner that treats clients with genuine respect. The agency has demonstrated capacity to handle complex care scenarios, including 24/7 one-on-one coverage for a severely autistic client, and it routinely earns praise for its compassionate, professional approach. For families who want to keep loved ones at home rather than move to a facility, Golden Heart presents a compelling option when the priority is a caring staff that builds strong, ongoing relationships with clients and families.

Those considering alternatives should weigh the reality that reliability can vary and that management dynamics are not uniformly flawless. For households that require a strict, highly standardized schedule with rock-solid predictability, or for clients needing intensive licensed nursing oversight around the clock, a more traditional, highly regulated setting may be preferable. Some families also prefer a more centralized, facility-based model with clearly defined leadership and fewer personal handoffs day-to-day. If a desire exists for fewer caregiver turnover concerns or a more hands-on ownership presence, exploring other providers or a facility environment may be prudent.

The strongest pros hinge on people and personalization. Reviews consistently highlight staff who show genuine care, prompt responsiveness, and strong professionalism. The ability to match clients with compatible caregivers stands out as a meaningful differentiator, producing smoother daily routines and better morale for both the client and family. The agency's capacity to mobilize flexible, attentive help - sometimes stepping in for unscheduled needs or arranging 24/7 coverage when required - creates notable peace of mind for families navigating complex care requirements. In several cases, families express sincere gratitude for how the team goes above what's expected, reinforcing the sense of trust and rapport that home-based care seeks to cultivate.

On the flip side, several reviews flag inconsistent experiences around reliability and oversight. Instances of delays, late arrivals, or gaps in communication point to a staffing and management dynamic that can disrupt routines and undermine confidence if not actively managed. There are cautions about uneven training, variable professionalism among some aides, and periodic gaps when staff turnover is high. A few strongly worded accounts mention dissatisfaction with how leadership engages with operations and client needs, underscoring that results can hinge on the particular caregiver pair and on proactive, clear expectations set at the outset. These contrasts matter: when care is most needed, the difference between a solid match and a mismatched shift can be substantial.

Given the mix, the pros often offset the cons for families who value personalized, compassionate care and are also prepared to actively shape the service scope. The key is a clearly articulated care plan, a defined primary caregiver with dependable backups, and a framework for ongoing feedback and rapid adjustments. Beneficially, Golden Heart's demonstrated willingness to tailor services - whether managing light housekeeping, transportation, or specialized support for autistic adults - helps clients maintain independence in familiar surroundings. However, that upside rests on steady communication, realistic scheduling expectations, and a commitment to securing consistent staffing over time. The agency rewards diligence with strong outcomes, but consistency is not automatic.

For decision-makers ready to move forward, the recommendation is to treat Golden Heart as a highly capable, value-driven partner rather than a guaranteed routine. Begin with a thorough intake that yields a concrete, written care plan, including backup caregiver coverage and explicit response timelines. Demand a reliable primary caregiver assignment and early visibility into scheduling patterns, with regular progress updates and a clear escalation path for issues. Ask for examples of how overnight or unscheduled needs were handled, and request measurable goals tied to daily activities and safety. With disciplined expectations and active partnership, Golden Heart delivers a compassionate, adaptable home-care solution that can respect independence while reassuring families that real, personal care is available when needed.

Located in Urbandale, Iowa, this area offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities suitable for senior living. With a variety of restaurants such as Jimmy John's, Skip's, and Old West Mexican within close proximity, residents can enjoy a wide selection of dining options. Nearby parks like Water Works Park and Gray's Lake Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Additionally, there are several cafes including Starbucks and Panera Bread for those looking to socialize or unwind with a hot beverage. For medical needs, there are several pharmacies and physicians offices in the vicinity, ensuring easy access to healthcare services. Transportation is also readily available with the Des Moines International Airport nearby. Overall, this part of Urbandale offers a vibrant community with convenient amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area.

Restaurants

• Jimmy John's (1.3 miles)
• Skip's (1.4 miles)
• Francies (1.4 miles)
• Old West Mexican (1.4 miles)
• Subway (1.4 miles)
• McDonald's (1.4 miles)
• Burger King (1.5 miles)

Parks

• Water Works Park (1.4 miles)
• Gray's Lake Park (1.7 miles)
• Sayers Park (2 miles)
• Stone Park (3.4 miles)
• Kawanis Park (3.9 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.5 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (2.5 miles)
• St Kilda Collective (2.5 miles)
• Starbucks (3.1 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Dahl's Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• MercyOne Des Moines Behavioral Health (3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (3.5 miles)

Transportation

• Concourse C (1.6 miles)
• TSA Checkpoint (1.7 miles)
• Des Moines International Airport (DSM) (1.7 miles)

Physicians

• WDF Plastic Surgery (2.5 miles)
• Oral Surgeons PC (2.7 miles)
• Unity Point Family Physicians (2.7 miles)
• Ingersoll Family Physicians (2.8 miles)
• Unity point clinic urgent care and family care (2.8 miles)
• Prenatal Vision Ultrasound (3 miles)
• Mercy Clinics (3 miles)

Hospitals

• Spay Clinics (3.1 miles)
• Blank Children's Hospital NICU (3.3 miles)
• Methodist Outpatient Surgery (3.3 miles)
• Methodist Hospital North 6 (3.3 miles)
• UnityPoint Health - Iowa Methodist Medical Center - Emergency Department (3.3 miles)
• North 3 - IMMC (3.3 miles)
• Mercy River Hills Surgery Center (4 miles)