Bay Colony Visiting Nurse Assn

Pros

• The nurses were professional, caring, and responsive.
• Shannon Stone provides compassionate care, is patient and highly competent, and advocates for patients.
• South Shore VNA staff consistently go above and beyond to help.
• Families report wonderful experiences and high-quality, compassionate care from South Shore VNA.
• The visiting nurses are prompt, professional, and available after hours and on weekends.
• The care team brings care and compassion with a cheerful, professional attitude.
• South Shore VNA has been described as fantastic and reliable by patients and families.

Cons

• The agency dropped the ball entirely in arranging urgent hospice services, causing unnecessary suffering.
• They informed the doctor they lacked staffing to take on the case, leading to delays in care.
• They failed to notify the family promptly about staffing shortages, resulting in distress.
• Aides were described as abusive and the situation labeled as criminal behavior by the family and office staff.
• They were accused of being unprofessional, unresponsive, and taking weeks to provide answers.
• They failed to honor appointments and did not provide timely home visits.
• Families were advised to seek care from alternative agencies due to reliability concerns.

Review

South Shore VNA (SSVNA) elicits a wide range of experiences from the families and individuals who rely on its services for home nursing, therapy, and hospice support. Across many accounts, the prevailing tone is that the agency can deliver deeply compassionate, professional, and life-enhancing care when everything aligns - with several families repeatedly praising the same nurses and therapists over long periods, and others highlighting the meaningful advocacy and steadfast presence that home health teams can offer during serious health challenges.

A thread running through many positive reviews is the quality of personal interactions. Several reviewers emphasize that the nurses were not only competent but genuinely kind and responsive, and that the care team goes out of their way to help. One patient recalled being met with "very caring and knowledgeable" staff who consistently prioritized getting the patient what was needed. The sense of continuity stands out: the same physical therapy (PT) and nursing personnel returning for subsequent episodes provided a sense of stability and trust that many families value deeply. The familiarity of a regular clinician - someone who already knows the patient's history - appears to have made a meaningful difference for those facing ongoing recovery or chronic conditions at home.

Several reviews celebrate the work of Shannon Stone, an occupational therapist, paired with her physical therapist, as model examples of how home-based care can blend clinical excellence with heartfelt advocacy. One family described the care as "the highest quality of compassionate care," with Shannon stepping beyond routine duties to advocate for the patient to access the necessary services. The praise extends to the broader team Shannon leads, whose patient advocacy and hands-on support helped families navigate complex needs at home. In stories like these, the care team is portrayed as a backbone during difficult times, offering not only clinical skill but emotional resilience and practical problem-solving.

The positive testimonials also emphasize how home health care can support patients beyond physical recovery. A patient with multiple sclerosis spoke about receiving consistent, 110% effort from the team, including help with depression that often accompanies chronic illness. The reviewer credited the SS VNA staff with providing a reliable, compassionate presence during flare-ups and falls - an important dimension of home health care that goes beyond treatment to support mental and emotional well-being. For some families, the home-based care experience has been transformative, enabling people to remain at home with dignity and enhanced quality of life.

Beyond individual clinicians, some families highlight the broader impact of the care on whole households. For example, another account noted that the team's nursing and PT services were instrumental during a period of serious health concerns for a family member recovering from surgery and later dealing with ongoing needs. The sense of partnership - the patient, the family, and the clinical team working together - recurs in these stories as a hallmark of high-quality home health care. The appreciation expressed by loved ones underscores the difference that skilled, attentive professionals can make when confronted with complex medical decisions in a home setting.

However, the experiences at SS VNA are not uniformly positive. A stark counterpoint comes from a review written by a physician who describes a dire shortfall in hospice service timing and staffing. The reviewer recounts a scenario in which a father nearing the end of life did not receive timely hospice support, despite prompt referrals and persistent follow-up. The patient's doctor had to intervene and ultimately arrange alternative arrangements on the same day a crisis was unfolding, to avoid a preventable deterioration. The author characterizes the experience as a failure of staffing and communication that caused needless suffering, concluding with a strong rebuke and a request that others seek hospice services elsewhere if possible. This account highlights the vulnerability in crisis moments when delays and miscommunications can have profound consequences for patients and families.

Other reviews raise concerns about the reliability of operations and the conduct of staff. One highly critical account describes a situation in which a caregiver's family felt that their father's needs were not rapidly addressed, with delays attributed to form handling and staffing limitations. The reviewer's frustration centers on the perception that urgent needs were deprioritized, leading to unnecessary hardship for the patient and distress for the family. While this voice emphasizes systemic issues rather than a single clinician, it points to the broader importance of consistent scheduling, transparent communication, and adequate staffing in home health and hospice services.

Allegations of misconduct also appear in the reviews, though framed as personal experiences and perceptions rather than verified facts. One reviewer alleges that an elderly patient was left without a walker while aides stepped outside to smoke or take calls, and that office staff - specifically a person named Kayla - minimized or dismissed concerns about abusive behavior by aides. This account is presented as a strong admonition against trusting the agency with vulnerable family members, and it prompts readers to consider how staff conduct and immediate safety concerns are managed within home health operations. Given the seriousness of such claims, they underscore the need for robust oversight, whistleblower protections, and clear channels for reporting concerns.

Another set of comments centers on scheduling and responsiveness. Several reviewers describe frustration with appointments not being honored, slow or inconsistent responses to inquiries, and weeks sometimes passing without clear answers. In some cases, patients reported having to initiate repeated calls and escalate issues, even while describing competent and caring clinicians when visits did occur. There are also contrasting experiences where families noted that holidays or severe weather could temporarily strain the system, yet the local team member who did come was prompt, professional, and effective. In aggregate, these accounts illustrate a disconnect that can occur between clinical excellence on the ground and the administrative machinery that coordinates at-home care.

The spectrum of experiences reflects a service that is capable of delivering deeply meaningful, life-affirming care, especially when the same clinicians return over time and advocate for patients' needs. Yet it also reveals real gaps that can hamper timely access to critical services, undermine trust, or leave families feeling unsupported during some of their most vulnerable moments. The most persuasive narrative across reviews is a reminder that home health and hospice care are profoundly personal experiences. When a team meets a patient where they are - with continuity of care, proactive advocacy, and compassionate communication - the impact can be life-changing. When operations falter - whether through staffing shortages, scheduling delays, or troubling reports of misconduct - the reverberations can be painful and lasting.

Ultimately, South Shore VNA appears to be a workplace of strong professionals who frequently rise to the occasion, earning praise from many clients and families who depend on them for critical care at home. It also faces the harsh realities of healthcare logistics, where even well-intentioned teams can stumble in the face of high demand, complex paperwork, and the emotional intensity of caregiving at the end of life or during major medical transitions. For anyone considering SS VNA, the takeaway is to seek out the specific clinicians who have demonstrated excellence, ask about the team structure and after-hours availability, and maintain clear lines of communication for scheduling and urgent needs. If time-sensitive decisions are paramount, it may be prudent to explore multiple options in tandem and to lean on the agency's strengths - compassion, competence, and steadfast advocacy - while staying vigilant about follow-through and safety.

Located in Rockland, Massachusetts, this area offers a variety of convenient amenities for seniors considering senior living. With two hospitals within close proximity, including South Shore Hospital just 0.9 miles away, residents have easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, there are several physicians' offices nearby such as South Shore Orthopedics and Eye Health Services. For dining options, there are popular restaurants like McDonald's and Chick-Fil-A within a short drive. Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are also easily accessible for medication needs. Nature enthusiasts will appreciate the parks in the area such as Great Esker Park and Bare Cove Park for leisurely strolls. Transportation options include the West Hingham Commuter Rail Station for those who rely on public transit. Places of worship like First Baptist Church and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church cater to spiritual needs while theaters like AMC Braintree 10 offer entertainment options. Overall, this part of Rockland provides a well-rounded community with essential services and amenities for seniors looking to settle in a comfortable neighborhood.

Hospitals

• South Shore Hospital (0.9 miles)
• South Shore Hospital (2.5 miles)
• Signature Health Care (6.7 miles)

Physicians

• South Shore Orthopedics (1.2 miles)
• Eye Health Services (2.9 miles)
• Angels Neurological Ce (4.3 miles)
• Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates (5.7 miles)
• Outpatient Department Signature Healthcare - Brockton Hospital (6.7 miles)
• Cohasset Pediatrics (6.7 miles)
• Beth Israel Deaconess Healthcare Bridgewater (6.8 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (1.6 miles)
• K C's Pub & Grill (2.4 miles)
• Uncle Charlie's (2.5 miles)
• China Plaza Restaurant (3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (3.4 miles)
• McDonald's (3.5 miles)
• Burger King (4.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4 miles)

Parks

• Great Esker Park (3.1 miles)
• Bare Cove Park (5.2 miles)
• Braintree Highlands Community Playground (5.5 miles)
• Whitman Town Park (5.7 miles)
• Webb Memorial State Park (6.6 miles)
• World's End (6.8 miles)
• Memorial Field (8.5 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (3.2 miles)
• Marylou's News (4.2 miles)
• Slacktide Coffee Roaster (5.9 miles)
• Target T2693 Braintree (7.2 miles)
• Seabird Coffee & Co. (7.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (8 miles)

Transportation

• West Hingham Commuter RailStation (5.1 miles)
• MBTA Braintree Station (5.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Baptist Church (7.2 miles)
• Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (8.2 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Braintree 10 (7.5 miles)
• Showcase Cinema de Lux Randolph (7.9 miles)