Caring Senior Service of Westwood

Pros

• Cara Care's caregivers are kind, dependable and experienced.
• Lydia Madden performs weekly visits and reviews the client care logs.
• Lydia and her staff maintain regular communication with families regarding status and needs.
• Others report similar positive experiences with Cara Care.
• Lydia and her fantastic staff have been helping clients for years.
• Cara Care provides seamless coverage and easy coordination.
• The aides treat loved ones like family and provide compassionate, long-term care.
• They take clients to outings and doctor appointments, and provide meals and light housekeeping.

Cons

• The reviewer described the overall experience as terrible.
• The mother's fall and hip fracture occurred under their watch, requiring surgery, and her condition deteriorated seriously afterward.
• One of the workers stole the mother's credit card information, ran up charges, stole jewelry, and even a jacket belonging to the reviewer's son.
• The reviewer would not recommend the service to anyone.

Review

This community is best suited for families that need reliable, hands-on in-home support to keep a loved one safe and engaged without moving into an assisted-living setting. It serves clients whose families are geographically distant and rely on trusted caregivers to handle daily tasks, coordinate medical appointments, and provide companionship. The model centers on in-home caregiving with a focus on continuity: caregivers travel to the home, assist with meals and light housekeeping, provide transportation to social activities and appointments, and tend to personal care as needed. Strong owner involvement helps ensure a steady cadence of communication and accountability for care quality.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families seeking formalized memory-care or 24/7 structured supervision in a residential setting, or households prioritizing very tight control over caregiver stability and risk management. If safety risk feels heightened - for example, when a loved one has recent falls, complex medical needs, or a history of financial exploitation - an option with more centralized oversight or a facility with dedicated memory-care programming may be preferable. Prospective clients should compare multiple providers and consider a transition to a facility if in-home care cannot meet escalating needs or safety standards.

On the positives, this agency earns credibility with consistently compassionate, dependable aides who bring real experience to caregiving tasks. Reviewers praise outings, appointment coordination, and even personal grooming services such as hair styling, which help a loved one feel valued and engaged. The owner's weekly visits and active review of daily care logs create a ring of accountability that many families find reassuring. Coordinated coverage, responsive communication, and the sense that someone is overseeing the case from above translate into tangible relief for families managing care from afar.

However, the picture is not uniformly pristine. One serious report describes a decline in a relative's condition after a fall that occurred under care, followed by questions about overall supervision. Another note recounts theft - credit-card charges, jewelry, and other personal belongings removed by a worker - leading to a strong recommendation against the service from that family. While those instances appear to be isolated, they highlight real risk whenever caregiving is delivered in-home by multiple aides. They underscore the need for rigorous background checks, careful caregiver matching, and robust oversight.

Still, the core advantages - consistent, attentive caregiving paired with proactive oversight - often offset drawbacks for many families. Where other services might leave families guessing, this agency's model tends to deliver regular communication, adaptable scheduling, and hands-on involvement from the business owner. The ability to coordinate transport to social activities and clinician visits can materially lessen caregiver burnout for family members and keep patients connected to community. The challenge remains delivering uniform quality across all aides, but the owner's hands-on approach is a meaningful mitigant when concerns arise.

Decision-makers should approach with a structured checklist. Request a written care plan and a dedicated caregiver assignment, confirm 24/7 coverage options, and insist on up-to-date background checks and reference contacts. Seek some form of minimum oversight - the owner's weekly check-ins or a similar governance mechanism - and insist on transparent daily care logs. If possible, arrange a short trial period and pre-arrange escalation steps for safety concerns. For those who value highly personalized, in-home care with active leadership and strong family communication, Caring Senior Service of Westwood is a compelling fit; for others with tighter safety requirements or a preference for a controlled, facility-based environment, alternatives should be weighed carefully before committing.

This part of Westwood, Massachusetts offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to the needs of seniors. With a selection of restaurants such as Yard House and Eggs & Thai Cafe nearby, residents can enjoy a range of dining options without having to travel far. Additionally, there are several hospitals and pharmacies in the vicinity, providing easy access to healthcare services. Transportation options include the Route 128 station and Readville, making it convenient for seniors to travel around the area. Places of worship like Saint Catherine of Siena Parish offer spiritual support, while parks like Cutler Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. Overall, this part of Westwood provides a well-rounded environment for senior living with access to essential services and amenities in close proximity.

Restaurants

• Yard House (0.6 miles)
• Eggs & Thai Cafe (1.8 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.6 miles)
• McDonald's (3.6 miles)
• Castle Island Brewing (3.8 miles)
• Corrib Pub & Restaurant (4.2 miles)
• Wendy's (4.2 miles)

Hospitals

• New England Baptist Outpatient Care Center (0.6 miles)
• West Roxbury VA Hospital (3.6 miles)
• Lemuel Shattuck Hospital (6.7 miles)
• Newton-Wellesley Hospital (8.1 miles)
• New England Baptist Hospital (8.3 miles)
• Brigham and Women's Hospital (8.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• Wegmans (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (3 miles)
• Walgreens (4.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)

Transportation

• Route 128 station (2 miles)
• Readville (2.7 miles)
• Canton Junction Station (4.4 miles)
• MBTA Reservoir Station (7.9 miles)
• MBTA North Quincy Station (8.6 miles)
• MBTA Riverside Station (8.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Saint Catherine of Siena Parish (2.1 miles)
• First Baptist Church (7.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.4 miles)
• Dunkin' Brands (2.9 miles)
• Starbucks (3.2 miles)
• Brookside Cafe (3.7 miles)
• French Press Bakery & Cafe (4.9 miles)
• Panera Bread (5 miles)
• Starbucks (6.1 miles)

Physicians

• Guild Medical Center (2.6 miles)
• Dedham Medical (3.2 miles)
• Dedham Medical Associates (3.6 miles)
• Pediatric Associates of Wellesley (5.9 miles)
• Carney Hospital (7.1 miles)
• Mass. Eye and Ear (8.5 miles)

Parks

• Cutler Park (4.3 miles)
• Houghton's Pond (4.7 miles)
• Francis William Bird Park (4.9 miles)
• Pagel Playground (5.6 miles)
• Almont Park (5.6 miles)
• Newton Highlands Playground (6.6 miles)
• Larz Anderson Park (6.6 miles)

Theaters

• Showcase SuperLux (6.8 miles)
• Showcase Cinema de Lux Randolph (7.5 miles)
• AMC Braintree 10 (7.7 miles)