BrightStar Care of Mid Missouri

Pros

• The majority of BrightStar's on-site caregivers range from fairly good to very good and client-centered.
• Merium, the caretaker, is an awesome helping hand who does a great job keeping the house clean and ensuring Mom eats her meals and takes medication.
• The aides from Bright Star have always been on time and reliable, providing helpful assistance with tasks for the loved one.

Cons

• The Columbia office administration and support of BrightStar is completely unsatisfactory.
• The office staff is terrible about caregiver management, assignments, and follow-up.
• The office does not return calls from messages left on their answering machine.
• The office stopped sending caregivers that the client liked and assigned new people instead.
• There have been instances of double-booked caregivers and several occasions where no caregiver showed up.
• There has been assignment confusion with caregivers not knowing anything about the client's needs or condition.
• Several caregivers regularly sleep during their shifts.
• Caregivers have left items in unfamiliar places where the client cannot find them, despite being informed of her severe vision difficulties.
• Some caregivers do nothing but sit or sleep during their shift.
• One caregiver left bodily waste on the bathroom stool seat and commode without informing her successor about it being stopped up.
• One caregiver was so soundly asleep that she couldn't hear the client's call bell for assistance.
• The sleeping caregiver denied that she had been asleep when confronted about it.

Review

BrightStar provides 24-hour care for Mom, with their caregivers present during overnights, weekends, and some mornings. They offer a total of 127 hours of care per week. While most of the on-site caregivers from BrightStar are fairly good to very good and client-centered, there are a few exceptions who are poorly qualified. Moreover, the administration and support from the Columbia office have been completely unsatisfactory.

The problems with BrightStar's management become apparent when it comes to caregiver assignments. Despite Mom expressing her preference for certain caregivers she enjoyed working with, the office stopped sending them and assigned new people instead. This lack of consistency can be disconcerting for both the patient and their family. Furthermore, there have been cases of double bookings where two caregivers were scheduled at the same time. Even more alarmingly, there were several instances where no caregiver showed up at all.

Within three months of receiving care from BrightStar, Mom had encountered a staggering number of 27 different caregivers. What's more concerning is that none of these caregivers were introduced to her by the staff. Many were also unaware of vital information such as Mom's condition, needs, or even the layout of her house. Some caregivers would leave early or not provide proper hand-offs to explain what happened during previous shifts. Disturbingly, it was discovered that some caregivers regularly slept during their shifts rather than attending to Mom's needs.

Despite multiple notifications about Mom's severe vision difficulties, some caregivers persisted in leaving things in unfamiliar places where she couldn't find them. These oversights caused unnecessary inconvenience for Mom and revealed a lack of attention to detail from certain caregivers. While some did their duties diligently by maintaining the house, tidying up, running appliances like washers and dishwashers when needed, others merely sat around or even slept on the job.

There have been some particularly unsettling incidents with BrightStar’s caregivers as well. For instance, one caregiver left bodily waste on the bathroom stool seat without informing her successor that it was stopped up. Another caregiver was found soundly asleep and unresponsive while Mom rang the call bell for assistance. It took repeated attempts to wake her up, and she even denied being asleep.

Amidst these negative experiences, there is a glimmer of positivity from one caregiver named Merium. She has proven to be an excellent helping hand for Mom, ensuring the house remains clean, meals are eaten, medication is taken, and enough water is consumed. They also enjoy looking at pictures together, with Merium assisting in fixing and adding to Mom's photo albums.

The overall experience with BrightStar has been mixed. While some have found their services satisfactory and commended the caregivers' punctuality and reliability in assisting their loved ones with various tasks, others have faced numerous issues with management and consistency. These varied reviews make it clear that caution should be exercised when considering BrightStar as a care provider.

This area of Columbia, Missouri, offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to senior living needs. With a range of restaurants nearby, including 1839 Taphouse and Murry's, seniors can enjoy dining out without having to travel far. Additionally, there are several reputable physicians and pharmacies in close proximity for convenient healthcare access. For leisure activities, there are parks like Bethel Park and Capen Park for outdoor enjoyment, as well as the Twin Lakes Dog Park for pet owners. The presence of hospitals such as Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital and University Of Mo Health System ensures that quality healthcare is readily available. With theaters like Columbia STM 14 & RPX nearby, seniors can also enjoy entertainment options. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded environment for senior living with easy access to essential services and recreational opportunities.

Restaurants

• 1839 Taphouse (0.1 miles)
• Murry's (0.1 miles)
• Waffle House (0.3 miles)
• Fuzzy's Taco Shop (0.3 miles)
• Wendy's (0.4 miles)
• McDonald's (0.5 miles)
• Osaka Japanese Restaurant (0.5 miles)

Physicians

• University Physicians (0.1 miles)
• Coyle & Johnson Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (0.2 miles)
• Providence Urgent Care (0.4 miles)
• Missouri Vein Care (0.7 miles)
• Centerpointe (0.8 miles)
• Mark Lewis Vandewalker (0.8 miles)
• Allergy & Asthma Consultants (0.8 miles)

Pharmacies

• Gerbes Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Walgreens (1 miles)
• University Pharmacies (1.7 miles)
• Kilgore's Medical Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Schnucks (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.5 miles)
• Papa's Cat Cafe (2.4 miles)
• Lakota Coffee Company (2.5 miles)
• Starbucks (2.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Forum Boulevard Christian Church (0.9 miles)

Parks

• Bethel Park (1 miles)
• Capen Park (1.5 miles)
• Rock Bridge Memorial State Park (2.3 miles)
• Twin Lakes Dog Park (2.4 miles)
• Twin Lakes Recreation Area (2.5 miles)
• Douglas Pool (2.8 miles)
• Mill Creek Park (3.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital (1.5 miles)
• University of Missouri Orthopedic Center (1.5 miles)
• University Of Mo Health System (1.6 miles)
• St Helena Hospitals (1.6 miles)
• University Hospital Medical RCRDS Columbia (1.6 miles)
• Student Health Center (1.7 miles)
• University Physicians Neurology Clinic (2.3 miles)

Theaters

• Columbia STM 14 & RPX (2.4 miles)

Transportation

• Avis Rent A Car (2.6 miles)