Home Instead - Lakewood, NJ

Pros

• Barbara Ann and her team were supportive, flexible, and thoughtful in matching caregivers to the parents' needs.
• The caregivers were skilled and truly caring, treating the mother with dignity and respect.
• The staff were always responsive, addressing concerns promptly and ensuring the mother was comfortable and well cared for.
• Home Instead is highly recommended for reliable, compassionate home care.
• Home Instead takes great care of seniors who are starting to struggle with day-to-day tasks, reducing stress for families.
• Barbara Ann bent over backwards to accommodate needs, finding caregivers for relatives dealing with health issues.
• The company can arrange last-minute caregiver coverage to ensure important family events remain possible.
• Families note that caregivers feel like friends visiting and are loved by the recipient.

Cons

• The reviewer stated the agency couldn't staff caregivers consistently for their 94-year-old mother, and when a caregiver called out, they would not replace them, leaving the family to care for her.
• They claimed the agency said they could cover overnight shifts but couldn't, citing severe understaffing, and they would not recommend them.
• A caller described a Home Instead representative named Rosemary as extremely aggressive and rude, misunderstanding the request, and the reviewer said they would never call back.
• Another reviewer argued that home health care isn't well supervised, that the last company sent a different caregiver each time, that a caregiver stole from them, and that the company supposedly didn't conduct background checks; they advised staying away from Rosemary.

Review

Across the collection of experiences shared about Home Instead in Lakewood, NJ, a clear thread runs through the narratives: compassionate, attentive care can bring real relief to families facing the challenges of aging loved ones. Several reviews celebrate Barbara Ann and her team for their thoughtful approach, flexibility, and genuine kindness. In particular, Barbara Ann's leadership stands out as a unifying element, with families repeatedly noting how well caregivers are matched to individual needs and how responsive the staff are when plans change.

One especially memorable story highlights the power of quick, compassionate action. A family needed last-minute coverage when their original caregiver had a death in the family the night before a granddaughter's graduation party. Barbara Ann was able to locate a replacement caregiver on short notice, ensuring that the grandparents could attend the event as planned. The incident left the family with a sense of gratitude and a reminder of how a well-coordinated home care team can step in when timing is tight and emotions are high. The takeaway is not just about coverage but about preserving important family moments with dignity and support.

Beyond special occasions, the reviews consistently describe ongoing, dependable care for aging relatives. Families speak to kindness, compassion, and professionalism as caregivers arrive at the home ready to support daily routines and health needs. The caregivers are portrayed as skilled, but more importantly as people who treat loved ones with dignity and respect. In these accounts, the staff's responsiveness - addressing concerns promptly and ensuring comfort and safety - provides families with essential peace of mind during what can be stressful and uncertain times.

The impact on day-to-day life is also a major theme. For grandparents and older parents who struggle with daily tasks, medication routines, and safety checks (such as stove use or door locks), Home Instead appears to offer practical, steady assistance. Families note that consistent in-home support reduces stress for everyone involved and allows loved ones to maintain a sense of normalcy at home. In some stories, this reliability translates into a stronger sense of security and emotional well-being for both the seniors and their relatives.

There are, however, a few critical voices that describe challenges with staffing and communication. One reviewer who posted a one-star rating described difficulty with last-minute scheduling and the burden it placed on their family, noting that last-minute arrangements can be particularly tough to fulfill. The company's response in the thread emphasized routine scheduling and the NJ accreditation process, including the role of RN oversight when introducing new caregivers. This exchange points to a broader reality in the home care sector: even with strong leadership and a caring team, securing reliable coverage on tight timelines can be demanding, especially in a regulatory environment that requires certain steps and qualifications.

Other reviewers echo concerns about staffing consistency and overnight coverage. A different account expresses dissatisfaction with the ability to staff continuously for a 94-year-old parent, noting understaffing and difficulty replacing caregivers who call out. In these voices, the frustration centers on gaps between suggested capabilities and actual availability, particularly for overnight hours, which can heighten the sense of vulnerability for families relying on in-home care.

Not all feedback is strictly about care; some comments touch on the business dealings and interpersonal interactions that accompany the service. One reviewer recounts an aggressive sales phone call from a staff member named Rosemary, leaving a negative impression that influenced their willingness to engage further. Another reviewer juxtaposes their own experience with concerns about the broader home health landscape - mentioning government oversight, background checks, and the mixed experiences they've heard about from other agencies - before returning to a cautious but hopeful stance about Home Instead's local team. In this context, customers are not just evaluating caregiving practices but also the way the organization communicates, respects boundaries, and supports families in their decision-making.

Taken together, the collection of reviews paints a nuanced portrait of Home Instead in Lakewood, NJ. For many families, the service represents a lifeline of compassionate, flexible, and dignified elder care that can adapt to urgent needs and preserve important family moments. For others, the realities of staffing, scheduling, and consistent overnight coverage present ongoing challenges, prompting questions about how best to align expectations with the constraints of the local care landscape. Throughout, the presence of dedicated leadership - most notably Barbara Ann and her team - emerges as a key factor in how well families experience care, respond to problems, and feel supported as they navigate the complexities of aging loved ones.

This part of Lakewood, New Jersey offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities suitable for senior living. With a variety of restaurants such as Chick-Fil-A, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Ikko Japanese Steak House nearby, there are plenty of dining options to choose from. Close proximity to medical facilities like Seaview Orthopaedic & Medical Associates and Ocean Medical Center ensures access to quality healthcare services. Additionally, there are several pharmacies in the area for medication needs. For leisure activities, residents can visit Windward Beach Park or AMC Brick Plaza 1 for entertainment. Overall, this neighborhood provides a comfortable and well-equipped environment for seniors looking to settle down in Lakewood.

Restaurants

• Chick-Fil-A (1.2 miles)
• McDonald's (1.5 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (1.6 miles)
• Ikko Japanese Steak House (1.7 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.9 miles)
• Azzurro Pizzeria & Italian Grill (3.6 miles)
• Tacoholics (4 miles)

Physicians

• Seaview Orthopaedic & Medical Associates (1.7 miles)
• Garden State Pain & Radiology Center (1.7 miles)
• Brick Rheumatology (1.7 miles)
• Allergy and Immunology (1.7 miles)
• Pineland Associates: Theresa Benecki, MD (1.7 miles)
• Jersey Coast Vascular Institute (1.8 miles)
• Thomas R Lake III MD FACS (1.8 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Brick Plaza 1 (1.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Ocean Medical Center (1.8 miles)
• Children’s Specialized Hospital Outpatient and Long Term Care Center – Toms River Stevens Road (5.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Parkway Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (3.6 miles)

Parks

• Windward Beach Park (3.1 miles)
• Angela Hibbard Dog Park (4.4 miles)
• Orchard Park (6.6 miles)

Transportation

• Bay Head Station (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (6.5 miles)
• Green Planet Coffee Co. (7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Presbyterian Church of Toms River (7.1 miles)