Unicity HealthCare in Ridgewood, NJ

Pros

• Rachael and the Elder Care Home Care team provide peace of mind for families during end-of-life care.
• Gelda is patient, compassionate, and highly effective in delivering care.
• Elder Care Home Care ensures timely nurse visits for medication management.
• Rachael McKinney and the Elder Care team organize excellent networking opportunities for senior care professionals.
• The Elder Care Home Care team is reliable, professional, and deeply committed to supporting seniors and their families.
• Rachael offers thoughtful guidance and helps tailor care plans to each family's needs.
• She is responsive and goes above and beyond to handle every detail with care.
• The Elder Care Home Care team demonstrates integrity, expertise, and heartfelt care toward clients.
• Unicity Home Care is consistently reliable, caring, and effective in delivering high-quality care.
• Unicity's scheduling and nursing teams are kind, attentive, and professional, ensuring smooth transitions.
• Unicity provides care that enables seniors to live comfortably at home with dignity.
• Unicity's support has lightened families' burdens and improved the quality of life for loved ones.

Cons

• The reviewer described the company as the worst and reported multiple cancellations of promised care.
• They said some staff were nasty and that the company cared only about money, not the patients.
• They alleged the company defied doctors' orders and allowed a family member to control finances, resulting in a $4,000 loss.
• They claimed there are extra fees and deposits that other providers do not charge, and that the office staff are poor at communication.
• They criticized that live-in arrangements sometimes required an hourly aide and that not all aides are reliable.
• They stated the agency abandoned them by blaming a poor match for the client's attitude.
• They described a caregiver as incompetent, citing issues like not checking the water before placing mom in it and failing to dry and clothe her.

Review

Unicity HealthCare in Ridgewood, NJ is best suited for families that want a high-touch, coordinated in-home care solution with strong clinical oversight, especially when a loved one has complex medical needs, requires help navigating transitions from hospital to home, or benefits from dementia- and Alzheimer's-care experience. The program's appeal lies in its integration of private duty aides, live-in options, and a geriatrics-focused care-management framework, supported by a nursing team that keeps the care plan tethered to medical needs. For families facing hospital discharge, medication management challenges, or the need for rapid mobilization of aides, Unicity presents a pathway that reduces the typical chaos of coordinating multiple vendors and schedules.

Those who should seriously consider alternatives are families with a premium on predictability and uniform staffing. If the concern is having the same caregiver consistently every day, or if the budget hinges on transparent, upfront pricing with minimal fluctuations, Unicity's mix of aides and live-in arrangements can produce inconsistent match quality and deposit-heavy costs. Several accounts mention variability in aide reliability or fit, and a few reviews raise alarms about billing communications and the impact of frequent staff changes on continuity of care. For families who must strictly guard against financial mismanagement or who require unwavering consistency in staffing, exploring other options may be prudent.

The strongest positives - swift onboarding, hands-on nursing involvement, and a clear emphasis on individualized planning - often offset the most serious drawbacks. Families repeatedly praise the proactive scheduling team (notably Sue and Edith) for coordinating care through shifting needs, along with Fran and the nursing cadre who stay connected to evolving medical requirements. The ability to tailor a plan to the budget and priorities is repeatedly highlighted, with a genuine emphasis on patient dignity, daily communication, and timely problem-solving. When these elements align, Unicity delivers a level of coordinated oversight that is hard to replicate with episodic home-care agencies.

Yet the conundrum remains that the service can hinge on the person delivering care. While many aides are described as compassionate, attentive, and capable, there are credible reports of poor fits, abrupt changes, and the accompanying stress for families who must reintroduce new caregivers on short notice. The financial side also warrants careful scrutiny: deposits, additional hourly costs, and separate billing questions can complicate the overall cost picture. In some reviews, the organizational backbone and backup coverage are praised, but in others the perception of overbilling or inconsistent administration creates hesitation about long-term commitments. The bottom line is that reliability and pricing transparency are non-negotiables in this equation.

To make a sound decision, families engaging Unicity should insist on a documented care plan with a dedicated case manager, ideally a nurse, who remains the single point of accountability. Request a formal staffing agreement that names required aides, a back-up plan for caregiver absences, and explicit pricing with all deposits spelled out. Seek a trial period to evaluate caregiver compatibility and communication cadence, and insist on weekly updates during the transition phase. Ask for a specific escalation path for emergencies or caregiver turnover, and verify the office's responsiveness with recent client references. In short, clarity upfront and a defined governance model are what separate the best outcomes from the disappointment that a few families describe.

Ultimately, Unicity HealthCare offers a potent blend of clinical coordination and home-based support that can enable families to keep loved ones at home with dignity and professional oversight. For seniors whose needs include careful medical management, Alzheimer's-dementia competence, and a willingness to work through occasional staffing bumps with a responsive team, this agency represents a strong, capable option. The caution is real: the model's success hinges on tight alignment among budget, staffing, and communication norms. When those elements align, Unicity stands out as a compelling, trustworthy partner for navigating the complexities of in-home elder care. When they do not, the gaps can become costly and stressful enough to warrant a reconsideration of alternatives, including other home-care providers or, for round-the-clock certainty, a facility-based option with predictable staffing and costs.

Located in Ridgewood, New Jersey, this part of town offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to seniors looking for convenience and accessibility. With a range of restaurants nearby such as Van Dyke Ice Cream and Park Wood Deli, seniors can enjoy delicious meals without having to travel far. The neighborhood also boasts several hospitals including The Valley Hospital and pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens for easy access to healthcare services. For leisure activities, parks like Saddle River County Park provide a tranquil setting for outdoor walks or picnics. Additionally, transportation options such as the NJT stations at Waldwick and Hawthorne make it easy for seniors to get around the area. Overall, this part of Ridgewood offers a comfortable and well-rounded community for senior living.

Restaurants

• Van Dyke Ice Cream (0.6 miles)
• Park Wood Deli (0.9 miles)
• McDonald's (2 miles)
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (2.1 miles)
• Blue Moon Mexican Cafe (3.3 miles)
• Allendale Bar & Grill (3.3 miles)
• Savini Restaurant (3.9 miles)

Hospitals

• The Valley Hospital (0.9 miles)
• Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center (5.4 miles)
• St Joseph's Regional Medical Center (6.1 miles)
• Holy Name Medical Center (8.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Franklyn's Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.1 miles)
• Willow & Whisk (3.2 miles)
• Starbucks (5.2 miles)
• Starbucks (5.6 miles)
• Starbucks (6 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.2 miles)
• Starbucks (7 miles)

Places of Worship

• All Saints Episcopal Church (1.3 miles)
• Community Church Of Glen Rock (1.4 miles)
• Hawthorne Gospel Church (2.1 miles)
• St Pauls Parish (5.1 miles)
• Immaculate Heart Of Mary School (7.3 miles)
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (7.5 miles)
• Clifton Blue Mosque (7.6 miles)

Parks

• Saddle River County Park (1.6 miles)
• Saddle River County Park - Dunkerhook Area (2.5 miles)
• Van Saun County Park (5.1 miles)
• Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (5.7 miles)

Transportation

• NJT - Waldwick Station (2.1 miles)
• NJT - Hawthorne Station (3.3 miles)
• IHA Arbor Road Bus Stop (4.8 miles)

Physicians

• Christian Health Care Center () (2.8 miles)
• Dr Mondana S. Yazdi, MD (3.4 miles)
• Paterson Community Health Center (4.9 miles)
• Women's Total Health of Woodcliff Lake (5 miles)
• Tenafly Pediatrics (5.2 miles)
• Costello Oral Surgery Associates (5.2 miles)
• Kayal Orthopedic - Westwood (5.4 miles)

Theaters

• Dreamscape at AMC Garden State Plaza (5.1 miles)
• AMC DINE-IN Shops At Riverside 9 (7.1 miles)