Griswold Home Care of Northern Virginia East, VA in Alexandria, VA

Pros

• Griswold Home Care is wonderful, with a care team that is attentive and dedicated.
• The team provides top-quality home care with flexibility and a patient, client-centered approach.
• The caregivers are kind, compassionate, and professional.
• The office staff are responsive and supportive, making the process stress-free.
• Griswold is highly recommended for in-home long-term care.
• The care enables loved ones to remain comfortable at home during challenging times.
• CNAs are caring, experienced, and patient, adapting to changing hours and needs.

Cons

• The family experienced initial scheduling difficulties in getting care arranged.
• They were naturally concerned because none of the caregiver agencies they interviewed had experience with Guillain-Barr? syndrome patients.
• Navigating caregiver agencies for their daughter's GBS treatment was enormously difficult and traumatic.
• It was difficult for families to trust someone they had not met in person to watch over a loved one.
• Dealing with healthcare could be stressful.

Review

Griswold Home Care of Northern Virginia East is best suited for families seeking dependable, compassionate in-home support that keeps a loved one safely at home rather than transitioning to an assisted living or skilled-nursing setting. This agency excels for post-surgical recovery, progressive disabilities, chronic conditions, and long-term care needs where consistent caregiver relationships and proactive communication matter most. When a family anticipates needing flexible hourly options, careful caregiver matching, and someone to coordinate care across visits, Griswold stands out as the practical choice. It is especially strong for those who value staff who show up on time, listen to family concerns, and deliver care with genuine attentiveness, allowing a senior to maintain independence in familiar surroundings.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families needing round-the-clock, on-site supervision in a facility with medical oversight or specialized memory-care environments. If the loved one requires intensive, 24/7 on-premises nursing with built-in social programming and campus amenities, a traditional assisted living or memory-care community may offer a more structured setting. Similarly, for situations demanding highly specialized clinical rehabilitation or dementia-focused programming in a secured environment, a facility-based option could outperform home-based care. Cost structure and the desire for a fixed daily rhythm can also push some families toward institutional care.

The strongest advantages lie in the personal touch and reliability demonstrated by Griswold's caregivers and administrators. Reviews repeatedly highlight compassionate, patient aides who are attentive to daily living tasks, meal preparation, mobility support, and timely reminders for therapy or appointments. The office team earns praise for thoughtful intake, careful caregiver matching, and proactive problem-solving, with administrators and coordinators who communicate clearly and keep families updated. The ability to tailor care plans, switch caregivers as needs evolve, and offer hourly arrangements without paying for unused time makes Griswold particularly practical for fluctuating care needs and caregiver fatigue in the family.

There are some manageable drawbacks to acknowledge. A few families report initial scheduling frictions or the challenge of aligning short-notice care, which is a natural wrinkle in coordinating multiple caregivers. Changes in caregivers can be unsettling until a steady match is established, though the agency's emphasis on matching and flexibility tends to resolve these issues quickly. The core limitation is the inherent difference between home care and a facility-based setting: Griswold cannot substitute for continuous medical supervision or the built-in social ecosystems of a campus. For families prioritizing a highly predictable, facility-based routine, alternatives may offer clearer structure.

When the positives are weighed against the drawbacks, Griswold's strengths often offset the minimalist scheduling bumps. The real value is in the peace of mind that comes with a responsive, heart-forward team that partners with families to design and adjust a care plan over time. The ability to support complex needs - whether recovering from surgery, managing a chronic condition, or assisting a spouse with daily activities - while keeping a loved one at home is a powerful outcome. Testimonials show consistent, high-quality care, stable caregiver relationships, and a practical approach that reduces family stress and helps patients stay connected to familiar routines.

For families evaluating options, the recommended starting move is a frank needs assessment: identify the level of medical oversight required, the desired balance between independence and supervision, and budget realities. If home-based care with strong caregiver matching, reliable communication, and flexible scheduling fits those criteria, Griswold deserves strong consideration. Request a formal care assessment, ask about the caregiver matching process, and probe for last-minute scheduling capabilities and rate structures. Gather references, verify the scope of services offered, and compare with facility-based alternatives to ensure the chosen path aligns with the loved one's medical needs, personality, and family goals.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)

Cafes

• Mae's Market and Cafe (0.3 miles)
• For Five Coffee (0.6 miles)
• Junction Bakery & Bistro (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.7 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (5.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Jeni S Splendid I (0.4 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.5 miles)
• Joe Theismann's Restaurant (0.6 miles)
• Ada's on the River (0.6 miles)
• BARCA Pier & Wine Bar (0.6 miles)
• Union Street Public House (0.6 miles)
• Virtue Feed and Grain (0.7 miles)

Transportation

• King Street - Old Town Metro Station (0.7 miles)
• Amtrak (0.7 miles)
• Braddock Road Metro Station (1 miles)
• Eisenhower Avenue Metro Station (1 miles)
• TSA PreCheck (3.3 miles)
• Terminal A (3.4 miles)
• Delta Sky Club (3.6 miles)

Parks

• Waterfront Park (0.7 miles)
• Huntley Meadows Park (2.4 miles)
• Gravelly Point Park (4.5 miles)
• Long Bridge Park (4.6 miles)
• East Potomac Park (5.6 miles)
• Southwest Duck Pond (5.7 miles)
• The Yards Park (5.8 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Hoffman Center 22 (1 miles)

Physicians

• Telegraph Corner Family Medicine (1.9 miles)
• Patient First - Alexandria (1.9 miles)
• Diagnostic Radiology (4.5 miles)
• American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (6 miles)

Hospitals

• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital (4.3 miles)
• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Emergency Room (4.4 miles)
• St Elizabeths Hospital (4.8 miles)