Commonwise Home Care - Charlottesville, VA

Pros

• The intake and scheduling teams are described as compassionate, responsive, and committed problem solvers.
• Caregivers are described as exceptional, with Patty singled out as indispensable.
• Katie set a high standard of excellence; Nicole was cheerful, thoughtful, and industrious.
• Nicole anticipated needs and improved daily life through creative caregiving.
• Shauna and Ivette are excellent caregivers and companions who often take her on outings.
• The office staff are attentive and responsive to needs.
• Bridget Johnson is described as a jewel who anticipates needs and helps prevent falls.
• Lisa Brownell is praised for quick, effective responses and for caring about patients and staff.

Cons

• Commonwise health care services are appalling.
• Commonwise appears to perform little to no due diligence on the caregivers they hire and fails to properly supervise or train their staff.
• There is a revolving door at Commonwise, with good caregivers leaving and lazier ones staying, and workers are paid below market rate.
• With Commonwise personnel, there is unsupervised access to clients' homes and valuables, with several incidents of missing items including medications.

Review

Commonwise is described across these accounts as a home-care provider that many families come to rely on for compassionate, attentive support. The overall impression is that the agency can connect families with caregivers who are not only skilled in daily tasks and medical needs but also genuinely invested in the well-being and dignity of their clients. Several families highlight the office team - especially Lisa Brownell, the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Clinical Operations - as responsive, thoughtful, and proactive in addressing questions, scheduling, and care planning. The tone throughout is one of gratitude for caregivers who deliver not just hands-on help but reassurance and ease during challenging times.

One lengthy set of testimonials centers on caregiving for a spouse with Parkinson's disease. In this family, Katie established a high standard of care early on, remaining with the client for about a month before a schedule change moved her to a new assignment. Nicole then stepped in for several months and was described as cheerful, thoughtful, and industrious, with a knack for anticipating needs and easing daily life. Her contributions went beyond basic help: she engaged in crafts projects, supported speech therapy, purchased necessary supplies (like bandages), offered safety suggestions to improve accessibility, and even installed a handheld shower head. When Nicole moved on to a teaching job, Shauna and Ivette took over, alternating four days a week and half days, respectively. Both were praised as excellent caregivers and companions who helped with dressing, showering, outings, and meal preparation. The refrain from this family is clear: the quality of care and the thoughtful, proactive approach made a meaningful, daily difference, underscoring why they have continued with Commonwise and would readily recommend it to others.

Another family shares an equally positive experience with a 95-year-old man who has chronic scoliosis. Bridget Johnson became his caregiver five days a week and was singled out as someone who is consistently present when needed and who even anticipates needs, effectively preventing falls. The reviewer emphasizes that Bridget is a "jewel" in terms of reliability and care. Complementing Bridget's role is Lisa Brownell, who is repeatedly acknowledged for promptly and effectively addressing questions about systems and policies. The overall message from this account is that the combination of Bridget's reliable caregiving and Lisa's responsive leadership provides a foundation of trust and high-quality care that makes the reviewer confident in recommending Commonwise to others.

A further testimonial centers on an elderly mother who benefits from seven-days-a-week coverage. The introduction and ongoing involvement of Lisa Brownell is highlighted again as a critical factor in shaping a positive relationship with the family. The weekday caregiver, Arielle Taylor, is described as a wonderful, bonds-forming presence who treats the mother like family. Arielle's duties extend beyond basic care to include meals, medication reminders, and even assisting with exercises, with a strong emphasis on forming a trusted, affectionate rapport. Saturdays are covered by Emma Kiser, who also demonstrates a high level of attentiveness and adaptation to the mother's idiosyncrasies. Sundays are handled by Carmen Shifflett, described as gentle and patient, further contributing to quality of life and dignity for the mother. Additional substitutes, such as Patty Bradley, round out coverage when needed. The family notes that these caregivers not only perform tasks but also become companions, helping the mother stay engaged and comfortable in her own home, which is an important priority for her family as she ages.

Within these narratives is also a glimpse into the internal culture of Commonwise, as told by a former caregiver. That individual offers praise for the leadership and the supportive, team-centered environment. According to this account, the company emphasizes essential caregiver traits - empathy, compassion, flexibility, and responsibility - and fosters a workplace where dedicated caregivers can thrive, feel valued, and pursue opportunities such as further education or different career paths. The appreciation is not only for the care delivered to clients but also for the professional growth and backing that allowed the former employee to develop their own career, underscoring a broader sense of purpose and teamwork within the organization.

Interwoven with the consistently positive experiences, however, is a starkly divergent, strongly negative review. This account, labeled with a forceful declaration that COMMONWISE HEALTH CARE SERVICES ARE APPALING, recounts serious concerns about the quality and supervision of care. The author claims to have witnessed caregivers sleeping on the couch while clients were awake and alleges repeated failures to provide basic care, including skipped body washes and lax housekeeping. The reviewer questions the due diligence and ongoing supervision of staff, suggests that caregivers are underpaid relative to market rates, and accuses some workers of traveling long distances without compensation. There are allegations of misappropriation or loss of valuables and controlled substances, as well as a claim that a revolving door of staff undermines continuity of care. This review includes a legal- and safety-sounding caution about impaired supervision and accountability, and it goes so far as to describe a prior experience with the agency that ended when the care arrangement moved to another provider. The account closes with a contradictory note praising the opportunity and leadership experiences the reviewer had as a caregiver for Commonwise while acknowledging personal plans to pursue medical school, and another positive testament from a different family praising how the team cared for Betty Imhoff, underscoring that even within a single provider there can be a range of experiences.

Taken together, these reviews paint a picture of Commonwise as a provider capable of delivering highly personalized, compassionate, and reliable home-care support for elderly clients and those with chronic conditions. The most frequently lauded elements are the presence and steadiness of qualified caregivers who develop meaningful relationships, the willingness and ability of office leadership - especially Lisa Brownell - to respond quickly to questions and adjust plans, and the willingness of caregivers to engage in activities that improve safety and quality of life. Families repeatedly point to specific caregivers who stand out for their attentiveness, resourcefulness, and warmth, and they express confidence in the ability of Commonwise to fill in when schedules require substitutions, with only one account indicating a notable gap in coverage at a particular moment.

At the same time, one review raises important questions about oversight, caregiver performance, and internal processes. While it is a solitary outlier in the collection, its strong, specific allegations about fallbacks in care, supervision, compensation, and even safety-related issues cannot be dismissed outright. This contrasts with the broader set of testimonials, which overwhelmingly emphasize positive experiences, trust in the leadership, and a sense of companionship and independence preserved for loved ones at home. For potential clients evaluating Commonwise, the mosaic of stories suggests a robust level of care and a responsive organizational backbone in many cases, alongside a cautionary reminder to conduct due diligence, meet with leadership and caregivers, review care plans, and maintain open channels of communication to address any concerns promptly. Overall, the prevailing sentiment among the majority of reviewers is one of gratitude and strong recommendation, anchored by compassionate caregivers and a responsive administrative team who often become trusted partners in maintaining dignity, safety, and quality of life at home.

Physicians

• Pediatric Associates (0.1 miles)
• American Board of Urology (0.9 miles)
• Jennifer A. Doorey, MD (1 miles)
• Northridge Physicians For Women (1 miles)
• UVA Imaging (1 miles)
• UVA Colonnades Medical Associates (1.1 miles)
• U Va Orthopaedics (1.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Old Mill Room (0.7 miles)
• The Ivy Inn (0.9 miles)
• Ivy Provisions (1 miles)
• McDonald's (1.4 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.5 miles)
• Peter Chang's China Grill (1.6 miles)
• El Puerto (1.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Kluge Children's Rehabilitation Center (0.7 miles)
• Rector & Visitors of The University of Virginia (1.8 miles)
• University Hospital (2.2 miles)
• University of Virginia Health System : Infectious Diseases Clinic (2.2 miles)
• UVA Hospital 4 Central (2.2 miles)
• UVA 3 Central (2.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Kroger Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Octapharma Plasma (2.4 miles)
• Lewis & Clark Pharmaceuticals (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Paul's Memorial Church (1.9 miles)
• University Baptist Church (2.2 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2 miles)
• Kung Fu Tea (2.3 miles)
• Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (2.8 miles)
• Mudhouse (3 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Stonefield & IMAX (2.2 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak (2.5 miles)

Parks

• Tonsler Park (2.8 miles)