JD's grandmother Pat became ill in late 2001 and needed assistance with a variety of home care services ranging from companionship (non-medical), to bathing assistance (personal care) and injections (skilled care). JD and Shelly called many companies and found it extremely difficult to find one company that offered all of the services Pat needed. They found that none of the national franchise systems offered this. They eventually found and hired a local mom-and-pop company (non-franchise) that said they could offer all of the services. But, unfortunately, they tried to call and express concerns about Pat's caregiver leaving early and leaving her alone at 6pm and got the answering machine that said "if this is a medical emergency hang-up and dial 9-1-1, if not we will return your call tomorrow during normal business hours." The service of the company was poor to say the least. After Grandma Pat’s passing, the Suns spent time reflecting on the type of care they looked for - a caring and trustworthy caregiver and a company that offered 24/7 service and the full range of non-medical and medical services that their grandma needed. They felt that others needed this level of care as well, thus leading to the creation of BrightStar. The company was founded in October of 2002 with the opening of one office location in Gurnee, IL. The Suns recognized an opportunity to grow into a franchisor so high quality care could be available around the country. Today, BrightStar is located in 30 states with over 150 offices and are looking to expand internationally into Canada, the U.K., and Australia in 2010.
Healthcare professionals recommend BrightStar more than other companies because they know we are available around the clock to handle all requests immediately. You will always speak with a live person, not a recording, when you contact BrightStar – no matter the time or day.
Our staff care more, bring a more positive attitude to their work, take pride in their work and truly enjoy their jobs Our caregivers love what they do and do what they love. We make sure to only hire those who we feel will give more to the patients they care for. We only hire the most dedicated, experienced caregivers who pass our rigorous screenings, background checks and certification checks. We will not send someone into your home that we do not feel meets our high standards.
Healthcare professionals recommend BrightStar more than other companies because they know we are available around the clock to handle all requests immediately. You will always speak with a live person, not a recording, when you contact BrightStar – no matter the time or day.
With our Guaranteed Compatibility system, we ensure a perfect match between our caregivers and the patients they care for. Our matches are based on personalities, experience, and level of care needed, among other factors.