Why Wendy Adlerstein, LSW, FirstLight’s Executive Director & Co-Owner is the Trusted Voice of Home Care

Wendy Adlerstein, LSW, is Executive Director and Co-Owner of FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston, one of the highest-rated home care practices in the Boston area, recognized for selective hiring, rigorous oversight through a proactive case-management model, and clear family communication. Now in her tenth year leading the office, Wendy oversees the full care operation — from in-home assessments and individualized plans to caregiver training, supervision, and quality checks — allowing her team to deliver concierge-level support that reduces family stress and helps older adults remain safe, independent, and treated with dignity at home.

A licensed social worker with nearly three decades in elder services, Wendy began her career in the nonprofit sector supporting low-income, frail seniors through case management and protective services. She brought that client-centered ethos to FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston at launch, helping build the office from the ground up and growing a team that recruits, trains and supports hundreds of professional caregivers. Wendy still conducts in-home assessments herself, designs individualized care plans, and sets the tone for the hands-on culture families experience from day one.

Drawing on her nonprofit and social-work roots, Wendy built a case-management model that’s unusual in private home care, where most agencies route client needs and caregiver calendars through a standalone scheduler. At FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston, dedicated care coordinators own each client relationship end-to-end, eliminating the telephone-game handoffs that can compromise care. Her model keeps information close to the people doing the work, so adjustments are swift when needs change and families always know who to call. She reinforces the model with rigorous quality control, including regular check-ins and occasional unannounced visits, selective hiring with thorough vetting and onboarding, and ongoing training, including monthly compassionate memory care classes.

Wendy holds a B.A. in Psychology from Clark University and a Certificate in Gerontology from the Worcester Consortium Gerontology Program. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and an active member of the Aging Life Care Association. In addition to leading FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston, she collaborates closely with aging life care managers, hospital and rehab discharge teams, and senior living communities to align services with client and family needs.

For individuals and organizations seeking an expert who can translate the reality behind home care — what it is, how it works and what “good” looks like — Wendy offers clear, actionable insight grounded in daily practice. When families and professional referral sources in the Boston area need a trusted partner, they turn to Wendy Adlerstein and FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston. Wendy can be reached at wadlerstein@firstlighthomecare.com or by calling 781-559-0220.