How Griswold Is Leading the Charge in Home Care and Hospice Support

As National Home Care and Hospice Month approaches, Griswold, a pioneering franchise in the non-medical home care industry, continues to set the gold standard. With over 40 years of experience and 170 locations, Griswold has not only weathered the ups and downs of the industry, but has also emerged stronger, more resilient and more committed to serving its communities than ever before.

"Home care has always been active, but since COVID, there's been a shift,” said Christina Sommerfield, Vice President of Company Offices for Griswold. “People are choosing to stay home as they age. We lost that contact with seniors in facilities during the pandemic, and we don’t want to relive that experience. That is why the need for home and hospice care is more pressing than ever and Griswold is here to fill that need.”

The Importance of Home Care and Hospice

Within the evolving landscape of home care and hospice, Sommerfield says raising awareness is often the first and most important step. "When a family member needs home care, often it's an emergency,” she said. “You might not have the luxury of time to research. At Griswold, with our four decades of expertise, we can guide families through this process, whether they're planning ahead or facing an immediate need."

Founded in 1982, Griswold is backed by over 40 years of experience providing quality home care to the elderly, disabled adults and individuals recovering from illness. Dr. Jean Griswold was a senior care professional who had multiple sclerosis (MS) and recognized firsthand that the elderly often lacked the assistance they needed to remain independent at home. Griswold set out to offer a wide variety of in-home support services, with care plans customized to fit each client that could be adjusted as their needs change over time. The brand’s home care services include homemaking, personal care, companion care, hospice care support, respite care, live-in, 24/7 and overnight care.

"We are very involved in co-vending, partnering with hospice agencies and building strong relationships,” said Sommerfield. “As we expand our business, we're always engaging with clients and caregivers at a community level. It's all about matching the right people. Because we are a national franchise, we can leverage our size to ensure no one in need ever has to go without care.”

Griswold's relationship with hospice care is a particularly important factor. "We can identify when a loved one might benefit from hospice,” Sommerfield said. “Conversely, if someone is discharged from hospice, we can recommend professional agencies so families can focus on being families instead of caregivers." 

A Passion-Driven Team of Caregivers

The testimonials from Griswold caregivers further underscore the company's leadership in the home care industry. Jacqueline Lyttle, for example, is a caregiver from the Bucks & Montgomery County Office who was recently nominated for the 2023 Pennsylvania Direct Care Worker of the Year Awards. She says being a caregiver means absolutely everything to her.

“This doesn’t feel like work,” said Lyttle. “It feels like this is what I was put on the Earth to do. I don’t see any of my clients as being hard, but I always try to win people over. It’s a challenge, and I never lose that challenge. I’ll do whatever it takes to win you over. And I’ll never quit. I really put my heart into it. I let my clients know that I’m there to be their friend, I’m not there to hurt them. They’re safe with me. I enjoy my work. I can’t see myself doing anything else. I put my heart into it and it has taught me to be more patient. You have to have a lot of empathy in your heart, because so many people need that.”

As someone with over 20 years of experience as a caregiver and registered CNA, Lyttle says Griswold stands out as an employer in the industry, as well. 

“Communication is very important and Griswold communicates very well,” Lyttle said. “They listen to us and the clients, and the brand welcomes you to openly speak in detail about what’s going on. They clearly care for their caregivers and their clients. They’re very professional, very kind and considerate, and that makes life easy. I’m working with a wonderful company.”

Part of Griswold’s top standing in the home care industry comes from its commitment to matching clients with the ideal caregivers based on the client's unique needs and preferences. The relationship also emphasizes building trust and comfort between the caregiver, the client and the client's family, which leads to improved care outcomes. 

A Future of Worry-Free Living

Now, with the aging population steadily on the rise, Griswold understands that the demand for home care and hospice support is only going to grow. 

"People want to be in their homes and they want to be in a community,” said Sommerfield. “Aging and home care is a personal job. There is always going to be a need and there is also always going to be a desire among compassionate caregivers who want to fulfill that need.” 

That is why the team is gearing up for strategic franchise growth and is looking for compassionate, empathetic individuals to help usher in a new era for the brand. Prospective franchisees have the opportunity to join a proven brand, take control of their destiny and give back to the people in their community.

"Our expansive franchise network is built on partnership, collaboration and trust,” said Michael Slupecki, Griswold CEO. “Our franchisees join us not just for business but because they genuinely want to give back to their communities. As we celebrate National Home Care and Hospice Month, we are excited to continue bringing much-needed support to people all over the country."

Griswold's tagline, "Live Assured," encapsulates this mission. It's a promise to clients, internal staff, family members, caregivers and the entire community that the Griswold family will help everyone they can live comfortably, knowing they're in good hands.

For more information about franchising with Griswold, please visit https://www.griswoldhomecare.com/franchising/investment-info/.