On a crisp January morning in 1982, Jean Griswold sat at her dining room table in Erdenheim, Pennsylvania and began making phone calls, gathering a group of competent, caring people to help older and disabled individuals stay safe in their homes. Inspired by a growing need in her community, Jean Griswold began an organization now recognized as the World’s Oldest, Multi-national, Non-medical Home Care Company and one of the first home care services to offer 24-hour service to older, disabled, or at-risk individuals at highly affordable prices.
The idea for Griswold Home Care came as a result of a tragedy that happened to an older widow who was a member of the church where the Reverend Doctor Lincoln Griswold (Jean’s husband) was the pastor. Although she was affluent, the parishioner could not find anyone to help her when a friend who was helping her fell and broke her hip. The woman was terrified at night; fearful of having a heart attack when no one was there to help. Although her family lived close, the woman, left alone, did not drink enough fluids. As a result, her kidneys failed and she died.
This incident inspired Jean Griswold to start Overnight Sitting Service in her home. Word of this new service spread like wildfire, largely by word-of-mouth. As the demand rose, around-the-clock in-home care was initiated and services were expanded to include personal care and homemaking. Overnight Sitting Service was renamed Special Care Services to more accurately describe what we do. Eventually, the name became Special Care, and then Griswold Special Care, to incorporate the role of our founder into the company name. Most recently, in celebration of the Company’s 30th anniversary, the name was updated to Griswold Home Care to further identify the Company’s primary service to the community.
As Griswold Home Care’s reputation spread, requests for care came from distant locations. Additional home care offices were opened to meet the growing need in new communities. Each new home care office served the local community; using Caregivers who knew the area and who could better service neighboring Clients, even in bad weather conditions. Only office Directors who share Jean Griswold’s philosophy of providing excellent service at an affordable rate are welcomed into the network.
In the three decades since the company’s inception, Griswold Home Care has helped more than 80,000 individuals and families throughout the United States, referring more than 9,000 caregivers in any given year.
Griswold Home Care’s home care service has been profiled in Forbes, Success, and Entrepreneur magazines and on NBC’s Today Show. Jean Griswold personally has received numerous regional and national awards and honors for her outstanding service and remarkable achievements.