Celebrating 24 Years at Griswold

In August, two of our Client Care Specialists, Scott Young and Sheilah Johnson, celebrated their 24^th anniversary at Griswold! As Client Care Specialists, they do it all, in the words of Sheilah, “What don’t we do?”

Once the contract is signed and the care plan is in place, they begin to work with the client. They then go through a thorough process to match Caregivers with families. They also manage the care plan and the client’s care from then on. They ensure that every client has everything they need and take care of the Caregivers.

In Scott’s words, “We are coordinators, but there is so much more to it. Some days I’m a mediator, some days I’m a therapist.” They work to develop trusting relationships with their clients, with the goal of providing a good experience for them.

To celebrate their time and commitment to helping provide home care in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, we conducted a short interview with them to learn more about their time here.

Q: What is your favorite part about working here?

Sheilah: People helping people. I think that’s why I’ve been here so long, what we do is so important and there are a lot of people out there in need. I also like helping caregivers find a place to work where they can thrive and get into homes to help people.

Scott: The main thing that got me into this, initially, and what has been the most gratifying, is the people you help. It can be a hard job, but it is very rewarding – we are taking difficult situations and hopefully making them a little better for those people going through tough times.

Q: What made you initially apply?

Sheilah: I needed a job, just that simple. My sister, Michelle, came to me and said she might have a job for me. It sounded like a great opportunity, and shortly after Jean Griswold interviewed and hired me, I realized how much I was going to enjoy this. So, I didn’t come to this business because of what it was, but I stayed because of what I learned about what we do and how we are people helping people.

Scott: I had a neighbor who worked for the corporate office, and she mentioned to me that the Chestnut Hill office (now Bucks & Montgomery) was hiring and told me to check it out. I was also hired by Jean, and she had a great sense of people, she hired good people. So, when I first started, it was the people I got to work with and being able to help people every day that kept me here.

Q: Do you have a favorite client story?

Both: One that was not one of our clients, but rather a former client of Michelle Still (current office director) is one that stands out. This gentleman had Alzheimer’s and felt like he needed to go to work every day, to the point where he would get agitated at home and couldn’t be calmed. To help alleviate this, the family converted a room into a replica of the office he worked in. They brought him his mail every morning, they brought him notebooks and papers. He now felt like he was working all day. That’s an example to a great solution to a problem. The idea of transforming a room into his office, wasn’t our idea either, it was the client’s family, but our caregiver happily supported it (through our Dementia Care Support), and helped the client feel as comfortable as possible.

Q: What is your favorite event that Griswold has participated in within the community?

Scott: We’ve done some great stuff. My favorite has been when we have parties where caregivers come in, and we do fun giveaways like school supplies or turkeys for Thanksgiving. So much of our job is speaking with the caregivers over the phone, it’s so nice to see them in person and talk with them face-to-face. It is a lot of fun when we can show caregivers just how appreciated they are. I tell them all the time that I couldn’t do their job, so I love being able to show that appreciation for their hard work.

Sheilah: Those events are always a lot of fun! We work very hard to celebrate them as much as possible. One year, we had the caregivers come in, and one of them kept saying how she had never won anything from a raffle, and we happened to be raffling a large TV that day. I think we were just as happy to see her reaction to winning that raffle as she was for winning the TV.

Q: What is your favorite memory of working together?

Scott: Do you have just one?

Sheilah: We have so many that we could write a book, but I do have one that stands out. Scott was about to go on his climb, and I remember all of us in the office being so concerned about him.

Q: Where did you climb?

Scott: Mount Kilimanjaro.

Sheilah: At this time, it was all ladies and Scott in the office, just one guy in the middle of all these hens and we were so concerned. But it was very cool when he got back and told all of us about it.

Scott: I had a friend who was planning on going and had someone in his group drop out last minute, and he asked me if I wanted to go as a replacement, and I couldn’t say no to that.

Q: Finally, how do you plan on celebrating your 25^th anniversary next August?

Sheilah: I’m going to sit at my desk and do my job.

Scott: Really?

Sheilah: Yes, I hadn’t even thought about it.

Scott: I also haven’t really thought about what I’ll do, but maybe I’ll take a unique trip. I’ll have to think about it, it is a milestone for sure. It’s funny, because you start a job, and you look back and it’s been almost 25 years.

Do you need in-home care services in Bucks County or Montgomery County? Whether you are looking for home care for the elderly, or support for a loved one, we have you covered. With services ranging from companion care, homemaking, and personal care. With additional services including Veterans care for those who served, Respite care for when you need a break, and 24-Hour Care for when you desire full-time care. We are here to help you Live Assured.