Jean C. Griswold, 86, formerly of Erdenheim, an entrepreneur who founded and managed an international non-medical home care corporation while confined to a wheelchair, died Jan. 28 at Einstein-Montgomery Hospital. She had been a resident of Meadowood Retirement Community in Worcester since 2008.
Mrs. Griswold started what is now Griswold Home Care at her dining room table in 1982 when she discovered that there was no company offering overnight companionship for the frail elderly. Today, with more than 100 franchises and more than 10,000 professional caregivers throughout the United States, Mexico and South Korea, the firm has been described by the Philadelphia Business Journal as “the nation’s largest, privately-owned non-medical home care company.”
She also founded Pop-Ins, Home Helpers, House Call Unlimited, Nurses Aides of North America and Nursing Options Worldwide.
Mrs. Griswold was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1967, at the age of 36, but continued to work actively in her office until she was 79. She published a book, “Fears of the Elderly,”in 2013.
Born in New York City, she received a bachelor’s degree in economics and business from Douglass College and a master’s degree in personnel and guidance from Rutgers University. She received an honorary doctorate from Holy Family University in 2006.
Before starting her company, she worked as a guidance counselor at Westfield High School, in Westfield, N.J., and as a counselor at the Lutheran Home in Mt. Airy. From 2003 to 2004 she was Entrepreneur in Residence at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Griswold has won numerous awards, including the Spirit of Philadelphia Award, the Working Woman’s 2001 Entrepreneur of the Year honor, and the 2002 MS National Achievement Award of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
Her story was told in two books – “The Courage to Give” by Jackie Waldman and in “Women of Spirit” by Katherine Martin – and in a one-woman play “Letter to My Daughter” written and performed by Beth Hirst.
Mrs. Griswold’s late husband, the Rev. Dr. Lincoln Griswold, had been pastor of the Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church. She is survived by sons Scott, Kent and Kirk, and seven grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, in the Strasburg Auditorium at Meadowood, 3205 Skippack Pike, Worcester, Pa., following a private burial service. Memorial donations may be made to the National MS Society, 30 S. 17th St., Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19103. – WF
The post Jean C. Griswold, home care pioneer appeared first on Chestnut Hill Local Philadelphia PA.