Home Care Heroes

Caring for aging loved ones at home shouldn't mean sacrificing quality of life – yours or theirs. Juan Crespin, owner of Griswold Home Care for Laguna Hills, joins us to share how professional home care creates independence and dignity for seniors while giving family caregivers essential support.

Juan's journey into caregiving began at a young age, evolving from personal experience caring for family members into a fulfilling career spanning nursing assistance, memory care direction, and healthcare administration. His firsthand understanding of caregiver burnout drives Griswold's mission to provide compassionate, personalized care that helps seniors thrive in their own homes.

We tackle persistent myths about home care – from the belief that families should "do it all" themselves (leading to inevitable burnout) to misconceptions about cost. Juan explains how home care often proves more affordable than assisted living facilities, especially with part-time care, and outlines payment options including long-term care insurance and VA benefits that many families overlook. As an LGBTQ+ owned and operated organization serving South Orange County communities from Irvine to Dana Point, Griswold Home Care exemplifies their core philosophy: "Whether you're receiving care or providing it, you are welcome here, just as you are."

Looking for peace of mind knowing your loved one has skilled, compassionate support? Connect with Juan through Facebook at facebook.com/GriswoldLagunaHills, visit griswoldcare.com/laguna-hills, or call 949-524-1807 to learn how their skilled caregivers provide everything from personal care to companionship, meal preparation, and respite services that transform the home care experience.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Rachel Fyfe.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Now are you in need of homecare with a compassionate touch?
Well, that resource is closerthan you think.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
juan Crespin, with Griswold HomeCare for Laguna Hills.

(00:34):
Juan, how's it going, and did Ipronounce your last name
correctly?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yes, you did.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Okay, good.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yes, first off, I would love to thank you guys for
inviting me to this podcast.
I greatly appreciate thisopportunity, so thank you.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, we are excited to learn all about your business
.
So tell us about your company.

Speaker 3 (00:56):
So Griswold Home Care for Laguna Hills is a
non-medical home care providerdedicated to helping seniors and
adults with disabilitiesmaintain their independence and
quality of life at home.
We offer compassionatepersonalized care services,
including personal care,companionship, meal preparation,
light housekeeping and respitecare for families.

(01:17):
As part of the national,respected Griswold Home Care
Network, our Laguna Hills officeis proud to serve families
throughout the South OrangeCounty with a local,
community-focused approach.
We are also an LGBTQ plus ownedand operated home care
organization.
Our service areas are IrvineLake Forest, laguna Woods,

(01:38):
laguna Hills, alicio Viejo,laguna Niguel and Dana Point.
Our caregivers are fullyskilled and background checked.
We also have compassionatecaregivers treating each and
every single client with dignity, respect and kindness.
Our mission is to give familiespeace of mind by delivering

(01:59):
dependable, affordable home carethat helps loved ones thrive in
the comfort of their own homes.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
How wonderful.
Now I got to ask you how didyou get into this business?

Speaker 3 (02:11):
So I started at a very young age as a caregiver.
Then I went into getting mycertified nurse's assistant
license and then after that,that's where I fell in love with
the industry, because I knew atthat point I wanted to care for
people and provide the utmost.

(02:35):
At a very young age I knew howdifficult and overwhelming it
could be to be able to care foran ill parent, because I did it
myself or caring for my ownfamily members.
So I wanted to provide thatsupport and peace of mind to
those that were going reallythrough the same thing that
we're going really through thesame thing.

(03:05):
I've worked in many differentfacilities by skilled nursing
facilities, hospitals, memorycare units, behavioral health
facilities.
So I have a really goodbackground health care
background and that's reallywhere I shine in providing that
high quality of care in thosetypes of settings.
I also, you know, love thehealthcare so much that I went
and got my master's degree inhealthcare administration, which

(03:26):
helped me pave my career asbeing a memory care director and
an administrator for anassisted living facility.
So that's kind of really how Igot into the business.
Just, you know, by nature I'vealways just loved the healthcare
industry and I just enjoycaring for people.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
That is wonderful, that's really beautiful.
Now, what are some maybe mythsor misconceptions that you think
are in your industry?

Speaker 3 (03:59):
myths or misconceptions that you think
are in your industry.
Well, one myth that would becertain in certain cultures feel
that families should be able todo it all right.
The truth of the matter is isthat family caregivers often
burn out trying to manageeverything.
So really just hiring acaregiver doesn't mean that
you're careless.
It just means that you'regiving your loved one better,
more consistent support whilealso taking care of yourself.

(04:20):
Another myth is non-medicalhome care is expensive.
So that's something that a lotof our clients and families
really say.
But home care is often moreaffordable than assisted living
or maybe some nursing homes,especially if you know only
part-time care is needed.

(04:41):
Many families or clients uselong-term care insurance, va
benefits, and some of them payout of pocket from their savings
, and there may be other optionsand other programs that may be
able to help pay for thoseservices, so to speak.
So that's kind of how you knowthere's a lot of misconception

(05:03):
or myths that could happen withfamilies and clients.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, okay, now we know.
You know marketing is reallythe heart of every business.
So who are your targetcustomers and how do you attract
them?
How do you find your customers?

Speaker 3 (05:20):
Well, we have a pretty big network and we go out
to skilled nursing facilities,rehabs.
We partner up with senior careadvisors, elder care attorneys,
dialysis, anyone and anyone,everyone and anyone that really

(05:41):
has a parent loved one thatneeds our services.
You know that's pretty much ourtarget audience.
It's for those that arestruggling.
Maybe you know a familycaregiver that needs our support
and our assistance.
So we, you know, go to a lot ofevents.
You know there's so many thingsthat we do within the community

(06:05):
, so it's just really aboutpartnering up professionally as
well and getting our name outthere.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
Wonderful.
Have you ever thought of doingyour own podcast?

Speaker 3 (06:17):
No, I have not, but now, seeing how easy it is, I
might just do it.
I think I have the personalityfor it.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
Well, you do you do you do Now.
Okay, so now outside of work.
What do you like to do for fun?

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Well, there's a lot of things that I love to do.
I mean, I'm a very spontaneoustype of guy.
I like going to the beach.
I mean, I'm a very spontaneoustype of guy.
I like going to the beach.
I like to antiquing, going tothrift shops, spending time with
my partner, we go to Disneyland, or we love to travel to places
that we've never seen before.
You know, I started recentlygetting into pickleball, which

(07:03):
is fun and it's a great way toget exercise.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
Wonderful.
Now, Juan, please tell ourlisteners one thing they should
remember about Griswold HomeCare for Laguna Hills.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
Well, we really care about all people.
I think I mentioned that we areproud to be an LGBTQ plus owned
and operated company thatvalues inclusion, individuality
and respect.
Whether you're receiving careor providing it, you are welcome
here, just as you are.

(07:38):
I truly, firmly believe that,and you know we want everyone to
feel comfortable and in a spacewhere they can get home care.
You know we're honored to be apart of the community and we're
not just an ordinary business.
We're highly involved indifferent events walks.

(08:01):
You know we just want to giveback and be a resource to our
community.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
How can our listeners learn more about Griswold Home
Care for Laguna Hills?

Speaker 3 (08:14):
Well, in order for you to stay connected with us,
we have many different ways.
We're located on Facebook atfacebookcom forward slash Laguna
Hills, griswold, laguna Hills,and to basically stay up to date
in what we're doing.
You can also learn more aboutour services by visiting our

(08:36):
website at griswoldcarecomforward slash Laguna, hyphen
Hills, or you can give us a callat 949-524-1807.
Whether you're looking for carefor a loved one or you feel
that you want to make adifference with our
compassionate caregivers, wewould love to hear from you.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
Well, juan, I really appreciate you being on the show
and you know we wish you andyour business the very best
moving forward.

Speaker 3 (09:08):
Well, thank you so much for having me, Rachel.
It's been a very pleasure.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
Wonderful.
Thank you for listening to theGood Neighbor Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognporangecountycom.
That's gnporangecountycom, orcall 714-941-862.