Griswold Care Pairing
Referring Caregivers for Peace of Mind
At Griswold Care Pairing for Lake & NE Cook Counties, we refer compassionate Caregivers to those who want support to live where they love. With over four decades of experience and a storied legacy of compassion and integrity, we focus on the people we meet and the connections we make right here in our own community. It is our privilege to refer Caregivers who support your unique needs with respect, empathy, and dedicated attention so you can Live Assured, without the weight of worry.
Griswold is an award-winning pioneer in pairing you with qualified in-home Caregivers. We believe Care Professionals are the foundation of our success, and our commitment to innovation is based on our desire to improve the lives of everyone we touch as we serve this community. Our referred Caregivers may provide services like personal care, homemaking, companionship, and support for those with conditions, illnesses, or injuries.
Meet Your Team
Brett Pessis
Director
Brett Pessis brings over 15 years of experience at the intersection of healthcare innovation, business development, and client service to his role at Griswold Care. His career has spanned med-tech startups, practice management platforms, and national healthcare organizations—with a strong focus on improving care for older adults and medically vulnerable populations.
Most notably, Brett has spent a significant portion of his career in hearing healthcare, a field that serves a demographic closely aligned with the needs of home care clients. During his time at Earlens Corporation, Starkey Hearing Technologies, and HearingFUSION, Brett worked closely with physicians, clinical staff, and senior patients. His understanding of the challenges aging adults face—especially in communication, independence, and care access—deeply informs his commitment to home care.
Now, Brett is excited to help clients in need find the right caregiver support and build trusted relationships within the community. He is passionate about making the home care journey easier for families, supporting caregivers, and continuing Griswold’s legacy of excellent care.
Melissa Pessis
Co-Owner
Kathy Guzman
Office Manager
Kathy Guzman, Office Manager, has experience with Anger Management and Coping/Adjustment Support Groups for nursing home residents who suffered mental illness. She spent 5 years as the Social Services Director/Abuse Neglect Prohibition Coordinator in a skilled nursing facility. Kathy has always enjoyed the company of seniors and providing senior care, as they have so much to share. Kathy continues to be an advocate for seniors and assists the elderly in her community by organizing outreach programs aimed to enhance the quality of life for nursing home residents. She has volunteered through an interfaith outreach agency to support and provide assistance to low-income seniors in the community and for a drop-in center for homeless adults.
Hailey Keating
Care Coordinator
Hailey Keating is a 2017 graduate of the University of Kansas Medical Center with a degree in Health Information Management and is a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). She plays a central role in company operations, managing accounting, caregiver onboarding, scheduling support, and overall office administration. With a strong foundation in health information and organizational operations, Hailey serves as a key point of contact within the organization, ensuring smooth internal processes and contributing to the company’s continued growth and efficiency.
Deana Wagner
Care Coordinator
Deana Wagner joined the Griswold team as Care Coordinator with 20 years of work experience in a skilled nursing facility. Working as Admissions Director, she brings to us her knowledge of finance, IDPH regulations, marketing and community relations. She was an active member on the TASK team with Catholic Charities. The team worked together to find a safe solution to reported cases of elder abuse. Throughout the years, Deana has participated in numerous organized events to advocate for senior rights. She is compassionate about this and feels each deserves loving and quality care.
In Your Community
We’re in This Together
Our team is dedicated to improving the well-being of our community through serving those who need assistance to live where they love. We are active in the neighborhood, so you’ll see us around town at events, participating in associations and meetings, and supporting local organizations inside and outside the care industry. We firmly believe in our ability to create a happier and healthier place to live through the connections we make with the people in our community.
Jean’s Story
In 1982, Dr. Jean Griswold founded our company at her dining room table in a small suburb of Philadelphia. She found out that an elderly woman in her community had died of complications because she had no support system for care. Jean felt this was an easily preventable tragedy and was driven to find a solution by pairing Caregivers with those who could not thrive in their homes alone. She was a true visionary, establishing one of the first and most successful non-medical home care organizations in the country, despite being wheelchair-bound due to Multiple Sclerosis. Over 40 years later, her legacy lives on nationwide.
Scholarship
Where would we be without Caregivers? Their selflessness is astounding, yet they are often overlooked and underappreciated. The Jean Griswold Foundation is dedicated to supporting Caregivers, the backbone of the care industry. We provide educational scholarships so Care Professionals can further their training, enhance their skills, elevate their careers, and better assist the people they serve.
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