For many people, home care is something they only begin to understand when they suddenly need it. For Eva Gryczan, owner and founder of Local Home Care in Glastonbury, it was a deeply personal journey — one shaped by nearly two decades of lovingly caring for her late father.
“Local Home Care was born from my own lived experience,” says Eva. “I cared for my father for 18 years and through that journey, I learned what it truly takes —time, patience, emotional presence and an incredible amount of compassion.”
That experience shaped her philosophy and her business. Eva quickly learned that home care is not about tasks or checklists. “Home care is deeply personal,” she explains.
“It’s about honoring someone’s dignity during some of the most vulnerable moments of their life.”
While navigating the system, she saw a clear difference between state-owned programs and privately operated care. Rigid structures often left families with little flexibility while private care allowed for creativity personalization and responsiveness. That realization became the foundation of Local Home Care’s mission—care that adapts to the individual rather than forcing individuals to adapt to a system.
Listening is at the core of that mission, Eva says, and every relationship begins by understanding who the client is beyond medical needs.
“We take the time to learn about personalities, preferences, routines and family dynamics. When people feel heard and understood care becomes meaningful, not transactional.”
Each family receives an individualized scope of work ensuring caregivers are aligned not just clinically but emotionally. That intentionality is what sets Local Home Care apart from larger or national providers.
“Families aren’t just a number to us. They’re part of our community and we stay involved as needs change.”
Those relationships often lead to powerful moments. Eva recalls a family that reminded her of her own caregiving journey. Exhausted and overwhelmed, they had been trying to manage everything alone. When a Local Home Care caregiver joined their home, the shift was immediate.
“They told us they finally felt supported and no longer alone. They could rest and trust that their loved one was being cared for with patience and dignity.”
Looking ahead, Eva is focused on meeting evolving needs without losing the human connection that defines the organization. Through community outreach Local Home Care began receiving calls from families concerned about loved ones already under care elsewhere. She and her team stepped in to help identify neglect review care through in-home cameras and advocate for change —reinforcing the importance of oversight accountability and advocacy.
Her background working on a suicide support line also shaped the future of the company. She learned that many seniors reach out late at night not because of emergencies but because of loneliness. That insight led to the creation of a personalized caregiver line and monitoring service allowing seniors to connect with a caregiver at any time.
“Most injuries happen at night and often go unnoticed until morning. We are there in real time.”
At its core, Local Home Care is guided by a belief Eva holds deeply.
“Anyone can be a caretaker but not everyone can be a caregiver. Skills can be taught but empathy and purpose cannot.”