From an early age, JP Glynn witnessed the power of caring for aging family members at home, and his present role as owner and director at Visiting Angels reflects the lessons that he learned. In his preteen years, he watched his mother leave her full-time job as an office administrator for a dentist to take care of his paternal grandfather, providing hygiene needs as well as feeding and keeping him comfortable. After his passing, she returned to her previous job, leaving several years later to also take care of Glynn’s Nan (his paternal grandmother). As a senior in high school, Glynn, along with his brother, helped his mother to provide comfort and care that his father’s mother needed in her final days. When his mother eventually returned to work, she took an office position at the very first Visiting Angels’ location.
When Glynn first started his own career, one of his positions was at United Healthcare, in a role that brought him to Maryland from his hometown in West Philadelphia. However, after several years, he was looking for other opportunities. Serendipitously, his mother informed him that Visiting Angels had an open territory in Harford and Cecil Counties. “I looked at all these things that just lined up,” he recalls. “I said, I need to take this opportunity. This is open for a reason.”
In April of 2013, Glynn made the decision to put what he had into purchasing rights, and since then, has embraced the mission of Visiting Angels, working to pair caregivers with individuals in need of support within their homes, fulfilling his own personal call to service. “If I can interact with people and make a difference in the community where I live, that makes me feel like I’m fulfilling the purpose that God has for me,” he said. “[These services] can be individualized and have a great amount of purpose and make a difference.”
While helping individuals receive care in their homes so that they can remain independent is a priority, Glynn also maintains that supporting caregivers is a top priority, while lauding the education available through Visiting Angels. “One of the issues that I see with home care is the investment in the caregivers themselves, and the way that we address that is by putting the caregivers at the top of our pyramid. Our focus is on them: health, well-being, and educational investments,” he said. “Our educational platform, Visiting Angels University, is one of the best training programs around.”
Consistent accessibility is also a hallmark of Glynn’s business model -- there’s never a time when Visiting Angels can’t be reached. “365 days, there’s a human who is monitoring and working around the clock for our business. We are here, always,” he said. “If you call my agency, you will always get a live person answering the phone. We’ve got you, we’re there. This is my purpose in life.”
For anyone who may question the ability of home healthcare to solve the question of how independent individuals can be at home, Glynn wants to bust the myth that it’s not possible. Not only is the agency dedicated to in-person care, it’s also using modern technology to boost the ability to ensure quality oversight of its clients and prevent issues that lead to stays in hospitals or rehabilitation centers. “Remaining at home is more feasible and possible than you realize,” Glynn says. “There are many wonderful, compassionate caregivers out there that would love nothing more than the honor and opportunity to help your family member remain safely and lovingly in their home.”
“There are many wonderful, compassionate caregivers out there that would love nothing more than the honor and opportunity to help your family member remain safely and lovingly in their home.”
Education of Clients is Important to JP Glynn
"What I get to do every day is provide free education to people who are really in emergency, difficult positions. A lot of people don’t prepare for our services. It’s usually not something that’s really well planned for. I like to bring that light to them, letting them know that they’re not alone, that certain things are normal, and that the care for their loved one doesn’t have to be done alone. We will become their family and support them during challenging times as much as they want us to."