As Richard Branson famously said, “There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions in a way that serves the world and you.”
When Juliet Nowak migrated to the United States from the Philippines, she never thought she would change careers. Healthcare was not her first vocation, but when the opportunity arose, she fell in love with the profession.
In 2005, Juliet embarked on a new journey of working in the home health field and found it to be very rewarding and fulfilling. After working for several years in this position, she decided to make the move to employment at a care facility. During this time, she recognized the advantage of in-home care services and the impact that she could make on people’s lives by offering this service. In 2014, she made the decision to open her own in-home care business.
Angels Loving Care provides individualized care for both the aged and also young adults with special needs. All services are person-centered and tailored to client needs, whether care is provided for only a few hours per week or 24-hour assistance. More and more patients are choosing to not enter a facility, and it is ALCI’s mission to help these individuals remain safely in the comforts of their own homes.
Since its inception, the agency has grown leaps and bounds and employs over 60 caregivers that provide services to over 100 clients. Care is offered in Columbia, Dodge, Dane, Jefferson, Sauk and Marquette counties. Nowak wants to continually grow the agency and states that her team of caregivers bring special skills and abilities to ensure that all clients’ needs are being met.
Last year, Juliet was one of the 17 women that received the Governor’s Trailblazer Award for Women in Business, recognizing women leaders who are helping the state’s economy thrive by creating employment opportunities. She was inducted into the National Association of Professional Women’s VIP Woman of the Year Circle in 2017-2018. She was also recognized in her native Philippines with the International Business Award for a Filipino living outside of the Philippines that became a successful entrepreneur by the Mayor and Congresswoman in her birth place.
In January of this year, a colleague of Juliet’s introduced her to Lorrie Zwieg and she quickly was invited her join her team as the Business Development Director. Lorrie has 18 years of program management experience with skills in training, sales and marketing. Both she and Juliet set out to grow the business to its potential.
More and more seniors are choosing to be cared for in their own homes because, after all, home is comfortable and familiar and they are surrounded by memories and circumstances that make them feel safe. Another advantage of in-home care is that it is typically less expensive than nursing home costs. Lorrie explains, “Our goal is to keep individuals in their homes with patient-centered care, but also to educate families regarding the options that are available to pay for it.”
Juliet also realized the definite need to address long-term care. “There is such a need for being prepared financially for long-term care,” she notes. “Whether someone is in a facility or is receiving care at home, it can drain any savings that they may have had.”
With this in mind, Juliet is now looking at how she can better serve the next generation. At age 60 or 65, they may not be thinking about it, but with education and planning they can be successfully prepared for it. “If you can plan for it now – do it. You don’t know what can happen down the road and if you could possibly end up having a long-term illness where you may need specialized care,” she states. “We are advocating for baby boomers to educate themselves about the need for long-term care,” notes Lorrie.
Juliet has decided to expand ALCI by becoming an independent broker with World Financial Group/World System Builder. She is now licensed as a life, health and accident agent by the State of Wisconsin, which allows her to provide education to individuals interested in learning about long-term care options.
Long-term care insurance is becoming more popular because of the need for elder care as baby boomers age. The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that at least 70% of those over age 65 will require some form of long-term insurance in their lifetime. The cost of long-term care is astounding if you do not plan in advance for it. “It is important to understand what long-term care is and how you can benefit from purchasing this type of insurance,” says Juliet.
Together, Juliet and Lorrie believe that providing in-home care is essential, but without proper planning, in-home care can be very expensive. Providing education regarding long-term care insurance can help individuals make one of the most beneficial decisions for the future. Many individuals mistakenly assume that their medical insurance coverage includes long-term care; however, it only provides limited benefits that are related to brief rehabilitation stays.
Juliet will regularly conduct long-term care insurance workshops in their office at 125 West James Street in Columbus and would also meet individually with people in their homes, as well.
For more information about our services, you may contact Juliet at (608) 291-4289 or email her at angelslovingcare@gmail.com or Lorrie at (920) 350-2058 or email her at Lzwiegangels@gmail.com.
