Angels Loving Care

By Candice Wagener | Photographed by Hillary Schave

Juliet Nowak epitomizes the definition of a people-person: very open and talkative, she instantly befriends whoever she meets. It was only natural that she delved into the caregiving profession when she moved to the United States from her native Philippines and needed work.

After earning her master’s degree in health administration, Nowak launched her own caregiving business, Angels Loving Care, in 2014, and has seen the enterprise grow like wildfire.

The company provides individualized caregiving, mostly for the aged but also for anyone in need of specialized care. And it’s all done in the comfort of the client’s home.

Nowak says her years spent working on the front lines in assisted living facilities and in memory care units left her disappointed with how little one-on-one time she actually had to devote to each resident.

“You have eight-hour shifts, [but] you hardly have time to get to know residents. In that eight hours you have a lot to do…sometimes there are 20 residents and only two of us. It’s hard,” comments Nowak. “I love to talk. I love to spend quality time with my patients…Sometimes I would go out of my way for the family, [but] you can only do so much.”

Nowak says those experiences of wanting to provide more for her patients and their families prompted her to launch her business. She works with the client and their family to tailor a custom schedule, whether they only need a few hours of care each month or require 24hour assistance.

“When we are working with your loved one, we are working with them and they are our priority,” says Nowak, adding that families often don’t realize how little one-on-one care is given at outside facilities. Plus, clients are usually happier being at home.

Nowak helped one family whose mother was in hospice and had been told she needed to be treated in a facility, but the mother’s wish was to die in her home. Nowak’s therapists worked with the mother in her home for 18 months until she passed away. The family was so appreciative of the quality of care their mother received and the ability to honor her wish to stay in her home.

“Many people don’t realize how vital in-home care services are for our aging population, nor what talents and compassion it takes to provide these services,” the daughter commented in a letter, thanking Nowak and her team.

Nowak’s business is timely, with the aging population growing nationwide. The number of Americans age 65 and over jumped from 35 million in 2000 to more than 49 million in 2016—a 7 percent increase, according to U.S. Census data.

On the local level, the need is reflected in Nowak’s rapid business expansion. In less than five years, Angels Loving Care has grown to 80 employees, serving over 100 clients at any given time, and offering care within seven Wisconsin counties.

In May this year, Nowak was one of 17 women who 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.

Nowak is also extremely proud of the team she employs, many of whom have been with her since she started Angels Loving Care. Nowak sees them all as leaders in their own right and says she makes a conscious effort not to micromanage.

“I can only soar if I have the right people…we’re winning because we are working as a team,” says Nowak. “The field, the profession is very challenging. At the end of the day, what we can say is we’re helping people and we’re making a difference for that person’s life. That’s what keeps me going.”