Know Your Neighbor: Judie Kaplan, Personal Concierge, Mt. Kisco

Judie Kaplan had recently retired from a long and successful career as a health care administrator, when in 2011 one of her two grown sons asked her for help to organize his closets.

From that simple request, Kaplan had an epiphany; the conversation sparked an idea for a new business.

“My son called me and said, ‘Oh my God, my closets are a mess. I really need to get a grip on this,’” Kaplan recalled. “I said I’ll come help you, and I don’t know what happened. I hung up the phone and said, ‘Oh my God, that’s what I want to do.’”

What she did was launch Judie Kaplan Personal Concierge, Inc., a service that helps people with a wide assortment of tasks, including home organizing, bookkeeping and de-cluttering, waiting for deliveries or repairmen so clients don’t have to take off from work and helping senior citizens and their families shop, pick up prescriptions or bring seniors to doctors’ appointments.

Kaplan’s services also include companion visits, advising families on whether an assisted living facility would be suitable for their loved one and helping seniors adjust to their new surroundings.

With 35 years of expertise in the health care field, Kaplan is also able to advocate for clients, particularly seniors, who may be uncertain about which health insurance plan to choose or even helping them recover money after being overcharged on premiums and co-pays. In one case, Kaplan said she recovered $31,000 for a client.

While many clients are seniors, she also helps professionals and younger people organize their lives.

“I have a talent, obviously, with health care, so folks who have problems with insurance, I advocate for seniors,” Kaplan said. “I specialize in seniors aging in place, so I advocate for them. I’ll take them to doctors and be like a surrogate daughter.”

Next month will mark five years since Kaplan, who is based out of her Mount Kisco home office, started her venture. At 74, her only regret is not having come up with the idea about 30 years ago.

“Everybody is concerned (that) I can’t get a job over 45,” Kaplan said. “I just felt very inspired that I was doing something for myself that I felt passionate, and I began reading everything I could with regards to personal concierge. Somehow that’s the word that comes to my mind.”

For six months after deciding to start the business, Kaplan created a corporation, distributed fliers and business cards, networked, and most important, decided on what services she would provide. She has received clients from elder attorneys, geriatric care managers and word-of-mouth referrals.

Kaplan said seniors and their families are comfortable with her gregarious personality and value the guidance she brings on many issues.

“It’s not just my experience and my wisdom from my age, I’m still learning, she said.

Kaplan, born and raised in Worcester, Mass., went to junior college to initially become a medical assistant. She got her first job in Boston where she met her husband, a doctor. They moved to New York after two years in Texas, but instead of focusing on a career, Kaplan did what a lot of women did in the 1960s – she became a housewife and began raising her two sons.

After her divorce in 1976, Kaplan, who never remarried and now has two grandchildren, was forced to return to the workforce. She served in middle and upper management for various multispecialty practices.

“I’m really pretty proud of myself,” Kaplan said. “Nothing was handed to me and with each position, I challenged myself and I was able to succeed.”

She retired following surgery for a health issue in 2010, not returning because she felt burnt out.

But it wasn’t long before Kaplan’s next – and most unexpected – chapter in life materialized.

Kaplan said she does all the work on her own. Since it’s her name on the business, she said she wouldn’t feel comfortable contracting the work out.

She said she feels healthy and strong, staying active with yoga, going once a year to a retreat spa in Utah and taking in movies at the Jacob Burns Film Center. Most of all, Kaplan has enjoyed her late-in-life calling.

“I love my work,” Kaplan said. “I love waking up in the morning and wondering what the day is going to bring.”

For more information about Judie Kaplan Personal Concierge, call 914-215-1968, visit www.judiekaplan.com or e-mail jkaplan@judiekaplan.com.