Tom McInerney
A Message From Our CEO and Family Caregiver
My Story
I hold the title of “CEO,” but another title I hold near and dear to my heart is caregiver. Like so many of my colleagues, it’s this first-hand experience that makes the work we do here at Genworth so much more meaningful because we’re not just helping policyholders, we’re helping moms and dads, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends just like us.
My three sisters and I care for our mother who is 87 years old and immobilized by severe rheumatoid arthritis. My mom is completely dependent upon caregivers for everything from getting out of bed and into a chair, to getting dressed, bathing and food preparation. She needs professional caregivers to come into her home in the morning and evening and for meals to be delivered to her. Fortunately, two of my sisters live close by and take turns in the afternoons until the caregiver arrives. When I return home on holidays and during vacations, I stay with my mom, personally attending to her needs and giving my sisters a welcome break. My sister who lives in Arizona does the same thing when she visits.
The experience of caring for my mom, even part time, has made me appreciate how hard and tiring 24/7 caregiving can be. You are always on call and the pressure is never-ending. I am also keenly aware of the difficult choices many caregivers must make as they weigh competing priorities.
My mom, my sister Maureen and my mom's great granddaughter Julie out for a stroll on a sunny day
I am not alone in my story. Like more than 43 million Americans many of us are caregivers for someone we love. Those who need care and those who love them continue to inspire me and the Genworth family with their grace, grit and determination to live life on their own terms as they age.
We are a company that cares about the people we serve because we ARE the people we serve. We have had the same personal struggles and we can relate on a personal level to our policyholders and their families.
A big thank you to our policyholders for entrusting Genworth with your business and to our employees’ dedication to helping our policyholders.
Tom
