In Brief

Simple Shopping for Caregiving Needs

Some families live far from each other. Peter Zollo knew he was lucky to live 10 minutes from his late mother Lois’ care community in Northbrook. When Lois was alive, the Zollos visited daily and made sure she never ran out of toiletries or the Werther’s caramels and crossword puzzles she adored. Then the pandemic hit.

“All of a sudden we turned into a family who was caring for a loved one at a great distance,” says Jimmy Zollo, Peter’s son. That change gave them insight into what people face when caregiving from afar — and how they could make a difference. 

Like all entrepreneurs, Peter and Jimmy came up with a solution to the problem: joeandbella.com, an online store with merchandise designed to improve the lives of older adults, including technology for virtual visits, toiletries set up for automatic delivery, adaptable clothing for easy dressing, and customized gift boxes. 

The Chicago-based store, which opened in January 2021, is named after Joe and Bella, two residents who helped acclimate the Zollos to care community life. Now the family is meeting others’ needs.

 


Photo: Lois “Iya” Zollo (center), surrounded by her family. Photo courtesy of Peter Zollo
Share
Published by
By Melanie Kalmar

Recent Posts

Our Top 10 Stories of 2024

We're always curious at the end of the year to see which stories most resonated…

2 weeks ago

Elder Emergencies

Emergency departments (EDs) are no longer one-size-fits-all. Many find value in modifying to meet older…

3 weeks ago

Diagnosis: Dementia

More than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, and in the United States, nearly 7 million…

3 weeks ago

Slaying Stereotypes

A veteran journalist on the inherent power of age What surprised Sheila Solomon about turning…

3 weeks ago

We Asked: Do you have a favorite dish a loved one used to make?

Every issue, we ask our readers to share their insights on a specific topic. Read…

3 weeks ago

Medicaid 101

What to know about this healthcare safety net Fact checked by Shannon Sparks   When…

3 weeks ago

This website uses cookies.