Just Like Home | Our Story
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Deirdre pictured with one of her all-time favorite people, her mom, Jane P. Murphy
“When it is time, I would be proud to have my own mom move into one of Just Like Home’s senior residential homes. It would give our entire family total peace of mind knowing that she was getting the love and attention she deserves.”
Managing member, Deirdre JP Virvo, is passionate about providing a better option for seniors living in her Fairfield and New Haven County community. Deirdre is a real estate entrepreneur and a social worker at heart. Dogwood Home and Long Hill Home are the first two of, what she plans will soon be, many such boutique homes for seniors.
As the owner of SoCT Real Estate Investor Association, she was asked by her members to bring in an expert on Senior Housing. After doing much research, Deirdre found a great group, out of Arizona who were experts on senior residential housing. “Wow, what a better, safer, more loving alternative to big-hotel type places!” Deirdre was moved to action. With hearing so many sad stories of her friends and family members having to put their parents in bigger, depressing institutional places; creating a boutique home-setting atmosphere spoke to her heart.
Co-author of the book, Home to Home, The Step By Step Senior Housing Guide, Deirdre teaches workshops across the Fairfield County helping seniors and families create a housing roadmap to honor seniors’ wishes and prepare for eldercare.
Deirdre has worked for Stamford Senior Services heading their Friendly Shoppers and Visitors program, where she saw first-hand how isolated and lonely so many seniors lived. Her own mother-in-law suffered from Dementia for more than a dozen years. She knows first-hand how tough it can be on the whole family.
Deirdre is a long-time volunteer veteran (25+ years) at Person-To-Person in Darien, where she enjoys helping the clients one-on-one. She resides in Stamford, has three grown children, three stepchildren and three precious grandchild and more on the way. The closeness of her children and her entire family are Deirdre’s self-proclaimed greatest accomplishments to date. The creation of Dogwood and Long Hill Homes are a close second.