Personal concierge & lifestyle support

86 Candles

Life on Your Terms.

Senior concierge services for the Connecticut shoreline and New Haven County.

Growing older shouldn’t mean giving up the life you’ve created. 86 Candles provides trusted, highly personal concierge support for older adults who want to remain independent, engaged and in control—and for families who want to know someone capable and caring is there when they can’t be.

From managing the details of everyday life to navigating bigger transitions, 86 Candles is there to make life easier, safer and fuller—without taking it over.

Start a Conversation Explore Services

A little help. A lot more freedom.

A different kind of support

A concierge for the chapter you’re in.

Life keeps moving. Sometimes what changes isn’t what you want to do—it’s how much energy you want to spend coordinating it all. 86 Candles steps in where you want help, while keeping you firmly in charge.

“No treating capable adults like children. Just thoughtful, highly personalized help from someone you trust.”

The 86 Candles promise

What we do

A trusted extra set of hands for life.

The service changes with the person. The goal doesn’t: less friction, more freedom, and the confidence that the details are handled.

Appointments & Errands

Scheduling, reminders, transportation coordination, shopping, returns, pharmacy trips and the everyday tasks that simply need to get done.

Home & Vendor Management

Meeting contractors, organizing repairs, coordinating household services, seasonal needs and keeping the moving parts of home life under control.

Technology Help

Phones, tablets, streaming, passwords, online accounts, telehealth and patient guidance with the technology that is supposed to make life easier.

Outings & Experiences

Lunches, galleries, theater, visits, day trips, travel planning and the plans that keep life interesting, connected and enjoyable.

Organization & Life Admin

Paperwork, calendars, household organization, mail, appointments and practical support when there are simply too many details to manage alone.

Family Liaison

A trusted local presence for families who live elsewhere and want someone reliable nearby to help coordinate, communicate and keep an eye on the details.

Our philosophy

You’re not done living. You’re done doing everything yourself.

86 Candles is not about taking over. It is about making more possible—protecting independence, preserving choice and giving people practical support so they can keep living the life they want.

Support should expand your world, not shrink it.

Why 86 Candles?

A name with a story.

My mother lived to be 86. She was a geriatric nurse and nursing home administrator, and some of my earliest memories are of spending time with the older people she cared for.

She taught me that age never erases a person’s individuality, dignity, humor, history or desire to keep living fully. Decades later, that lesson has become the heart of 86 Candles.

Every candle represents another year lived, another story collected and another reason to celebrate. The purpose of 86 Candles is simple: help people keep as much choice, freedom, connection and joy in their lives as possible.

Life on your terms—that’s the whole point.

Meet Ruthanna

A lifetime of managing the details. A deeply personal reason for doing it now.

86 Candles grew from both personal experience and a lifetime of bringing people, resources and solutions together.

Founder Ruthanna Terreri spent more than 30 years building organizations, managing complex projects, creating partnerships and solving problems—often in mission-driven work where trust, resourcefulness and getting things done mattered enormously.

But the roots of 86 Candles go back much further. Ruthanna's mother was a geriatric nurse and nursing home administrator, and Ruthanna grew up spending time with the older adults in her care. She learned early that growing older doesn't diminish who someone is, what they value or how they want to live.

More recently, helping older friends and neighbors navigate the realities of aging brought those lessons full circle. Ruthanna saw firsthand how quickly everyday life can become complicated—and how much difference one capable, trusted person can make.

86 Candles is the culmination of those experiences: practical help, creative problem-solving and genuine human connection, all centered around one simple belief—your life should remain yours.

Who’s behind 86 Candles?

The kind of person you’d trust with the details of your life—and enjoy having around.

At 86 Candles, we believe the person helping you matters just as much as the help itself.

Our concierges are capable, experienced people who genuinely enjoy helping others. They may be retired or semi-retired professionals, teachers, artists, parents, small-business owners, community volunteers, or people whose life and work experience has made them exceptionally good at getting things done.

They’re people you can count on—and people you’ll look forward to seeing.

More Than a Helping Hand

An 86 Candles concierge might organize an appointment, pick up groceries, wait for a repair person, tackle a technology problem, help plan a dinner, organize paperwork, accompany you on an outing, or simply sit down over coffee and figure out what needs to happen next.

Sometimes you need an extra pair of hands. Sometimes you need someone who knows how to solve a problem. And sometimes it’s simply nice to have an interesting person around.

That’s 86 Candles.

People We Would Trust in Our Own Homes

Trust is at the heart of what we do. The people representing 86 Candles are carefully selected for their judgment, reliability, discretion and ability to connect comfortably with people.

Licensed & Insured • Background-Checked • CPR Certified

We look for people who are:

Warm, engaging and genuinely interested in others
Resourceful and able to figure things out
Dependable and responsible
Comfortable handling both everyday errands and unexpected situations
Respectful of privacy and personal independence
Connected to and invested in their communities
People we’d feel comfortable sending to help someone we love

Life on Your Terms

We’re not here to take over. We’re here to make it easier for you to keep living the life you choose—with a little more help when you want it, a little less hassle when you don’t, and someone dependable to call when something needs to get done.

86 Candles is a non-medical concierge and personal assistance service. We do not provide medical care, nursing services, personal care or home health services.

Simple, flexible pricing

Help when you need it. No complicated contracts.

Use 86 Candles occasionally, regularly, or create a monthly plan tailored to your life. You pay for the support you actually need—nothing more.

Personal concierge services

$45

per hour · introductory offer · two-hour minimum

Regular rate: $55/hour.

For errands, appointments, household organization, vendor coordination, technology help, outings, shopping, paperwork, transportation coordination and the many everyday details that are easier with a capable extra set of hands.

Preferred Monthly Rate

10 hours per month · $450 introductory rate
Regular rate: $550/month.
For clients who want regular, ongoing support with a simple monthly plan.

Complex Life & Family Coordination

Priced individually.
For situations involving substantial planning, transition support, facility research or coordination among multiple family members and providers.

No complicated packages. No paying for help you don’t need. Your support can change as your life changes.

How it works

Personal from the very beginning.

Step One

Let’s talk.

We start with a conversation about what would make life easier, more enjoyable or less overwhelming.

Step Two

We make a plan.

No cookie-cutter packages. Support is shaped around the person, household, priorities and family.

Step Three

We handle the details.

You keep living. We help manage the things that are getting in the way—on your schedule and your terms.

For families

Peace of mind without taking away independence.

When you live across town—or across the country—it can be hard to know who will notice the small things, coordinate the practical ones and be there when something needs attention. 86 Candles can be that trusted local presence.

A reliable point person for household and day-to-day needs

Help coordinating appointments, transportation and services

Clear communication with family members when requested

Support through transitions without automatically taking control away

Flexible help that can be occasional, project-based or ongoing

Kind words

Trust is personal.

86 Candles is built around something that can’t be put on a service list: knowing that the person you invite into your life will notice, listen, care and follow through.

“

Ruthanna was there for us even before we fully realized how much help we needed. She noticed the little things, stepped in when something needed to be done, and always treated us with genuine care and compassion.

As our needs changed, Ruthanna helped us navigate what became an increasingly difficult time. She paid attention to the details—appointments, communication with doctors and our family, everyday needs, and the many decisions that come with making changes later in life.

What meant the most to us was that she never made us feel like a burden or that decisions should simply be made for us. She listened, respected our wishes, and treated us with kindness and dignity. Knowing Ruthanna was there to help us and our family made a difficult transition feel a little less overwhelming.

— Shelby & Paul

“

Ruthanna has consistently demonstrated compassion, integrity, and a genuine concern for others. She is dependable, thoughtful, and always willing to step forward when help is needed.

— Theodore Rahmann, Colleague, Bauer Park Advisory Committee

“

She consistently treated those around her with care, patience, and respect. Her character reflects genuine compassion and concern for others. She is dependable, caring, and generous-hearted.

— Barbara Gene Wilson, Former Employee

“

Ruthanna is punctual, dependable, and an incredibly hard worker. She brings warmth and creativity to what she does and is a team player, a confidante, and a dedicated professional.

— Caitlin Carrano, Colleague, Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy

“

Ruthanna showed kindness to all students and to me. She showed dedication and professionalism in her role and was motivated to meet the needs of all students.

— Andrea Gaines, Colleague, Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy

“

Ruthanna is caring, ethical, trustworthy, and deeply committed to the well-being of others. She brings resourcefulness, creativity, compassion, and a deep sense of purpose to her work and relationships.

— Peter Strugatz, Longtime Professional Colleague, Nonprofit & Social Impact Sector

86 Candles | Concierge for Life

What would make life easier?

Whether you need occasional help, ongoing concierge support or a trusted local person for someone you love, it starts with a conversation.

Let's Talk
(203) 980-9798