Elder Care: A Personal Journey from Caregiver to Advisor
By Sowmya Dhandapani · Published
Two decades ago, finding a live-in attendant or a home nurse meant word-of-mouth references, weekend-long vetting, and making do. A personal reflection on caring for the elders in my family, and why today's technology-enabled care gives families real hope.
Reflecting on my career trajectory, I realize that the most formative lessons didn't come from boardrooms or business schools. They came from weekends spent searching for reliable home care workers and navigating the complex landscape of elderly healthcare. Today, as I transition into an advisory role focused on elder care, I'm driven by a mission rooted in personal experience and a vision for systemic change.
Growing Up with Care at the Center
In my family, elder care was never a burden to delegate. It was woven into the fabric of how we lived. Watching my parents and extended family make daily and long-term decisions to ensure our elders' well-being taught me lessons that transcended typical family dynamics. I learned about resource allocation, conflict resolution, team building, and what it truly means to lead with empathy.
These weren't concepts in a textbook. They were lived experiences. When decisions needed to be made about my grandfather's mobility aids, or how to structure support for my grandmother's changing health needs, our family became a microcosm of organizational leadership. We had to communicate clearly, adapt quickly, and always, always, put the dignity and well-being of our loved ones first.
The Reality Check: Twenty Years Ago
Two decades back, when I transitioned into a caregiving role myself, the theoretical became intensely practical. I discovered that elder care is as much an art as it is a science, and the infrastructure supporting it was far more fragmented than I'd anticipated.
Finding a live-in assistant wasn't a matter of opening an app. It meant relying on word-of-mouth recommendations, conducting interviews in our home, and hoping their references panned out. We'd spend entire weekends vetting agencies, checking credentials, and building relationships with individuals who would eventually become trusted members of our household.
When medical needs arose (a new injection protocol, temporary physiotherapy for a joint issue, or specialized nursing care), we became amateur detectives. We'd call hospitals, reach out to local clinics, navigate bureaucratic processes, and piece together a support system from whatever resources we could access. There was no "quick commerce" for healthcare workers. No verified platforms connecting families with vetted professionals. No real-time ratings or transparent pricing.
We did what countless families still do in many parts of the world: we managed. We put in our best efforts, leveraged personal networks, and sometimes, we simply made do with imperfect solutions because the alternatives were worse.
The Transformation: Why Hope Matters
Fast-forward to today, and the landscape has transformed in ways that genuinely move me. Technology platforms now connect families with caregivers, nurses, and health professionals in real-time. Awareness campaigns have destigmatized elder care discussions. Innovative startups are addressing gaps that seemed insurmountable two decades ago.
When I see the proliferation of elder care services, from specialized agencies to technology-enabled platforms, I feel a profound sense of relief for families currently navigating what my family navigated. I find myself thinking: If only we'd had access to these solutions then.
But more than relief, I feel responsibility. Having sat on both sides of the caregiving equation, I understand the gaps, the pain points, and the untapped potential in this space. I've seen how technology can simplify complexity. I've witnessed how purpose-driven organizations can create sustainable models. And I know, from personal experience, how transformative accessible elder care can be, not just for seniors, but for entire families and communities.
To the families currently navigating elder care with limited resources: your struggle is real, and you're not alone. To the innovators and healthcare professionals building solutions in this space: your work matters profoundly. To policymakers: this is an urgent investment area that demands attention. It's about envisioning a world where elder care is accessible, dignified, and supported by both technology and compassion.
The care I witnessed and provided shaped who I am. Now, it's my turn to pay that forward.