How Navigating My Father's Journey with Aphasia Led Me to Build Better Senior Care Solutions

My father's journey with aphasia began around the same time I entered the senior living industry nearly 10 years ago. I could never have anticipated how these two paths—personal and professional—would converge so significantly. I thought I knew what lay ahead; but life, as always, had other plans. 

Aphasia starts subtly. We all misplace words occasionally, right? You blame it on stress, fatigue or just the passage of time. My dad was in his mid-60s, and he certainly wasn’t "old." 

But slowly, more and more words slipped away. He owned two businesses at the time and would write down what he needed to say on the phone before reading it aloud. Back then, he could still read, and texting helped bridge the communication gaps. 

When Aphasia Forces a New Chapter 

As his condition worsened, my dad had to give up his businesses—one of the most painful experiences of his life. They represented the years of hard work, late nights and passion. Watching him let go of that part of his life was heartbreaking, and with it came a growing depression. 

Even then, I didn’t fully grasp how much worse things could get. My dad’s type of aphasia, which is a form of dementia, doesn’t receive as much attention as Alzheimer’s disease, even though it can be just as life-altering.  

From Personal to Professional: Connecting the Dots 

During these early years of my dad’s diagnosis, I was working hard in the senior living industry, but I hadn’t yet connected my professional work with the challenges my dad was facing. As a nurse, I knew the clinical side of these conditions. But it's hard to maintain that professional distance when it's your own family. 

I was so close to the situation, it became difficult to apply my nurse’s objectivity. 

The Turning Point: When Life and Work Collide 

In July 2023, my dad gave up his car keys—a monumental moment for a man whose identity was so closely tied to cars and freedom.  

Shortly after, on September 15, 2023, my dad danced with my mom at my daughter’s wedding—something we’re all so glad we were able to witness. Just three days later, he suffered a fall that marked the beginning of another significant decline. While nothing was broken, and he hadn't had a stroke, he was never able to walk again. His strength faded quickly, as did his independence. 

Applying Professional Expertise to Personal Circumstances 

This is where my professional experience started to intersect with my personal life. My dad couldn’t return home—my parents' tri-level house wasn’t equipped to support him, and my brother, who has special needs, was deeply traumatized by my dad’s fall. I knew we had to find another solution, and this is where the senior care technology I helped develop became critical. 

My dad now lives in an assisted living community that uses the care model and technology I helped build. We call it the HigherPath^TM. The goal of the HigherPath is simple: We refuse to accept that seniors must spend their final years on a "lower path," where one health event after another diminishes their quality of life. Instead, our model seeks to prevent adverse events before they happen, and to ensure that when seniors do experience setbacks, they have the support they need to recover as fully as possible. 

From Personal Experience to Broader Impact 

In the United States, it's often accepted that seniors will experience a steep decline after major events, such as falls. Their quality of life diminishes with each one, and they never fully recover. Through my work with Serviam Care Network and Netsmart Technologies, we’re challenging that narrative. We help senior living operators and caregivers lessen the impact of adverse events, improve resident outcomes, and ultimately extend the quality of life for seniors I’m incredibly proud that the technology I helped develop is directly impacting my father’s care.  

How HigherPath Can Help You 

If you're a senior living operator, caregiver or someone concerned about the future quality of care for your loved ones, I encourage you to explore how the HigherPath model can make a difference. This isn't just about managing health events. —It's about preventing them, preserving quality of life and ensuring seniors can live their remaining years on a better, more dignified path. 

We’ve already seen the impact in facilities across the country, and my own family’s experience is living proof that it works. 

If you're interested in learning more about how we can bring the HigherPath model to your community, I would love to connect. Let’s work together to ensure that our seniors live their lives on the path they deserve.