From a young age, I was my mother's assistant in helping the elderly in our neighborhood. We helped them with the basics of daily living like bathing, cooking, housekeeping, and laundry. Many lived alone or were neglected by their families. My lifelong passion for helping the elderly began here. I have worked in caregiving for many years, both full and part time.

I have been honored to serve a number of ailing family members until they passed away. Experience is the best teacher, as they say. My mother-in-law, who was a stroke victim, lived in our home for seven years. I also assisted my mother in caring for my brother with cancer and my sister who was also terminally ill.

My husband, who had a massive heart attack was also a stroke victim. Both of my beloved parents became ill in 2007, and I cared for them, along with my siblings, through my mother's death in 2008 and my dad's passing in 2009. Dad had many problems including dementia and diabetes. My family has always stuck together and cared for our loved ones at home where they were most comfortable and secure.

I know the importance and value of letting aged folks stay in their own homes with their familiar things and surroundings. I admire how our company, Care For Life, empowers families to keep their loved ones at home with them. My co-workers and I share the bond of having the hearts of caregivers who can share with our clients and their families from our own experiences. The mutual support and referral information have helped make my caregiving in my family an easier road to navigate.

Delores Dowling