Turning Love for Mom into Opportunity to Help Others

There aren’t many people who would leave a tenured career and move nearly 1,000 miles from home to care for an aging parent. But that’s exactly what Diana Cabassi did—and her journey continues to lead her to opportunity and fulfillment.

While Diana Cabassi considered many things as she packed her things to move from Virginia to Florida to care for her 85-year-old mother, starting a new business wasn’t one of them. But after experiencing the challenges of being a caregiver firsthand, Diana began looking for resources to help provide solutions and alleviate some of her stress. That’s when she found Seniors Helping Seniors?, a national franchise devoted to helping senior citizens remain independent by matching them with other compassionate seniors who want to help them.

With the help of Seniors Helping Seniors founders Kiran and Philip Yocom, Diana established her own franchise to serve central and southwest Broward County in March 2014.

“I realized that Seniors Helping Seniors’ values aligned perfectly with my own,” says Diana, who is a professional life coach and certified senior advisor. “We provide care and dignity to a vulnerable and often overlooked population by providing companionship and helping seniors stay independent in their own homes.”

Considering her 35 years of experience working in human resources, it’s safe to say that Diana understands that the qualities caregivers possess are much more important than their resumes. That’s why she personally interviews candidates and focuses on finding people who have volunteer hearts, but who don’t mind getting paid for their services. “I choose seniors who would care for my own family” Diana says. From there, candidates must undergo Level 2 FBI background screenings while their references are verified. 

“Although my work in corporate America was challenging, I was not emotionally fulfilled,” Diana says. “Running a Seniors Helping Seniors franchise has been such a rewarding and eye-opening experience. This service concept fulfills a greater mission than other homecare agencies because our services are being provided to seniors by fellow seniors who can relate in a caring and compassionate way.”

How Does Seniors Helping Seniors Work?

Seniors Helping Seniors offers in-home, non-medical services by matching seniors who are in need of care with active seniors who can empathize with and understand their needs. We serve the communities of Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Southwest Ranches, Weston, Davie, Cooper City, Plantation, and Sunrise. Non-medical services may include companionship, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation services, yard work, and pet care, just to name a few. 

For many seniors who live alone, isolation can take an emotional toll, which is why companionship is one of the most important services Seniors Helping Seniors provides. Not to mention, Seniors Helping Seniors also provides senior caregivers a way to supplement their incomes and give back to their community.

To learn more about in-home services or caregiver opportunities in central and southwest Broward County, contact Diana Cabassi at (754) 202-5200 or [email protected]. To learn more about the history of Seniors Helping Seniors, its mission, and the services provided, visit SeniorsHelpingSeniors.com.