September 11, 2026

She Wishes Her Family Had Known About Home Care Sooner

For many families, the first conversation about home care happens after something has already gone wrong.

A fall.

A hospitalization.

A parent who is suddenly struggling to live safely alone.

For Porsha Vogt, owner of Golden Care in San Diego, California, that realization came through a family tragedy she has never forgotten.

During an interview with Valerie VanBooven, RN, BSN, for Care Across America, Porsha shared the story of her Aunt Alice, the woman whose experience ultimately inspired her to enter the home care profession.

Today, Golden Care has been serving older adults and families throughout San Diego County for more than 13 years.

But its story began decades earlier.

The Family Experience That Changed Porsha's Life

Porsha's Aunt Alice had multiple sclerosis and lived alone.

She was independent, but like many older adults and people living with chronic health conditions, there were risks that came with being by herself.

The problem was that Porsha's family didn't know there was another option.

Professional home care was not nearly as well known approximately 30 years ago as it is today.

Families weren't necessarily talking about bringing a caregiver into someone's home to provide companionship, personal assistance, supervision, or help with everyday activities.

Porsha's family simply didn't know that home care agencies existed.

Then tragedy struck.

Porsha's uncle went to Alice's home and found her in the bathroom.

The family believes she may have fallen and hit her head on the bathtub. She later passed away.

Looking back, Porsha can't help wondering whether things might have been different if the family had known that in-home support was available.

She told Valerie:

“Had we known about home care agencies, I think she would've lived for several more years.”

That experience stayed with her.

And eventually, it became a mission.

Families Shouldn't Have to Discover Home Care After an Emergency

One of the most important lessons from Porsha's story has little to do with any individual home care agency.

It is about awareness.

Families often don't realize how much an aging loved one is struggling until a major event forces everyone to pay attention.

Sometimes the signs are obvious.

Other times, they are small.

Maybe Mom has stopped cooking as often.

Dad is no longer comfortable driving.

There are bruises no one can quite explain.

The house isn't as clean as it used to be.

Getting in and out of the shower has become frightening.

Someone is forgetting appointments or struggling with their normal daily routine.

None of those situations automatically means an older adult can no longer live at home.

In fact, additional support may be exactly what helps them continue living there.

That is one reason Porsha believes education is such an important part of home care.

Families should know what options exist before they are facing a crisis.

What Does Home Care Actually Provide?

Home care can look very different depending on the individual.

Some older adults need only a few hours of assistance during the week.

Others may require much more extensive support.

Non-medical home care may include help with activities such as:

Bathing, grooming and dressing
Meal preparation
Light housekeeping
Companionship
Transportation and errands
Mobility assistance
Medication reminders
Respite for family caregivers
Supervision and safety support
Assistance with everyday routines

The goal is often not to take independence away.

It is to provide enough assistance so that an older adult can maintain as much independence as possible.

Golden Care's Approach: Concierge Home Care

During the interview, Valerie also asked Porsha about how Golden Care has evolved during its 13 years serving San Diego County.

Porsha describes Golden Care as a concierge home care company.

For her, concierge care means providing more than simply assigning a caregiver to a client.

It begins with the caregivers themselves.

Golden Care looks for experienced caregivers, typically people who already have two to three years of caregiving experience.

The company also focuses heavily on attracting and retaining quality caregivers through competitive compensation.

But experience isn't the only qualification Porsha considers important.

She looks for something much harder to measure.

Heart.

The Best Caregivers Genuinely Want to Help People

Caregiving is extremely personal work.

A caregiver may be helping someone get dressed in the morning, preparing meals, providing transportation, assisting with mobility, or simply sitting and talking with someone who would otherwise spend much of the day alone.

Technical skills can be taught.

Compassion is different.

As Valerie and Porsha discussed during the interview, a caregiver needs to genuinely enjoy helping other people.

Porsha explained:

“They need to have the passion, the heart.”

That philosophy shapes the way Golden Care selects caregivers.

Someone can learn how to perform a task properly.

But patience, empathy, attentiveness and the desire to make another person's life better are qualities that aren't easily taught in a training session.

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Why Care Management Matters

Golden Care's concierge model also includes something Porsha believes makes a major difference: care management.

In a traditional model, a caregiver may be scheduled to work in the client's home and much of the ongoing relationship revolves around scheduling that care.

Golden Care adds another layer.

Care managers remain involved with the client, caregiver and family.

That can include spontaneous visits and check-ins to see how things are going.

It provides another set of eyes.

Is the home being maintained?

Is the caregiver meeting expectations?

Does the client seem different than they did previously?

Is there a new concern the family should know about?

Could the caregiver use additional support?

Are the client's needs changing?

These are important questions because aging is rarely predictable.

A plan that worked six months ago may need to change.

Sometimes Small Changes Tell a Bigger Story

One advantage of ongoing care management is that it can help identify changes that might otherwise be overlooked.

Golden Care also has a registered nurse involved with its care management team.

The agency provides non-medical home care, but a nurse can bring a valuable clinical perspective to observations about a client's changing condition.

Porsha gave the example of someone developing swelling in their legs.

A caregiver may recognize that the person's legs look different.

A nurse may recognize that this is something the family should discuss with the client's healthcare provider.

The goal isn't to diagnose or treat the condition through non-medical home care.

It is to notice that something has changed and encourage the family to seek appropriate medical guidance.

That second set of experienced eyes can be valuable, especially when adult children don't live nearby or cannot see their parent every day.

Home Care Supports Families, Too

Home care is often described in terms of what it does for the older adult.

But it can also dramatically affect the family.

Adult children may spend months or years trying to coordinate everything themselves.

They are checking on Mom.

Calling Dad.

Buying groceries.

Managing appointments.

Stopping by after work.

Worrying about falls.

Trying to figure out whether their parent is really doing as well as they claim.

And sometimes doing all of that while raising children and managing their own careers and households.

Having professional support doesn't mean the family stops being involved.

It can mean they no longer have to do everything alone.

Local Knowledge Can Become an Important Resource

After 13 years in business, Porsha and the Golden Care team also know the senior care landscape throughout San Diego County.

That matters because home care isn't always the only resource a family needs.

An older adult's situation may involve physicians, rehabilitation, senior programs, transportation resources, community services, home modifications or other types of support.

Families often don't know who to call.

An experienced care team can sometimes help families understand what questions to ask and where they might find additional resources.

For someone who has never navigated senior care before, that guidance can be incredibly valuable.

Don't Wait for the Fall

Perhaps the most important message from Porsha's story is also the simplest:

You don't have to wait for an emergency to learn about home care.

Talking about help doesn't mean someone is losing their independence.

Exploring home care doesn't mean you have to begin full-time care tomorrow.

And asking questions doesn't commit a family to anything.

It simply means you know what options are available.

Because when something does change, knowing where to turn can make an already difficult situation easier to manage.

Porsha wishes her family had known that when Aunt Alice was alive.

Today, educating other families about those options is part of the reason she continues doing this work.

A Personal Story That Became a Professional Mission

More than three decades have passed since Aunt Alice's death.

Home care has changed tremendously since then.

Families have more options.

People are talking more openly about aging in place.

And professional caregivers are helping millions of older adults continue living in familiar homes and communities.

But families still sometimes wait until a crisis before asking for help.

Porsha hopes they won't.

Her experience with Aunt Alice eventually led her to create Golden Care and spend more than 13 years helping families throughout San Diego County navigate aging and care at home.

It's a reminder that sometimes the best time to learn about home care isn't when you desperately need it.

It's before you do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Golden Care provide home care?

Golden Care serves older adults and families throughout San Diego County, California.

What does a home care care manager do?

A care manager can help oversee the broader care experience, communicate with caregivers and families, check on how services are going and identify changes that may require attention or additional resources.

What is concierge home care?

The term varies among providers. At Golden Care, Porsha Vogt describes concierge home care as a model that combines experienced caregivers with additional care management, ongoing oversight and support for clients and their families.

Does receiving home care mean giving up independence?

Not necessarily. Home care is often used specifically to help older adults maintain independence. The right amount of support can make it possible for someone to continue living in their own home while receiving assistance with tasks that have become difficult or unsafe.

When should families start considering home care?

Families do not need to wait for a major health crisis. Changes in mobility, personal hygiene, meal preparation, driving, household upkeep, socialization or overall safety may be reasons to begin exploring additional support.

What is non-medical home care?

Non-medical home care provides assistance with everyday activities that can help an older adult remain safer and more independent at home. Services may include personal care, companionship, meal preparation, transportation, light housekeeping, mobility assistance and medication reminders.

Written By

Valerie VanBooven RN BSN

Valerie VanBooven RN BSN is a registered nurse, wife, mom, and published author of several books on long-term care and elder care. She is the Founder and Co-Owner of Approved Senior Network® and the founder of Care Across America®.