When Dr. Portia Dodson-Sami’s mother was in the final months of her life, Dodson-Sami was juggling work, family and the demands of caring for an ailing parent.
“I know first-hand the relief that you get when you have a qualified and caring caregiver to assist you during that difficult period,” she told Business Inspire.
That experience helped inspire Senior Solutions, the elder care business she started with her husband. It provides personalised care for seniors and support for the families who look after them.
A varied career
Dodson-Sami began her career as a microbiologist and went on to study medicine, educational psychology, children’s studies, business administration and, most recently, geriatric medicine. She worked in three government ministries and was involved in medical education throughout.
In 2020, she was contracted to develop and deliver a training programme in elderly care, and she has since trained more than 200 women. Facilitating a programme on health and social care inequalities that same year showed her the gaps in how Guyana cares for its ageing population.
Who Senior Solutions serves
Her clients fall into three main groups: recent retirees who suddenly have little to do and limited social activities; families worried about the mental and physical decline that isolation can bring; and busy professionals whose parents have several health conditions that need more care than they can give.
The business offers home-based care, sending trained caregivers to help seniors with daily living. It also runs activities at its own facility, including exercise, games, wellness sessions and karaoke, which Dodson-Sami calls “strategic fun.”
The results can be striking. She recalled one client whose family believed she was depressed. After a single visit, a relative said, “It’s like talking to a different person.”
Home is usually the best place for seniors to receive care, she said, but socialising matters too. Among their peers, in a safe space, seniors often open up about challenges they don’t share with family.
Building trust
Letting a stranger into the home is a big step for many families. Senior Solutions’ caregivers range from registered nurses to holders of elder care certificates. All must be certified in first aid and have police clearance, and they receive ongoing training.
The company works as a team with each family, keeps detailed records of the care provided, and monitors its caregivers.
Changing mindsets
Her biggest challenge has been stigma: the belief that children should personally care for the parents who raised them.
“Employing a caregiver doesn’t mean that you love them less,” she said. “In some cases it’s even more, because you’re giving them the specialised care that they need.”
On cost, Senior Solutions tailors its packages to what each family can afford. It also helps clients access free services in the public health system. She gave the example of a caregiver who didn’t know free physiotherapy was available nearby.
Dodson-Sami is also calling for regulation of the sector, because untrained carers can sometimes do more harm than good. “We need to regularise how this service is provided,” she said, “and that comes through training, certification and also monitoring.”
Closing the digital divide
Senior Solutions also runs a digital literacy programme for seniors, with introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. Participants learn to use devices safely, stay connected with family, and access government services online. The programme also covers how to check information before sharing it and how to spot scams, and participants get follow-up support after they finish.
“We have to be patient,” she said. “There is a gap, and they need to catch up, because this is the way the world is going.”
Looking ahead
Dodson-Sami hopes Senior Solutions will become a household name, but she says what matters most is its impact on seniors’ physical and mental well-being.
Her advice to families is simple: plan ahead for loved ones as they age. “Don’t wait for a crisis.”
To contact Senior Solutions, call 231-6502 or 621-0343.