August is shaping up to be an eventful month for New Jersey home care entrepreneur Senen Cabalfin. The Filipino-American entrepreneur and owner of Executive Home Care franchises in Freehold, Somerset, Tom’s River and Bergen County will receive a special honor from the Fiesta In America’s People’s Ball in recognition of her distinguished career.
“This honor means a lot to me, it’s an inspiration to women especially,” Cabalfin told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “I am humbled and honored to be a mentor to all women who want to be in the business, who are still in business and struggling to lift up their business.”
In addition to being feted at a ceremony on Aug. 13, Cabalfin will also serve as the grand marshal of Fiesta In America’s 26th-anniversary celebration celebrating Filipino music, products, food and more at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ on Aug. 19. She will be the first woman grand marshal in the event’s history.
Originally an operating room nurse, Cabalfin now owns five Executive Home Care properties in the state that serve elderly patients with conditions like ALS, dementia, among others. She gravitated toward home care because it afforded her more interaction time with clients. Like many home care executives, she finds fulfillment in her career.
“One time we had a patient who had Parkinson’s and the episode happened in the bathroom so [his wife] called me and I went there,” she recalled. “I drove quickly and I helped this woman take him out of the toilet and wash him. everything, and this woman put her hands on my head and said ‘Senen, with your behavior, your work ethic, your compassion and your care for your clients, your business is gonna grow and you will be successful as far as you want.’ That remains in my head.”
Being a trailblazer is not an easy task, as Cabalfin has learned. But she looks forward to being a role model for future generations of home care leaders, especially women of color.
“By sharing my experiences, I hope to empower women to pursue their dreams and aspirations without fear,” Cabalfin said “I want them to know that they are capable of accomplishing anything they set in mind too and that their voices and perspective are valuable in the business world.”
Home Sweet Home is a feature appearing Mondays in McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. The story focuses on a heartwarming, entertaining or quirky happening affecting the world of home care. If you have a topic that might be worthy of the spotlight in Home Sweet Home, please email Special Projects Coordinator Foster Stubbs at [email protected].
