Across the country, families are trying to understand what real support for aging parents should feel like. Many discover that the systems meant to help them often fall short of the comfort they hope to give their loved ones. This gap in senior care is not an abstract policy issue. It is a daily reality that shapes how families work, plan, and worry. It is also the space where leaders like Nicole Haney step forward with solutions that come from lived experience rather than theory.
Nicole did not enter the senior care field as an outsider looking for a business idea. She arrived as a granddaughter, trying to make sure her grandfather, whom everyone lovingly called Papa, still felt connected to the life he knew. His Alzheimer’s diagnosis introduced new challenges to her family, but it also revealed the kind of environment he needed. Nicole remembers wishing for a place where he could feel safe, stimulated, and cared for in a way that honored his personality. Those options were limited in their community, so she began to build what did not yet exist.
“Papa was the heart of everything I created,” she explained. He became one of the first participants at what would grow into Papa’s Place Adult Day Center. When he later needed homecare, Nicole expanded her services again, guided by his changing needs. The work was not driven by strategy papers or market trends. It came from necessity, love, and the simple belief that his days should remain meaningful.
Nicole’s background in healthcare compliance gave her a foundation, but her calling emerged as she shaped every part of his care experience. Papa lived through the early days of her mission, watching it take form. Today, his influence remains present in the support offered to every senior and family who turns to Nicole’s team for guidance.
Her story begins with one man, one family, and one unmet need. From that starting point, Nicole Haney built a purpose that continues to grow, powered by the legacy of the person who inspired it.
A Mission That Grew Into Three Distinct Pillars of Care
Nicole never intended to run three separate organizations. Each one grew from a need she saw as she worked hands-on with seniors and their families. Papa’s Place began as a modest adult day center, eventually expanding into a homecare agency once Nicole realized how misunderstood dementia truly was. Many seniors were managed instead of supported, and their behaviors were often redirected rather than interpreted. She watched families feel lost and professionals rely on control when connection was what people needed most.
“We wanted to show what it actually feels like to live with dementia,” she said, explaining how the BrainWave program took shape. The goal became to build environments that protect identity instead of limiting an individual’s daily life.
Tustin House Assisted Living was born from that same belief. Nicole shaped it into an unlocked memory care home where residents move freely and find comfort in routine and familiarity. She often reminds her team that dignity is built through small details, and the home reflects that idea in every corner. No locked units and no fear-based structure, only intentional, person-centered care.
Through N. Haney Enterprises, Nicole now helps agency owners nationwide create dementia-informed systems of their own. What began as her family’s solution has grown into a wider effort to raise the standard of care across the country.
An Integrated Care Model Built Around Real Life Needs
Across her companies, Nicole Haney has shaped a care ecosystem that meets seniors where they are in their aging journey. Papa’s Place supports individuals through a seamless progression of services. Families often start with the adult day program, then transition into homecare and medication management while maintaining support in the day program. These services give families the flexibility to keep their loved ones engaged while receiving help that fits into everyday life.
If 24/7 care is eventually needed, they transition into the memory care home with continued access to adult day services. This structure ensures consistency, continuity, and longevity of care. Tustin House Assisted Living offers a small, familiar setting that feels more like a home than a facility. The environment is calm, predictable, and built to encourage connection. Nicole describes it simply: “We focus on dignity through daily structure, not crisis management.”
Her third venture, N. Haney Enterprises, extends this philosophy to the wider industry. Through leadership development and operational coaching, she helps agency owners build sustainable businesses grounded in senior-centered values. Each training emphasizes proactive support, thoughtful routines, and relationship-driven care.
What sets Nicole’s model apart is the consistency across all services. Seniors, families, and CarePros experience the same commitment to identity, respect, and stability. The goal is not just to manage aging, but to support a meaningful life at every stage.
Serving Seniors and Families Seeking Safety, Identity, and Understanding
Nicole’s programs welcome seniors living with dementia, adults with developmental disabilities, and families looking for support that protects both independence and dignity. Many arrive unsure of what their loved one truly needs. The most common belief Nicole hears is that a parent or spouse “would never enjoy a day program or assisted living.” Families hold on to who their loved one used to be and often assume the diagnosis has changed very little. Because the person still looks the same and still has moments of clarity, it can feel easier to pretend nothing has shifted at all.
Nicole spends time helping families understand how dementia changes a person’s daily experience. She explains it gently: “The world feels different for them, even when they look the same to us.” What surprises most people is how quickly their loved one settles into the rhythm of a dementia-informed environment. In every program, participants find comfort in being around others who understand their struggles without judgment. The result is a space where connection replaces fear and where individuals can simply be themselves, whether they are in a clear moment or fully in the diagnosis.
A Team Driven by Skill, Heart, and Steady Compassion
Behind each of Nicole’s programs is a team she considers the true core of the work. Their backgrounds vary, but their purpose aligns. The staff includes BrainWave Certified CarePros, program aides with hands-on experience, medication-management nurses, and leaders who understand the emotional weight families carry. Together, they form a group that sees dementia not as a behavior issue but as a shift in communication. Nicole often tells people, “Our team responds with patience before anything else,” a mindset that guides every interaction.
Their training focuses on person-centered care and the BrainWave techniques that help seniors feel grounded and understood. They build familiarity through routine, use intuition to interpret unmet needs, and rely on connection instead of correction. The result is an environment where participants feel safe expressing themselves, no matter where they are in their diagnosis.
What makes the team stand out is not only their expertise but also their consistency. They show up fully on the good days and the hard ones, bringing the same level of respect to every person they support. To Nicole, that steady compassion is what transforms care into something families can trust.
Leading with Clarity, Intent, and a Steady Hand
Running several senior-care organizations places Nicole Haney at the center of strategy, culture, operations, and people. Her first responsibility is setting the long-term direction, making sure each program grows with intention and stays true to the mission of dignity and connection. She works closely with her leadership teams to build systems that run smoothly, reduce chaos, and support consistent care. Nicole remains deeply involved in decisions that shape quality, especially when a situation calls for calm judgment and guidance.
She also protects the cultural heartbeat of the organization by coaching leaders and reinforcing the standards that define their approach. Nicole describes her philosophy simply: “I step in intentionally, not reactively.” That mindset allows her to lead without micromanaging, because she trusts the people she has put in key roles.
Finding balance, she explains, comes from knowing where she is needed most. She does not try to be everywhere at once. Instead, she stays grounded in the responsibilities that move the mission forward and empowers her teams to lead with confidence. This clarity is what keeps the organizations aligned and what allows Nicole to stay present, focused, and effective across all her ventures.
Measuring Impact Through Data, Stability, and Everyday Change
To understand the true effect of her programs, Nicole looks at both measurable outcomes and the lived experiences of the families she serves. Her team tracks client retention, staff stability, enrollment growth, medication-management accuracy, safety patterns, training completion, and any shifts in incidents or hospitalizations. These indicators help her confirm that each program remains consistent and grounded in best practices.
Still, Nicole believes the deeper impact shows up in daily life, not just in spreadsheets. She watches for signs that seniors are staying at home longer and that dementia-related behaviors are becoming more manageable. Families often arrive overwhelmed, so their relief becomes an important marker as well. Nicole explains it this way: “When a family tells us they can finally rest, that is success we can feel.”
She also pays close attention to small but meaningful changes. A participant who starts smiling again, eating again, or engaging with others signals that the environment is working. These moments reveal how much quality of life has improved, and they shape how Nicole continues to refine her programs. For her, the numbers confirm the progress, but the human shifts are what truly define the impact.
A Leadership Test in a Season of Uncertainty
Nicole’s leadership was pushed to its limits during the post-pandemic workforce collapse. Senior-care staffing across the country had thinned, leaving caregivers exhausted and programs stretched beyond their capacity. Her organizations were growing, yet the people needed to support that growth were harder to find. The pressure touched every part of the work: team morale, client expectations, and the steady culture she had spent years building.
Nicole responded by grounding herself in clarity and consistency. She rebuilt trust with her team, strengthened boundaries, and reshaped expectations that had slipped during the crisis. She made difficult decisions and leaned into transparent conversations, even when they were uncomfortable. “Strong leadership isn’t about carrying everything,” she said. “It’s about empowering others to carry with you.” That lesson became the turning point that helped her rebuild stability and confidence across her organizations.
Milestones That Reflect Real Change for Seniors and Families
Nicole’s proudest achievements are the ones that show real progress in the lives of seniors and their families. Papa’s Place, once a small homecare agency, has grown into a full dementia-specialty ecosystem with a continuum of care that meets people at every stage of their journey. Her programs have maintained strong compliance records with HCBS and partnering agencies, while expanding each year to reach more families. She is especially proud of the training models that have reshaped how CarePros interpret dementia and respond with empathy.
For Nicole, the most meaningful milestones come from the stories families share. They talk about fewer hospital visits, calmer behaviors, and loved ones staying at home longer. She also values the loyalty of her staff. “They tell me they can’t imagine working anywhere else,” she said. To her, that commitment reflects the heart of their impact more clearly than any statistic.
A Vision Focused on Access, Connection, and National Impact
Nicole’s next chapter centers on expanding the dementia-informed ecosystem she has built so it can reach families in rural communities across the country. Her goal is for every family, no matter their zip code, to access adult day programs, homecare support, dementia-specific training, and memory care homes that value connection over restriction. Through N. Haney Enterprises, she plans to keep mentoring agency owners so they can create sustainable, compassionate services within their own regions.
Her vision also extends beyond operations. Nicole’s book and podcast give her a way to support caregivers, leaders, and families far beyond Michigan. “I want to leave impact nuggets wherever people are listening,” she said. At its core, her mission is to shape senior care in a way that honors the person, steadies the family, and raises the standard for dignity in aging.
Finding Rhythm Instead of Perfect Balance
Nicole believes work-life balance is more myth than reality. She focuses on intentional rhythm, knowing when to lean into work and when to lean into connection. Traveling with her husband helps her disconnect, especially in Sedona, their favorite place. At home, Sunday dinners with their four grown kids remain a sacred, grounding ritual.
A Closing Message on Purpose and Leadership
Nicole Haney hopes readers remember that leadership is rooted in responsibility, not titles. She encourages leaders to stay intentional, clear, and consistent, even when the work feels heavy. “Honor dignity over convenience,” she said, reminding caregivers that courage often shows up in everyday choices.
She believes the senior-care industry grows stronger when leaders commit to purpose and build environments grounded in humanity. Legacy, she explains, is created through steady decisions rather than dramatic moments. Each day offers a chance to choose how to lead and how to show up for the people who depend on you.
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Also Read: The 10 Most Influential Senior Care Leaders of 2025
