When Professional Expertise Meets Personal Experience

At CCS, our work is rooted not only in professional expertise, but also in lived experience. We understand the emotional and practical challenges of caregiving because we’ve been there ourselves.

Our co-owner, Nancy Fagan, recently wrote a powerful piece for HumbleDollar that brings this truth to life. Despite her 30-year career in eldercare as an advocate, executive, and care manager, Nancy found herself navigating the overwhelming realities of caring for both of her aging parents at once.

In Stepping Up, Nancy shares how she:

• Drew on her professional knowledge to guide her parents through long-term care insurance, VA benefits, and medical decision-making.

• Managed the emotional role reversal of becoming the decision-maker when her parents resisted.

• Shouldered the dual responsibility of clinical problem-solver and devoted daughter.

• Faced the surprising, exhausting tasks that come after a loved one’s passing, sometimes harder than the medical crises themselves.

What makes Nancy’s story so moving is the reminder that even the most seasoned professionals are not immune to the pain, stress, and complexity of family caregiving. Her journey highlights why planning ahead matters, why open conversations are essential, and why having professional support can make all the difference when crises come.

We’re proud to have Nancy’s leadership at CCS, not only for her unmatched professional background, but for the empathy and wisdom she brings as someone who has walked this path personally.

Read Nancy’s full reflection here: Stepping Up