After caring for her own aging parents, Anne Callahan (PHS ‘88) recognized a growing need in the community: compassionate and personalized care for seniors.
Callahan’s parents prioritized staying in their own home, but struggled with tasks required for independent living, like driving to appointments or speaking with doctors. She found that many of her friends faced similar challenges with their loved ones. Seniors needed reliable, flexible help, sometimes just an hour or two a week, or even just temporarily.
In August 2024, Callahan launched Senior Sidekick, a caregiving business designed to meet those very needs. She became certified through the American Caregiver’s Association as a Certified Home Health Aide and started working with older residents in Berkeley, Oakland and Piedmont.
“My business is founded on identifying a need in our lovely community and trying to keep our seniors as healthy, strong, and engaged as possible,” Callahan said.
Callahan supports seniors with a range of needs such as errands, meal-prep, technology lessons, pet care, group outings and prescription management. Although she is trained in CPR and first aid, she is not a nurse and can not provide advanced medical care.
She works with multiple clients each week — some on a routine schedule and others on an as-needed basis. With no restrictions on age or time commitment, she often meets with clients for as little as one hour a week. She charges a flat hourly rate of $45, with no additional mileage fees for driving.
“In creating the business, that’s one thing that I really focused on: being flexible as much as possible around people’s needs and their schedules,” Callahan said.
Most of Callahan’s business comes from word-of-mouth referrals. Having moved back to Piedmont in 2007, her ties to the community have helped her build trust with her clients, many of whom she has known personally for years.
Communication and companionship are also at the core of Callahan’s services. She builds meaningful relationships and offers a sense of connection for seniors, which is especially valuable for people with few other opportunities for social interaction.
“Some folks — especially if they’re living alone — are really isolated, and they enjoy the companionship,” she said.
Callahan also organizes group outings to foster community among seniors, coordinating activities such as lunches among friends and trips to exhibits in San Francisco.
To help support these excursions, Callahan is bringing on a new team member: Mary Cutler (PHS ’92), a longtime friend and fellow Piedmont resident.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in going to the Berkeley Repertory series, and when I take a small group, she’ll be there to help me,” Callahan said.
Cutler will also work with seniors one-on-one, helping to expand availability and ensure more clients can receive personalized support.
“She’s really skilled and patient and just a delightful human being,” Callahan said. “She really connects with the seniors.”
Callahan seeks to support as many in the community as possible. She encourages anyone interested in Senior Sidekick’s services to call or visit the website for more information.