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When Erin Dwyer-Busch launched her Senior Care Authority (SCA) franchise in St. Louis in 2018, she was looking for a change of pace from her career as a licensed speech-language pathologist. What she didn’t expect was just how deeply personal — and meaningful — the work would become.
“I love the flexibility of the business — you can run it how you want,” said Dwyer-Busch. “What really sets us apart is that we can adapt to the clients. We have two different lanes — consulting and placement — and the ability to serve in both really allows us to meet families exactly where they are.”
For Dwyer-Busch, one family in particular brought all the pieces of the business together in a powerful way.
It began when a middle school friend saw Dwyer-Busch’s Facebook post about her work with Senior Care Authority and connected her to Laura, a friend in Kansas City who was struggling to support her aging parents. Dwyer-Busch was brought in to assist with a Beyond Driving with Dignity self-assessment for Laura’s father, John. John’s driver’s license had been expired for over six months. Rather than retake the on-road exam, he made the difficult decision to stop driving as a result of his time with Erin.
Shortly after, tragedy struck when John’s wife, Mary. She had fallen and hit her head as a result of a seizure. The traumatic incident overwhelmed John, leading to a stay in a behavioral health facility.
“He was always an anxious person,” Dwyer-Busch said. “They were ready to discharge him, but he kept saying he wasn’t ready. And then came the hardest part — no nursing homes would take him because of a depression diagnosis in his chart. I made dozens of calls, and I told their daughter, ‘I’m not leaving here until your father has a safe place to go.’”
Her determination paid off. Two directors of nursing from different facilities met with John, connected with him and offered him a place. It was a breakthrough moment.
From there, Dwyer-Busch and the family worked together to create a long-term care plan and eventually reunite John and Mary in a senior living facility.
“That case really showed the full scope of what we do at SCA,” she said. “We provided every service the brand offers — driving assessments, care consulting, placement. But more than that, we got to know the family on such a personal level.”
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, John passed away after a fall. The family faced another impossible challenge — how to break the news to Mary, who was isolated in a skilled nursing facility that wasn’t allowing visitors. Dwyer-Busch stepped in again.
“I called the facility and convinced them to let the staff wheel her outside,” she said. “All three kids came and were able to give her the news in person. It was heartbreaking, but I knew how important it was.”
Despite the pandemic-induced limitations on gatherings, the family still asked Dwyer-Busch to attend the funeral. “I told them, ‘Please don’t waste a ticket on me. That’s for family.’ But they said, ‘Erin, you are family.’ That’s the reason I do this. They keep me going. I still talk to them to this day.”
For Dwyer-Busch, moments like these redefine what it means to be in the senior care space. “This isn’t the type of job where you walk away,” she said. “We are always there. I had no idea getting into this franchise that you could develop such a deep connection — it’s a whole other level.”
Senior Care Authority enables its franchisees to make a lasting impact in their communities through flexible, service-driven business models. Whether it’s consulting, placement or supporting families through emotionally complex moments, the SCA system is designed to meet people where they are — and stay with them for the journey.
“It’s such a cool role we get to play,” said Dwyer-Busch. “You become a part of the family. You’re a trusted resource. Sometimes parents listen to you in a way they won’t listen to their children because you’re a professional. You bond through hard conversations, and the trust that comes from that is something really special.”
With more than 100 locations in 34 states and a growing network of compassionate franchisees like Dwyer-Busch, Senior Care Authority is redefining what senior care support looks like — one meaningful relationship at a time.
To learn more about how you can build a business with purpose through Senior Care Authority, visit https://1851franchise.com/senior-care-authority/info.
