Many young people have the courage to start their own businesses, but very few choose to begin their entrepreneurial journy in the demanding long-term care industry. Rob Huang stands out as a rare example among young entrepreneurs. With his sharp and distinctive vision, hands-on leadership style, and a strong team, he has built a home care service in the Greater Toronto area, accompanying many older adults through their final years in life.

AI Not Easily Replaceable; Industry Outlook Promising

Rob went to study in Canada at the age of 14. After graduating with a degree in economics from Michigan State University in the United States, he returned to Taiwan and briefly worked as a wealth management specialist in a bank. Then Influenced by his father's entrepreneurial spirit, he decided to return to Canada to earn his MBA degree and also developm his own businesss in the long-term care industry.

Rob not only saw the growing global demand for elderly care, but also believes this line of work has qualities that technology cannot easily replace. "AI can replace more and more jobs, but caregiving is a people-centered service. Many small, gentle actions cannot be carried out by robots," he said. He is very optimistic about the future prospects of the elderly care industry.

Before launching his business, Rob spent a year obtaining a long-term care license and learning how to work with elderly people with dementia. He also conducted market research to better understand the industry. In 2019 he introduced the U.S.-based Senior Helpers home care service to Toronto. After just six months of operation, the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly struck. Older adults were among the highest-risk groups for infection. Looking back, Rob recalled the challenges and expressed his gratitude to Taiwan: "There was a severe shortage of masks in North America, so I imported a large quantity from Taiwan, which was a huge help." Once supplies were secured, he established standard operation procedures (SOP) that enabled one-on-one caregiving and regular monitoring of clients' health conditions, significantly lowering infection risks. This was how he and his team made it through the first two to three years.

Beyond Care: Supporting Independence in Aging

Currently, Senior Helpers Toronto serves around 30 clients. Rob began by handling everything himself, from driving clients to hospital appointments to cleaning toilets. His hands-on approach was clearly seen by both clients and staff, further reinforcing their trust in his dedication to service. When asked why he chose Senior Helpers, brand differentiation was the key factor. Rob explained that Senior Helpers focuses on older adults with Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The goal is not only to provide care, but also to help slow the progression of these conditions. There is no cure for Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and the patients' memory gradually fades over time, but the earlier the conditions are identified, the greater the chance of delaying disease deterioration.

Caring for the elderly does not mean doing everything for them; rather, it is about encouraging them to remain as self-reliant as possible. Seemingly trivial daily activities, such as getting dressed or cooking, can help strengthen and sustain their sense of independence. In the early stages of illness, caregivers can also support the establishment of healthy and regular daily routines. For these individuals, as the condition progresses, even though they will eventually forget many things, the body can still follow its biological clock—eating, taking medication, and resting on schedule. He emphasized that maintaining these routines is critically important.

Collaborate with Nursing Homes and Promote Exchange with Japan and Taiwan

This is how Rob described the nuanced relationship between Senior Helpers Toronto and local nursing homes: "We compete, but we also collaborate." Older adults go through different stages of aging and depending on their level of independence and social needs, they may choose either home care service or resident in a nursing home. The Senior Helpers team regularly visits nursing homes to share knowledge related to dementia care. When nursing home residents receive a diagnosis, the Senior Helpers team also offers individualized care and supports communication between the residents and their families.

As Senior Helpers Toronto's business stablize and grow, Rob did not slow down. He continues to deepen his understanding of the elderly care industry and plans to travel to Japan to learn from its experience, as well as return to Taiwan to participate in long-term care exhibitions and visit senior living communities. He explained, "Taiwanese caregivers demonstrate outstanding service and professionalism, with many operating models that North America could learn from. What is still lacking are systematic courses and training. In the future, I hope to help strengthen Taiwan's capacity in this area through various activities and seminars."

When business is grounded in helping others, opportunities will naturally follow.

Rob previously served as Vice President of the Young Taiwanese Merchants Association of Toronto (YTMAT), where he shared his entrepreneurial experience with young people and taught essential workplace skills, such as how to write business proposals and the basic concepts and techniques of professional negotiation. With a solid background in finance, he also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Taiwanese Canadian Toronto Credit Union Ltd.. He voluntarily provides timely and comprehensive financial services to the Taiwanese community in Canada. In recognition of his substantial entrepreneurial track record and active involvement in community affairs, he was recommended by Bo-Ching Lan, Director of the Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Toronto, to participate in the 2025 Global Young Entrepreneur Stars Award selection. He received the distinguish award.

Guided by his father's philosophy, Rob holds the belief that when a business is grounded in helping others, opportunities will naturally follow. With this belief in mind, he joined Nexenior.AI in 2024 as its CEO and hopes to develop a bowel movement monitoring technology that integrates AI and optical sensing, enabling clients to monitor their physical conditions in real time within the home. The goal is to achieve preventive intervention for dementia, helping safeguard every precious memory for clients and their families.

---