By Yolanda Herrera, FDDC Council Member
From remarks shared at the Aging Generations’ Expectations in Developmental Disabilities 2026 Summit on Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Good morning! It is such an honor to be in front of such a talented and knowledgeable group.
Let me start by saying that I am always talking about my daughter, Karla, but today I am going to talk about me.
In October 2024, Gabe Parra, Executive Director of The Arc of South Florida, invited my daughter and me to speak at an event hosted at Miami Dade College, where we would talk about aging caregivers. Several legislators and the Agency for Health Care Administration would also be in attendance.
While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, I could see the entrance to my destination when I was rear-ended by a student. Judging by the costly repairs, the impact was quite severe. At that moment, I was grateful that my daughter Karla was not at her best that morning, and I had decided to leave her behind with her big sister.
The airbag did not pop, so my face was okay. I got out of the car upset because I was going to be late to the event. The police came, and there was no need for an ambulance. The officer suggested I move the car away from the area because it looked drivable. I crossed the street and made it to the event in time to hear the last presentation.
Immediately after, I was invited to tell my story.
Mission accomplished.
But the next day, I felt as if a big truck had crashed into my car. My whole body was in pain — the back of my head, my arms, my leg, and my neck. What scared me most was my neck, feeling disoriented, and having unusual chest pains. I immediately went to the hospital. After several hours, I finally received the good news that I was going to be okay.
And here I am.
Shortly after returning home, Ms. Blanca Ceballos from United Home Care introduced herself by saying, “I was sitting next to you,” referring to the event. After learning about my current situation at home, Blanca indicated that United Home Care could provide a few hours of assistance while I got better.
“A few hours.” Let me say this: those few hours were a Godsend.
I had time to get my body back in order. Thank goodness, here I am, all in one piece.
I am grateful not only to Blanca and for those “few hours,” but also to the United Home Care nurse who came to my home to do an assessment of my current needs. That assessment opened the big door to learning how the process works.
I learned about the process by accident. But we must find a better way to educate people.
I had the idea that Elder Affairs would come to our aid. However, when someone calls, we must leave a message, and no one calls back. With email, we do not know who we need to send our messages to in order to get help.
When the services provided by United Home Care ran their course, I was interviewed by phone to assess my immediate needs. My health was back in order, so I was placed on a wait list with instructions that I would be contacted once a year for an update. I am happy to report that I was contacted a little over a year from the accident for an update, as promised.
During Older Americans Month, my story is a reminder that aging caregivers of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities need clear information, responsive systems, and support they can access before a crisis happens.
Thank you, Gabe. Thank you, Blanca. And thank you all for your attention.