A second chapter, interrupted

People don’t always leave the workforce because they’re ready to retire. Sometimes a career takes an unexpected turn — because of caregiving, family changes, or simply wanting something different.

Caroline Day spent about 30 years as an interior design entrepreneur before deciding to go back to school to study gerontology. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and her parents came to stay with her in San Francisco.

“I didn't intentionally leave my work. I was really starting a second chapter of my work,” said Day.

Today, Day lives with her mother in the home they redesigned together for aging in place. She said she’s grateful for the time they have together — but she’s also thinking about getting back to work. “Most of us don't have lives that we plan,” she said. “Things happen to us along the way.”

To hear more of Day’s story, click the play button above.