A Bridge for Independence, LLC

Since she was a little girl, Kimberly Stanford wanted to become a nurse. At 15, Stanford had to take care of her mother, who was in a motorcycle accident. From then on, Stanford knew that she had what it would take to reach that goal.

“I knew that I could stomach certain things,” she said.

Stanford became a registered nurse more than 22 years ago. She also holds a business degree. During her 18 years of home- healthcare work, Stanford helped other people start home-healthcare companies and did consulting work for other businesses.

But the business world made her feel detached from clients. So, in April 2008, Stanford founded A Bridge for Independence LLC. Her mission was to create a caregiver network that would allow clients independence and the ability to stay at home, even when facing major illnesses. She wanted to serve clients of all ages — not just the elderly — and provide mental- and-health support, in addition to care for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.