Cheryl Field: A Lifelong Advocate for Seniors and Caregivers
- Sep 17, 2025
- 5 min read
For more than three decades, Cheryl Field has dedicated her career to improving the lives of seniors, patients in rehabilitation, and the caregivers who support them. Her path began unexpectedly while she was still in nursing school. In need of a part-time job, she accepted a position caring for an elderly man who was recovering from a car accident. He had spent nearly a year in rehabilitation before returning home, and Cheryl witnessed his daily struggle to regain independence. She saw the courage and determination it took for him to relearn even the simplest of tasks. That experience sparked a passion that would never leave her.
“I realized that my optimism and competitive nature could be an asset in rehabilitation nursing,” she has said. “Unlike other areas of healthcare, rehabilitation is about healing and learning new habits after sudden health changes.” That early lesson—one that combined compassion with perseverance—became the foundation of her career and her lifelong commitment to senior care.
Over the years, Cheryl’s work has evolved far beyond bedside nursing. She has served in leadership roles ranging from Clinical Director to Chief Product Officer, building systems that improve outcomes and create consistency in healthcare practices. She often compares the process to cooking: “Creating repeatable care outcomes is much like making your favorite macaroni and cheese. It requires the right recipe, structure, and ingredients. In healthcare, that recipe is built from strong organizational structure, evidence-based processes, and individuals who follow them with consistency.”
Her leadership perspective emphasizes the delicate balance between art and science in nursing—best practices combined with compassion, data paired with humanity. For Cheryl, every chart, number, and policy represents more than a statistic. “Behind every data point is someone’s loved one—a grandma, grandpa, mom, dad. The outcomes of their care are deeply personal.”
That personal connection became even more profound when Cheryl’s aunt, Marguerite Sholik, came to live with her family for 17 years. Marguerite’s photo graces the cover of Cheryl’s widely acclaimed book, Prepared! A Healthcare Guide for Aging Adults. In her aunt’s final years, Cheryl experienced the healthcare system from the other side of the bedrail. Despite her extensive nursing background, she found herself navigating hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and outpatient facilities in ways that revealed unexpected gaps.
She began developing her own system of advocacy—showing up daily, asking the right questions, and collaborating with providers instead of colliding with them. The mistakes she made along the way were just as instructive as the victories. “That experience shaped the content of Prepared!,” she explains. “I wanted to create a resource that helps caregivers worldwide feel confident, knowledgeable, and less alone.”
Her book has since become a trusted guide for families facing the overwhelming challenges of caring for aging loved ones. It functions much like a recipe, offering step-by-step instructions for navigating sudden health changes—from emergency visits to recovery at home. By reducing chaos during moments of crisis, Cheryl’s work empowers caregivers to feel in control and equipped to advocate effectively.
For more than 25 years, Cheryl has also shared her insights as a dynamic speaker. She has presented on a wide range of topics, from clinical analytics to healthcare policy. Yet regardless of the subject matter, she always returns to the same core message: healthcare is deeply human. She strives to help her audiences connect with the fact that every decision and data point impacts someone’s loved one. Her ability to simplify complex topics through storytelling has made her a trusted voice in the field.
Known for her memorable analogies, Cheryl often likens caregivers to cell phones. “Each caregiver has a specific way of recharging, just like every phone needs its own cord. If you don’t recharge your battery, you burn out—and you can’t care for others when your own battery is dead.” Whether through humor, warmth, or practical advice, she consistently makes healthcare approachable and personal.
In September, Cheryl is stepping into a new phase of her life, retiring from full-time software work and shifting her focus back toward direct senior care and advocacy. For her, this transition is not a step away but a step toward something she has always cherished. “They say you should retire to something, not away from something. For me, this is a return to what I loved most in college—direct connection with seniors and their families.”
This next chapter allows her to spend more time in community spaces such as libraries and senior centers, engaging directly with caregivers and aging adults. It also offers her the chance to enjoy a balanced lifestyle, one that prioritizes personal health and family while continuing her advocacy mission.
Her approach is informed by her own experience living in a multigenerational household. Sharing a home across generations has given her invaluable perspective on aging with dignity. She has learned from seniors that “the days are long but the years are short,” and that life should be lived with courage—taking trips, exploring opportunities, and saying yes to new experiences. She has also seen how children raised in such environments grow up unafraid of aging, learning lessons of resilience, empathy, and presence. For the seniors themselves, multigenerational living provides renewed purpose, as they help with everyday family life and celebrate the small moments that matter most. Cheryl wholeheartedly recommends this lifestyle for the perspective and grace it brings to all involved.
Of course, caregiving is never without challenges. Cheryl acknowledges that the role can be overwhelming and offers three essential tips: never attempt the journey alone without support, identify early what recharges your energy to avoid burnout, and recognize that every family member—including the one receiving care—needs resources. She directs families to her website, www.cherylfield.com, where they can find free tools and additional support.
Looking ahead, Cheryl sees an urgent need for systemic change in senior care advocacy. She warns of a looming caregiver crisis, as families are too often thrust into demanding roles without proper training or resources. With her unique background in both direct care and healthcare technology, she believes she can help fill that gap by delivering information in accessible, digestible formats that caregivers can immediately apply.
Her vision is clear: to teach a system of self-advocacy that works like a recipe, empowering families to achieve excellent healthcare outcomes even in the most stressful times.
By combining her decades of professional experience with her personal journey as a caregiver, Cheryl continues to transform the landscape of senior care.
In the end, Cheryl Field’s story is one of both expertise and heart. From the young nursing student inspired by a patient’s determination, to the seasoned leader and advocate teaching families how to navigate the healthcare maze, she has remained guided by the same principle: every life matters, and every caregiver deserves support. As she steps into this new season of service, her impact will undoubtedly continue to ripple through the lives of countless seniors, caregivers, and families around the world.
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