Hispanic Executive Quarterly recognizes the leadership and dedication of SeniorBridge regional Executive Director Antonio Dias 

Hispanic Executive Quarterly - July 16, 2010

Since Antonio Dias moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida from New York, New York, the sounds of Spanish are all around him. In February this year, Dias was promoted to regional executive director at SeniorBridge, a geriatric care Management firm and licensed home healthcare company.

"I'm able to use my Spanish more often in order to help people. Miami and the surrounding Dade County in Florida have a large Hispanic population, and often, I walk the streets and only hear Spanish. It's a great feeling to help the Hispanic community," Dias says. In his new role, Dias is responsible for overseeing three offices (he previously was in charge of one), a very hands-on role that Dias says is incredibly rewarding. Dias' work involves ensuring the quality of service for SeniorBridge's clients in two counties, and also helping his staff follow the company vision, guidelines, protocol and "the SeniorBridge model of coordinated care that integrates care management and care-giving with professionalism and compassion," he adds.

Dias, who holds a degree in Business Administration from Coimbra University in Portugal, is not a newcomer to the home health industry, having worked in this field for the past 20 years. "Two years, I became involved specifically with geriatric care management when I realized we needed a new way to care for our aging population," Dias points out. Before joining SeniorBridge in 2008 as an Executive Director at the New York branch, Dias served as president of another home care company in New York for 2 years, and prior to this, he held various roles in the same industry, including Regional Director and Branch Manager at a home healthcare company in the New York area. But his desire to rise to the top has always been there, and when Dias worked for a company in Westchester, NY, he was hired as a Branch Manager, and in five years became Regional Director for six branches.

Dias says it was his father who served as a strong source of inspiration, instilling in him a sense of commitment and perseverance in both life and work. All his life, Dias had watched as his father helped those in need in his community, and eventually build a community center for seniors and children.

"He wanted people who were less privileged to get meals and have activities so they were not stuck at home. He raised money from the government and community and was very active in running it. After he passed away, his city named a street after him. I am proud that in my career, I am continuing his tradition of helping people." 

Dias says that he is also very proud of is his ability to educate the community about geriatric care management. "A lot of people out there only find out when they are in a crisis. I know I have a direct impact in helping make the community more aware of what resources they can tap into and what choices are available for their loved ones," he explains. Over the past 10 years, SeniorBridge has helped more than 10,000 aging Americans with even the most complex medical problems stay safely in their homes, according to Dias. "In my role, I am part of a pioneering model of care, one that is only going to become more and more important as our nation ages," he adds.

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