IM JA CHOI, 63

Jenkintown, Pa.

Ten years ago, doctors told Im Ja Choi that nothing more could be done for her 85-year-old mother, who was battling stomach cancer and weighed only 62 pounds. A nursing home was out of the question because the older woman spoke no English and did not eat American food. Ms. Choi, a former financial executive, cared for her mother at home for seven months until she found a Korean-speaking home health aide.

That experience prompted Ms. Choi to start Pennsylvania’s first small business providing Korean-speaking home health aides to the immigrant community. Today Penn Asian Senior Services trains and provides aides who speak eight languages.

“Asian people need more information to navigate the health care system,” Ms. Choi said. “I have a master’s degree, and it was hard enough for me to wait in line at Social Security, go home and call them back two days later, then be put on hold. If you don’t have the language, you give up.”

Nearly two years ago, her mother died at age 93. “No one expected she would live more than 100 days,” said Ms. Choi, who is now caring for her 91-year-old mother-in-law with an aide’s help.