Jan Albert , 24 Hour Angels

Watch a video of Jan Albert

When the housing market took a dive, Jan Albert of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., was laid off from her real estate job. She applied for unemployment and started caring for her aging parents.

Unhappy with the type of care they were receiving, she took on a bigger role managing their affairs, including modifying their house to make it safe and easier to get around. She also realized she was good at caring for older adults and started dreaming of a new career opportunity.

Through her unemployment benefits, Albert was able to get financial help to retrain for a new career in the field of aging. The transition to her encore career was made easier by the gerontology program at Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, Calif., where she was able to do most of her coursework online. She was one of 50 students who took free and noncredit workshops at night that provided an overview of jobs related to gerontology.

Now, at age 56, she’s starting her own nonmedical caregiving business with her sister.

Watch Jan on Los Angeles public television