Lauren Malik, Agency Director at Caring Senior Service, has been named to the Future Leaders Class of 2026 by Home Health Care News.

To become a Future Leader, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a high-performing employee who is 40 years of age or younger, a passionate worker who knows how to put vision into action, and an advocate for seniors, and the committed professionals who ensure their well-being.

Malik sat down with Home Health Care News to share what drew her to the home health & home care industry, the biggest leadership lessons she has learned, her thoughts on the future of home health & home care, and much more. To learn more about the Future Leaders Awards program, visit https://futureleaders.wtwhmedia.com/.

HHCN: What drew you to the home health & home care industry?

Malik: What drew me to the home health and home care industry was a deeply personal experience with my Great Uncle Wally. He was living in a facility in Illinois, and during one of my visits when I was young, I remember him crying and telling me he wasn’t being showered properly and that staff were saying he had taken his medications when he knew he hadn’t. Seeing someone I loved feel unheard and vulnerable sparked a fire in me at an early age. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be an advocate and a voice for people who may not be able to speak up for themselves during difficult times in their lives.

HHCN: How would you describe your leadership style, and how has it changed over time?

Malik: I would describe my leadership style as servant-hearted, collaborative, and accountability-driven. I believe strong leadership starts with listening, supporting your team, and leading by example. I never want to ask someone to do something I wouldn’t be willing to do myself. At the same time, I believe in setting clear expectations, maintaining high standards of care, and creating a culture where people feel valued, respected, and empowered to grow.

Over time, my leadership style has evolved through experience. Earlier in my career, I felt I needed to have all the answers and carry everything myself. As I’ve grown, I’ve learned the importance of trusting and developing the people around me, delegating effectively, and creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas and concerns. Working in home care has also strengthened my empathy and emotional intelligence, because every patient, family, and employee has unique needs and challenges. Today, I focus on building strong relationships, communicating openly, and leading with both compassion and accountability.

HHCN: What is the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned while serving the home health & home care industry?

Malik: The biggest leadership lesson I’ve learned is that people may forget what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. In this industry, leadership is not just about operations, metrics, or outcomes it’s about people. Clients and families are often going through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and caregivers and staff carry a tremendous emotional and physical responsibility every day.

I’ve learned that the most effective leaders lead with empathy, consistency, and integrity. Being present, listening, and genuinely supporting both your team and your clients build trust and creates a stronger culture of care. I’ve also learned that advocacy matters at every level whether it’s advocating for a patient’s dignity, supporting a caregiver, or making difficult decisions that protect quality of care. Strong leadership in home care is about serving others first and never losing sight of the human side of both clients, their families, and caregivers.

HHCN: In one word, how would you describe the home health & home care industry and why?

Malik: Human because despite all the operational complexity, the industry ultimately revolves around trust, compassion, dignity, and personal relationships delivered in people’s homes.

HHCN: What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges currently facing the home health & home care industry?

Malik: The biggest opportunities in home health and home care are the continued shift toward aging in place, rising demand from an aging population, and expansion of value based care that rewards keeping patients out of hospitals.

The main challenges are persistent workforce shortages and caregiver burnout. At the same time, providers are under pressure to provide outcomes while managing higher patient acuity at home.

HHCN: If you had a crystal ball, what do you think will impact the home health & home care industry over the next 5-10 years?

Malik: Over the next 5–10 years, I think three things will have the biggest impact.

First, continued policy and payment shifts toward value based care, which will push providers to focus more on outcomes, coordination, and avoiding hospitalizations rather than volume of visits.

Second, workforce transformation caregiver shortages will likely accelerate wage pressure and drive more use of training programs, retention strategies, and possibly more tech enabled or hybrid care models.

Third, technology will become more embedded in care delivery, especially remote patient monitoring, AI driven scheduling, and better data integration across providers. That said, the winners will be the organizations that can actually operationalize these tools at scale, not just adopt them.

HHCN: In your opinion, what qualities must all Future Leaders possess?

Malik: Future Leaders need to be adaptable, strong communicators, and comfortable making decisions using both data and experience. In a fast changing environment like home health and home care, they also need empathy and the ability to connect with both caregivers and clients as well as families, since it’s such a people driven industry. They have to be resilient and accountable, because they’ll constantly face challenges like staffing pressures, regulatory changes, and financial constraints while still being expected to deliver consistent results.