By Staff
Keila Nelums is the founder and CEO of Emerge LifeCare, a Georgia-based home healthcare agency devoted to providing compassionate, high-quality nursing support for children with complex medical needs. Guided by faith, purpose, and a deep respect for family and community, Nelums has built an organization rooted in integrity, reliability, and genuine human connection. Her work reflects both strategic leadership and heartfelt service, bridging business acumen with a calling to care for those who need it most.
What first inspired you to launch Emerge LifeCare, and how did your personal or professional journey lead you into this field of service and support?
Before I ever studied business, my heart was already drawn to service. I initially planned to become a special education teacher and spent my first years in college majoring in early childhood intervention. During that time, I completed field studies where I was able to work closely with children with special needs. Those experiences stayed with me deeply and created a soft spot for these children that never left.
When I later transitioned into business management and began thinking seriously about entrepreneurship, I met colleagues who owned home healthcare agencies serving children with special needs. That opportunity felt like a full-circle moment—allowing me to merge my love for service with my desire to build something meaningful. I immersed myself in learning the industry, and within a year, Emerge LifeCare was born.
As you were building the foundation of Emerge LifeCare, what were the defining moments that clarified your mission and shaped the organization’s approach to client care?
From the beginning, I knew Emerge LifeCare had to be rooted in values, not just operations. Our foundation is built on four core principles: family and community, integrity, reliability, and growth. Each of these values plays a vital role in how we serve our clients and support our staff.
One of the defining moments was recognizing the widespread lack of quality and consistency in home healthcare. Seeing families struggle with unreliable care and impersonal systems clarified my mission immediately. I was determined to build an agency that families could trust—one that showed up, followed through, and treated every child as if they were our own.
How do you describe the core philosophy behind Emerge LifeCare, and what makes your model distinct in a landscape where many organizations are offering support services?
At the heart of our philosophy is personal investment. In home healthcare, success comes from genuinely caring about each client and each family. Parents want more than clinical skill—they want compassionate nurses supported by an agency that truly cares.
Large franchises and corporate agencies often lose that personal touch. Emerge LifeCare operates as a close-knit team, allowing us to build real relationships with the families we serve. We are not a franchise, and I have no intention of ever becoming one. Even as we grow—including the launch of our sister agency, Friends 2 Family, which serves non-skilled clients—we remain committed to personalized, hands-on care that feels both professional and deeply human.
Your work demands both compassion and strategy. How do you balance the human-centered nature of care with the operational and leadership responsibilities that come with being CEO?
I am able to balance both because I don’t do it alone. I have an incredible team, and I believe deeply in delegation and shared leadership. I know every person on my team, and I don’t see them as employees—I see them as partners. Each person plays a vital role in our success.
My leadership philosophy is simple: every great team has star players, and it’s the CEO’s job to recognize them, empower them, and trust them. No successful organization is built by one person. We operate collectively, and that collaboration allows us to remain compassionate without sacrificing operational excellence.
What impact have you seen Emerge LifeCare make on the individuals and families you serve, and is there a particular story or outcome that captures why this work matters so deeply to you?
Special-needs parents are some of the strongest people I know. They care for children who may be completely dependent on them around the clock, often while working full-time jobs and supporting other children in the household. Many of the children we serve were born blind, bedridden, or living with terminal illnesses, and these parents are exhausted—emotionally, physically, and mentally.
I see myself as a matchmaker, pairing the right nurse with the right family so parents can finally rest, breathe, and feel supported. Hearing a parent say they were able to enjoy a date night or return home to peace and order because they trusted our staff is incredibly meaningful.
We also step in beyond clinical care—providing diapers, infection-control supplies, and household essentials at our own expense when families are struggling financially. I truly believe my purpose is to serve. While billable hours are how agencies survive, I actually celebrate when hours are reduced because a child is improving. Seeing a child no longer need a trach or ventilator is pure joy—it means healing, progress, and that we are doing our work well.
The care industry is constantly evolving. How do you stay ahead of emerging needs, trends, regulations, and innovations to ensure your clients receive the highest standard of support?
As a licensed Medicaid provider in Georgia, we benefit from strong regulatory guidance and ongoing education through federal and state healthcare agencies. Quarterly meetings and educational seminars keep us aligned with current regulations and best practices.
Internally, we invest in continuous training for our nurses and maintain open communication with those on the front lines. I regularly consult with our registered nurses, listen to their feedback, and apply their recommendations whenever possible. Staying ahead requires humility, collaboration, and a willingness to learn—and we embrace all three.
As a leader, what principles guide your decision-making, especially in moments that require resilience, adaptability, or bold vision?
I am a mother of three, and that perspective guides every decision I make. When faced with difficult choices, I simply ask myself what I would want for my own child in that situation. Parents want the very best care for their children, and that standard becomes my compass.
Every decision I make centers on one principle: providing the highest quality care possible for children who need it most.
Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of Emerge LifeCare, and how do you hope your work will continue to influence the lives and communities you serve?
Right now, my focus is on increasing awareness of the GAPP program, because far too many families don’t know it exists. Resources can only help people if they know about them, and I feel a responsibility to educate communities on how accessible this support truly is.
Looking forward, we plan to expand into behavioral healthcare, particularly for children who have aged out of foster care and need stable, supportive environments. My hope is that Emerge LifeCare continues to grow not just in size, but in impact—serving families, strengthening communities, and creating spaces where children can truly thrive.
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ABOUT
Emerge LifeCare is a home healthcare agency in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides private in-home care for individuals of any age who are medically fragile, autistic, mentally disabled, and/or handicapped. We also serve individuals who are suffering from any form of traumatic brain injury. We also provide a high-quality staff, available 24 hours a day, who can assist with personal care tasks as well as become a your loved one’s trusted companion in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.
Your safety and well-being remain our top priority. We promote your health, healing, and overall happiness. We strive to allow you to maintain your relationship while providing the best care possible. We listen to match you with a caregiver who fits your lifestyle and interests so you or your loved one can stay at home.
With the help of our trained caregivers and professionals, we will continue to help our clients and their families navigate the unfamiliar terrain of home recovery in addition to disheartening medical conditions, appointments, and medications. We will continue to provide quality in-home care for seniors and children who need assistance and care to help maintain their independence and overall well-being.
We are located in Decatur, Georgia. We serve Metro Atlanta and most surrounding areas.
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