This article is part of a seven-part series celebrating Niagara College’s Alumni of Excellence – the highest honour bestowed upon NC alumni. The series features outstanding graduates who were also nominees for the 2025 Ontario Premier’s Awards. Alka Singh (Registered Nurse – Critical Care Nursing, 2015 & Gerontology, 2016) was recognized in the Healthcare and Community Well-being category.
When Alka Singh arrived in Canada in 2015 as an international student, she brought a nursing background, deeply rooted cultural values, and a determination to discover what she was capable of on her own. Ten years later, she is the Founder and Managing Director of Paradigm Healthcare Services, a fast-growing organization redefining elder care through compassion, cultural awareness, and relationship-centred support. Today, the NC alumna and Registered Nurse (RN) is recognized as an Alumni of Excellence for her leadership, entrepreneurship, and advocacy for older adults.
Singh’s Canadian journey began at NC, where she completed postgraduate certificates in Critical Care Nursing (2015) and Gerontology (2016). Although she was already a licensed Registered Nurse and Midwife in India, she chose to return to school to gain new skills and better understand the Canadian health care system. But it was more than clinical knowledge that shaped her path — it was the personal growth that came with navigating life as a newcomer.
“This is where my journey in Canada truly began,” Singh said. “Niagara College is where I built resilience, leadership, and a sense of community. This recognition reflects the guidance of my instructors and mentors, and the support of the Niagara community that shaped both my professional and personal growth.”
Midway through her Gerontology studies, Singh faced the loss of a grandparent back home. The experience prompted her to reflect on how elder care is approached in her culture, where families care for loved ones throughout life. It also inspired her to bring that same compassion to older adults in Canada.
After earning her Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) licence in Canada in 2017, Singh began working at a local long-term care (LTC) home, where she quickly realized the need for culturally sensitive, relationship-centred care. She saw firsthand the challenges LTC homes and families face such as limited staffing, inconsistencies in care providers, and barriers that prevent many families from staying connected with their loved ones.
“In Indian culture, we take care of our older adults at home — even at the end of life,” she said. “Working in long-term care, I saw the difficulty families face in visiting regularly. I kept thinking: If this resident were my grandmother or grandfather, what would I want for them? That question guided everything.”
Driven by that purpose, Singh spent the next several years immersing herself in every aspect of elder care including, direct nursing, management, responsive behaviour support, and leadership. In 2022, she put her vision into action, launching Paradigm Healthcare Services.
The company began with a mission to provide compassionate, culturally responsive care for older adults, and has quickly grown to more than 30 employees, supporting nearly a dozen long-term care homes across Ontario. Under Singh’s leadership, Paradigm has expanded its services to include responsive behavioural support supervision, dementia-focused staffing models, and training programs that promote consistency, empathy, and cultural understanding.
“To be able to set up a company like Paradigm Healthcare Services allowed me to create policies, training, and support systems so that we can achieve the kind of care I wish I could give every resident myself,” she explained.
Her vision doesn’t stop there. Singh is currently developing a new HR software platform designed specifically for health care staffing, a tool she believes will help stabilize the workforce and improve continuity of care across the sector.
Throughout her journey, Singh has remained deeply connected to Niagara College. She still turns to her former instructors for guidance, validation, and professional insight.
“NC’s Nursing department is amazing,” she said. “Anytime I have a new idea, even this software I’m developing, I reach out to them. Their support means everything.”
She is also committed to supporting others. As someone who once struggled with loneliness, cultural adjustment, and the challenge of starting over, Singh now mentors international nursing students, offering reassurance, guidance, and coaching opportunities at Paradigm. Many of her staff are NC graduates.
“There are times when you don’t have family here and you’re pushing through difficult days,” she said. “Having people at NC who supported me, professionally and personally, made all the difference. I want to be that support for others.”
Singh’s leadership has earned her multiple awards and nominations, including a 40 Under 40 Award and recognition in categories such as Young Professional of the Year, Healthcare Hero, and Outstanding New Business and Emerging New Business. But for her, the greatest reward is the impact she sees every day.
“What means the most to me is the difference we’re making for older adults and knowing the software we’re creating will change how health care staffing is done,” she said.
As she looks ahead, Singh is focused on her passion and goal to elevate the standard of elder care and empower health care professionals across Ontario.
“This is where I began to understand who I am, not just as a nurse, but as a woman,” she said of her time at NC. “Niagara is home. And it’s where I built myself.”
