Revised and updated March 6, 2020.
The in-home senior care franchise industry has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years, with strong year-over-year growth. Entrepreneurs who want to capitalize on the nation’s aging population have a strong, diverse list of franchise options on this list of the top 15 in-home senior care franchises of 2020.
Baby Boomers have been retiring at the eye-popping rate of 10,000 per day for nearly a decade, and that means there is a growing need for in-home senior care as the US population ages. And this is not a need that is going to go away or decline any time soon.
According to the Population Reference Bureau’s Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States, “The number of Americans ages 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise from 16 percent to 23 percent.” Based on those statistics, in-home senior care is going to keep growing strong for years to come!
More than half the companies on this list are less than 20 years old, and most of the rest are not much older than that. There are bound to be many more senior care companies appearing on the horizon in the coming years, but for now here are the 15 best in-home senior care franchises of 2020:
1. Home Instead Senior Care
Home Instead Senior Care can provide seniors with part-time or full-time live-in care, but it has to be nonmedical kinds of assistance and companionship, although hospice care is a service offered for those needing end-of-life care. This will be a theme that runs throughout this list in terms of franchised in-home senior care that does not rise to the level of skilled nursing care.
The ideal senior for this franchise is one who mostly does whatever physical tasks they need to do, but just requires some assistance and supervision. Caregivers will also perform light housework and general companionship. The goal is “aging in place” to allow seniors to remain living in their home longer than might otherwise be possible without assistance.
Founded in 1994 by Paul and Lori Hogan in Omaha, Nebraska and franchising since 1995, the number of locations stands at 1,054 (a decline of 77 from the previous year’s total of 1,131), of which three are company-owned and 439 are located outside the US.
2. Visiting Angels
Visiting Angels offers hourly care, overnight care, or 24-hour care as needed to help seniors with all kinds of activities of daily living. Care services include respite care, companionship, personal care, hygiene assistance, meal planning and preparation, light housekeeping, laundry assistance, medication reminders, and assistance running errands. The company’s philosophy is that every senior deserves quality, affordable in-home care and assistance.
The company also offers a Constant Companion device that works in conjunction with Amazon’s Alexa smart speaker. It comes fully programmed and ready to use. Seniors can make calls hands-free by just saying, “Alexa, call my daughter (or son).” It is also programmed for urgent voice-activated medical alerts.
Founded by Jeffrey Johnson in 1992 and franchising since 1998, the number of locations has marched steadily upward in recent years from 391 in 2010 to the current total of 594, of which none are company-owned and 11 are located outside the US.
3. Interim HealthCare
Interim HealthCare is the longest-lived company on this list, and over its 50-year history has created a signature standard of care called HomeLife Enrichment. It is designed to ensure care for “…the whole individual – mind, body and spirit, in addition to care for the family.”
Care options include both the full range of standard in-home care as well as hospice care. In addition to medication reminders, help with laundry, light housekeeping, meal preparation, transportation, toileting/incontinence, transferring/positioning, bathing/hygiene, mobility assistance, and eating/feeding, caregivers focus on enrichment activities to give seniors more vitality and happiness as they age.
Founded in 1966 and franchising since then, the number of locations has risen in recent years from 325 in 2013 (all domestic) to the current total of 593, and all that growth has been by adding international locations. None are company-owned and 268 are located outside the US.
4. Right at Home
Right at Home serves families when they start to notice their aging parents need help with daily life activities. Nonmedical in-home care services include companionship care and homemaking, physical assistance, hygiene, wellness, nonmedical home care, home health aide, respite care, Alzheimer’s/dementia/cognitive change services, health reminders, and transportation assistance.
Skilled nursing services include visiting nurses, medication set-up, medication administration, insulin injections, wound care, dressing changes, catheter care, ostomy/colostomy care, and skilled hospice support.
Founded by Allen Hager in Omaha, Nebraska in 1995 and franchising since 2000, the number of locations has grown rapidly in recent years from 227 in 2010 to the current total of 592, only one of which is company-owned and 120 of which are located outside the US.
5. BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care provides both medical and nonmedical in-home care services to all individuals who need them, although senior care is a primary focus. The basic philosophy is one that makes sense: “Home is always associated with comfort, security and positive feeling. For seniors and for all of
us, when we are not feeling well, we all want to be at home.”
The senior care services menu includes personal care (ambulation, bath visits, dressing and grooming, expertise with memory loss/confusion/forgetfulness, feeding, personal safety home evaluation, outpatient pre and post-op assistance, oral and personal hygiene, reporting conditions and changes to supervisory RN and/or physician, toileting), companion care, home care (light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation), and outside support services (getting out and about).
Founded by Shelly Sun in 2002 and franchising since 2005, the number of locations has grown quickly in recent years from 164 in 2010 to the current total of 334, of which 12 are company-owned and all are located in the US.
6. Synergy HomeCare
Synergy HomeCare sends caregivers into the homes of seniors to help them with life’s daily activities. This can include personal assistance (standby assistance with morning and evening routines, transfer assistance, bathing and showering assistance, personal hygiene assistance, help with restroom use, assistance with dressing, personal appearance care, and incontinence care), errands and transportation (incidental transportation, escort to and from appointments, schedule planning and assistance, errand services), meals (assistance with meal planning, mealtime feeding assistance, assist with and motivate meal preparation, complete meal preparation), light housekeeping, companionship, live-in care, and 24-hour care.
Founded by Peter Tourian in Gilbert, Arizona in 2001 and franchising since 2005, the number of locations has risen substantially in recent years from 206 in 2010 to the current total of 331, none of which are company-owned and all of which are located in the US.
7. Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers offers a wide range of professional in-home senior care services, including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, Parkinson’s care, companion care, personal care (hygiene, light housekeeping, appointment transportation, hobbies), transitional care, chronic disease care, VA Aid & Attendance Benefit assistance for senior veterans, respite care, in-hospital surgery assistance, and end-of-life support care.
The company has developed a LIFE (Life, Independence, Function, Evaluation) Profile tool it uses to help families assess care needs and plan how to meet them.
Founded by Tony Bonacuse and Peter Ross in Baltimore, Maryland in 2001 and franchising since 2005, the number of locations has grown in recent years from 256 in 2014 to the current total of 316, of which 12 are company-owned and 13 are located outside the US.
8. ComForCare Home Care
ComForCare Home Care assists older adults, those with disabilities, and those who are recovering from surgery or hospitalization with a wide range of nonmedical services such as bathing and grooming, meal planning and preparation, medication reminders, transportation, light housekeeping, safety supervision, and companionship. There is also a specialized program it calls DementiaWise to care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and private-duty nursing in some locations.
The company also pays particular attention to “transition care” when a person is returning home after time away in a hospital, rehab center, or nursing home because those transitions often don’t go well without the proper support in making the transition.
Founded in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1996 and franchising since 2001, the number of locations has expanded in recent years from 152 in 2010 to the current total of 213, none of which are company-owned and 10 of which are located outside the US.
9. Griswold Home Care
Griswold Home Care helps seniors remain independent in their homes, as well as anyone who is disabled, bedridden or wheelchair-bound, living alone, recovering from hospitalization or nursing home stays, or who have special needs. Respite care to give family member caregivers a break is another focus.
The services offered include personal care, cooking and preparing meals, doing light housekeeping and laundry, shopping and running errands, and assisting with medication and transfers. Additional options include companion care, hospice care, and live-in/overnight care.
Founded by Jean Griswold in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1982 and franchising since 1984, the number of locations has been declining in recent years from a high of 261 in 2014 to the current total of 186, of which 19 are company-owned and all are located in the US.
10. FirstLight Home Care
FirstLight Home Care provides in-home care services to anyone who needs assistance, but has a primary focus on nonmedical senior care. Services include companion care, personal care (bathing/hygiene, walking/mobility, transfer/posture, continence/toileting, meal preparation, eating assistance, oral hygiene, etc.), dementia care, respite care, brain health services, and a travel companion program.
The company aims at fostering a “culture of care” based on learning as much as possible from care recipient’s loved ones. The ultimate goal is to help seniors “…enjoy the best quality of life and enjoy independence for as long as possible.”
Founded by Jeff and Devin Bevis in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2009 and franchising since 2010, the number of locations has skyrocketed to the current total of 184, none of which are company-owned and all of which are located in the US.
11. Nurse Next Door Home Care Services
Nurse Next Door Home Care Services aims to help seniors achieve happier aging by offering a range of in-home senior care options, including companionship, meal preparation, homemaking, home nursing care (medication management, dementia care, etc.), respite care, personal care (hygiene assistance), end-of-life care, transportation (errands), and so on.
In the company’s happier aging philosophy, caregivers help seniors rediscover the interests and hobbies seniors used to do but that have fallen by the wayside for whatever reason.
Founded by John DeHart and Ken Sim in 2001 and franchising since 2007, the number of locations has expanded rapidly in recent years from 39 in 2010 to the current total of 172, of which nine are company-owned and 63 are located outside the US.
12. Acti-Kare
Acti-Kare offers in-home care for all ages, but has a primary focus on nonmedical senior care that lets seniors live independent, active lives without having to give up their home. The company has developed a proprietary approach call Acti-Vate that aims to keep seniors active by promoting memory stimulation, along with activities to stimulate physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being.
Care options include companionship care, respite care (to give family caregivers a break), personal care, hospice care, memory care, Alzheimer’s care, and dementia care. Caregiver activities can include assistance with meal preparation, conversations, medication reminders, light housekeeping, and running errands.
Founded in 2007 and franchising since then, the number of locations has been growing rapidly in recent years from 21 in 2010 to the current total of 132, none of which are company-owned and all of which are located in the US.
13. Assisting Hands Home Care
Assisting Hands Home Care provides individualized in-home care services to people of all ages, in many situations, with a main focus on senior care.
Its certified, bonded, and insured caregivers offer compassionate, skilled assistance with bathing, grooming, meal preparation, housekeeping, home safety evaluations, recommendation for and placement of assistive devices in the home, fall risk assessments and individualized fall prevention plans, care coordination with all members of the client’s healthcare team, transportation and accompaniment to vital healthcare appointments, specialized care for the Alzheimer’s or other dementia client, one-on-one end of life care for clients on hospice, automated medication reminders, medical alert system, and video monitoring services. Additional care options include skilled nursing and therapy.
Founded by Dr. Gail Silverstein and Cline Waddell in 2006 and franchising since then, the number of locations has risen rapidly in recent years from 29 in 2010 to the current total of 121, of which four are company-owned and one is located outside the US.
14. Amada Senior Care
Amada Senior Care has a unique mix of services to help aging seniors. In-home care services include bathing, dressing, meal preparation/feeding, medication reminders, walking/exercise assistance, light housekeeping, errands/shopping, toileting, and all manner of other non-medical help. When it’s time for a senior to leave their home, the company’s housing options service helps families narrow down housing choices based on individual care needs, budget, location, and personal preferences.
The company also offers Amada Connect, a technology tool that provides information on daily activities and reports behavioral patterns to a web-based dashboard or directly via email or mobile device. Amada also provides financial coordination services to help families understand long-term care (LTC) insurance and veterans assistance programs.
Founded in 2007 and franchising since 2012, the number of locations has grown rapidly from just one in 2011 to the current total of 99, only one of which is company-owned and all of which are located in the US.
15. Touching Hearts at Home
Touching Hearts at Home provides in-home care services for older adults, seniors, and people with medical conditions and/or disabilities. Care services include companionship, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, transportation, light housekeeping, and meal preparation.
Founded by Renae Peterson in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1996 and franchising since 2007, the number of locations has grown in recent years from 31 in 2010 to the current total of 70, none of which are company-owned and all of which are located in the US.
An Important Note About Our Methodology
The franchises on this list were ranked according to the number of units in the franchise system. If you are a prospective franchisee searching for franchise opportunities that meet or exceed certain performance benchmarks for sales, profits, and return on investment, please check out this list of America’s Most Lucrative Franchises.
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