As the Baby Boomer generation continues to age, savvy entrepreneurs looking to buy into one of the best in-home senior care franchises in America have 15 solid options in this list that warrant closer examination. This is one industry segment that all experts agree will continue to grow at a very rapid pace.
Home care and home healthcare as a global industry is growing at 8% each year, but the more specific in-home senior care franchise segment is growing at 9.7% each year. This industry’s growth shows no signs of stopping, and for good reasons.
Right now, more than 10,0000 people turn 65 every day in the U.S. alone, and the number of people 60 and older worldwide is going to triple by 2050 to 2 billion people. Meanwhile, older people are not only living longer, but also further away from their children. All of these help explain why in-home care services make up one of the fastest-growing segments within the overall healthcare industry.
Just the non-medical in-home care segment is worth $70 billion. Alzheimer’s care is an important aspect for most companies since every 67 seconds someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s, which is now the sixth leading cause of death in the country.
Here are our picks for the top 15 in-home senior care franchises of 2018:
1. Home Instead Senior Care
Home Instead Senior Care offers in-home senior care services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year based on a client’s needs and desired schedule. It offers a fairly typical array of non-medical services, along with a special focus on servicing those with specific conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, arthritis, Parkinson’s, diabetes, depression, and others.
Founded in 1994, the number of locations has nearly doubled over the past 10 years from 553 in 2007 to the current total of 1,083, of which 485 are located outside the U.S. and 6 of which are company-owned.
2. Visiting Angels
Visiting Angels is a national private-duty network of home-care agencies providing in-home care, respite care, senior personal care, elderly care, companion care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, end-of-life care, and more. The company created Life Care Navigation, a collection of customized programs to meet specific care needs. The company has achieved a high level of brand recognition through robust national advertising campaigns.
Founded in 1992, the number of locations has grown steadily over the past 10 years from 295 in 2017 to the current total of 585, 11 of which are located outside the U.S.
3. Interim HealthCare
Interim HealthCare provides three categories of in-home care: 1) Home care provided by licensed healthcare professionals, who provide medical care including rehabilitative assistance, or by care professionals who support daily living activities; 2) Hospice care for those who are chronically or terminally ill, focused on symptom relief while attending to emotional and spiritual needs; and 3) Specialized home care to meet unique needs arising from illness or injury, including respite care.
Founded in 1966, there are currently 561 locations, 330 of which are U.S. locations, with the remaining 231 locations being outside the U.S. The chain’s growth in recent years has been with locations outside the U.S.
4. Right at Home
Right at Home provides a range of in-home care services to seniors and disabled adults with Custom Care Plans that cover such service categories as companionship, Alzheimer’s care, hospice care, and skilled nursing. An initial phone call includes a basic needs assessment, followed by an in-home family meeting. Based on the information collected, a recommended Custom Care Plan is created, which the customer can modify line-by-line as needed. Robust supervision of caregivers and extensive notes by caregivers keep the quality of service high, reducing preventable readmissions to the hospital by 65%.
Founded in 1995 and franchising since 2000, the number of locations has expanded rapidly from 127 in 2007 to the current total of 555, of which 78 are located outside the U.S.
5. Synergy HomeCare
Synergy HomeCare provides care to families impacted by aging or illness and does not require any contract to begin services, which can include personal assistance, errands and transportation, meals, light housekeeping, companionship, post-hospitalization care, live-in care and 24-hour care, and respite care to support family caregivers who need a break. The company’s website includes an online needs assessment that will help estimate the level of care a person needs.
The number of locations has grown rapidly over the last 10 years from 18 in 2007 to the current total of 353, all of which are franchised in the U.S.
6. BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care helps meet the medical and personal needs of the elderly with a full continuum of care services, offering personal care, post-hospitalization transitional care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, medication management, skilled nursing, and even 24-hour live-in care, if needed. Each professional care team is led by a Registered Nurse Director, and this RN oversight ensures care quality. The Joint Commission, a nationally recognized healthcare standards organization, has named BrightStar Care an “Enterprise Champion for Quality” for four consecutive years.
Founded in 2002 and franchising since 2005, there are currently 315 locations, four of which are company-owned and one of which is located outside the U.S.
7. Home Care Assistance
Home Care Assistance has its own proprietary Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM) to address cognitive decline and boost brain health through targeted cognitive stimulation along with the typical full range of in-home care services for seniors. The company was also chosen as an exclusive partner for Maria Shriver’s inaugural Move for Minds event, promoting exercise as a pathway to cognitive health.
Founded in 2003, the number of locations has grown steadily during the past 10 years from 28 in 2007 to the current total of 248, of which 32 are company-owned and 15 of which are located outside the U.S.
8. Always Best Care Senior Services
Always Best Care Senior Services provides non-medical in-home care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, assisted-living referral services to help clients find the right facility when the time comes, and home health services from skilled nurses and licensed therapists as needed.
Additional services include Always in Touch – a complimentary telephone reassurance program that provides companionship to seniors and disabled adults through daily check-ins or weekly socialization calls; Always Safe combining in-home care during the day with a fall detection system for evenings/nights; and Always on Call to give immediate access 24/7 to a nationwide network of U.S. Board Certified physicians, available for live visits over smart phone, web, or phone whenever needed.
Founded in 1996, there are now 201 locations, one of which is located outside the U.S.
9. ComForCare Home Care
ComForCare Home Care specializes in providing personalized non-medical home care in the form of assistance with the full range of daily-life activities. Its approach is patient-centered care, which means listening to and honoring patient and family perspectives and choices in a collaborative caregiving relationship. The company is very focused on its brand recognition and marketing efforts at both the local and national level.
Founded in 1996 and franchising since 2001, the number of locations has expanded during the last 10 years from 94 in 2007 to the current total of 200, seven of which are located outside the U.S.
10. FirstLight HomeCare
FirstLight HomeCare is a provider of in-home senior care and respite care to any adult in need with a people-first philosophy that recognizes how caring is a calling, not just a career. The services are available for seniors, those with disabilities, those who are in recovery or rehabilitation, veterans, and even busy moms. Services for seniors include companion care, personal care, dementia care, respite care, and even a companion travel program.
Founded in 2010, this chain has grown rapidly during its first eight years to 154 locations, all franchised in the U.S.
11. Nurse Next Door
Nurse Next Door aims to make aging happier with its range of senior home care services, including live 24/7 scheduling support for companionship, meal preparation, homemaking, caregiver relief/respite care, personal care, home nursing care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, end-of-life care, transportation/accompaniment, even around-the-clock care, if needed. It is committed to a minimum of three visits per week, with each lasting at least three hours.
Founded in 2001 and franchising since 2007, there are currently 153 locations, 71 of which are located outside the U.S.
12. Assisting Hands Home Care
Assisting Hands Home Care is a provider of personalized in-home medical and non-medical care for seniors, including companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, shopping and errands, light housekeeping and laundry, and help with bathing and dressing. Some locations also provide home health care nursing services, such as therapy, medication administration, and wound care. The initial assessment and care plan will include identifying any programs, community resources, or benefits that might be available to help clients.
There are now 108 locations, three of which are company-owned and one of which is located outside the U.S.
13. Amada Senior Care
Amada Senior Care offers four kinds of services for seniors, including in-home senior care (non-medical), senior housing advising, home monitoring, and financial care coordination (help with long-term care insurance and other funding options for senior care).
Amada helps family caregivers and distant family members stay involved and updated through two signature technologies: Its BeClose app that reports daily activities and behavioral changes, and the Transparent family web portal to stay apprised of what Amada services have been rendered and when.
Founded in 2007, there are currently 74 locations, all franchised within the US.
14. HomeWell Senior Care
HomeWell Senior Care is a full-range senior home care provider that is available 24 hours a day and can provide same-day staffing when needed. It can provide hourly personal care, live-in care, care for couples, companion care, care management (an extensive holistic assessment that helps families realize what is needed in all areas of life), essential daily services, transportation services, and transitional care (hospital-to-home).
Founded in 1996 and franchising since 2003, there are now 63 locations, 3 of which are located outside the U.S.
15. IKOR International
IKOR International provides what it calls “life care management” for seniors and individuals with disabilities, taking a holistic approach to the lives of clients by looking at all relevant medical, environmental, psychosocial, and vocational/educational aspects.
An initial assessment is conducted by a trained, experienced Registered Nurse Advocate. When a Life Map of care needed is agreed upon, IKOR then uses its local knowledge base to assemble the needed care services from local providers, with ongoing monitoring to make sure the services provided are what is needed. The company’s work is managed through its proprietary client management software called Datikor.
Founded in 2000, there are currently 63 locations, all franchised within the U.S.
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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