senior services franchise - Senior Home Care Franchise

Time is Money: Finding More Time To Manage Your Home Care Business

As a home care business franchisee, it’s easy to get bogged down in day-to-day operations, leaving little time to consider larger decisions and the direction of the business. In order to function effectively, a franchise operator should have as much optional time as possible, but finding it can be a challenge. Some strategies to increase optional time include hiring new employees, delegating certain duties to others, automating certain functions, or even dropping certain responsibilities which are no longer necessary for successful operations. Ideally, delegating more responsibilities to employees is considered a positive, but in order to do so, employees must be qualified and capable of assuming added responsibility.

One mistake home care franchise operators can make is taking ownership of problems or situations which employees have brought to them for help. Rather than giving employees the opportunity to learn to perform the task or make the decision, the operator continues to do it because it seems easier and less time-consuming than training the employee to do it. Taking over the problem seems easier, but the better decision is to allow the employee to retain the responsibility for the problem and tell the franchisee how he or she plans to handle it. The process to allow this can seem time consuming, but ultimately it will result in better results. A franchisee should make sure his or her employees are fully and properly trained and when problems arise, encourage and allow them to offer solutions. The more challenging situations should be monitored more closely. With time and encouragement, most non-medical home care franchise employees can learn to stop running to the owner or manager every time there is a problem. Good employees will learn to successfully solve problems independently, in a manner that is consistent with the wishes of the owner.

To learn more about senior care franchising, download our FREE eBook now!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Five Ways a Home Care Franchise Changes Lives

As people age, everyday tasks often become more challenging. Many senior citizens may find themselves in need of daily help with errands, chores and personal care, but their family members may not be available to the extent needed. Non-medical in-home care is an excellent solution for individuals who need help with everyday activities, but who do not require daily medical care or monitoring.

Here are five ways a home care franchise is changing the lives of seniors and their families:

Assisting seniors with everyday tasks –– In-home caregivers help seniors with meal preparation, grocery shopping, mail sorting and bookkeeping, light housekeeping, personal care and transport, among other things.
Providing affordable care –– In-home care can be an affordable alternative to assisted living facilities, which can cost anywhere from $2,800-$7,000 per month.
Giving families peace of mind –– Family members, especially those with young children at home, may find it difficult to help their loved ones to the extent they’d like. In-home care professionals can provide family members with peace of mind, knowing that their loved ones are receiving the help and attention they need.
Providing seniors with companionship –– Elderly people, especially those who are unmarried or widowed, often experience loneliness more acutely as they become more distanced from busy family members and friends, and spend more time at home alone. An in-home caregiver’s companionship can go a long way to combat loneliness and comfort seniors.
Helping seniors maintain independence –– For most of us, the thought of becoming dependent on others is uncomfortable. Seniors frequently report that maintaining as much independence as possible is extremely important to them as they age. In-home caregivers can provide assistance with certain tasks, while allowing seniors to maintain their independence.

The American population is aging—the number of people aged 65 and older is expected to increase to around 72 million, in the year 2030, in the United States. Our aging population will bring increased demand for senior care services and alternatives to assisted living, such as in-home care. Always Best Care is one of the leading providers of senior care in the nation and is ready to serve this population.

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services, and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through a national network of nearly 190 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the USA.

Learn more about the exciting senior care industry in our FREE downloadable eBook!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Top Reasons Baby Boomers Are Retiring Later

Many Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are choosing to delay retirement and continue working—and not necessarily for financial reasons. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people age 65 and older in the workforce had increased from 12.9 percent in 2000 to 17.4 percent in 2010 and is expected to increase to 22.5 percent by the year 2020. Franchise with Always Best Care explores the reasons behind this increase in older workers.

Working Provides Rewards beyond Financial Compensation

While it’s true that some Americans have not saved sufficiently and, therefore, must continue working into retirement, the reasons behind the trend of Boomers working beyond age 65 are varied. Beyond financial necessity alone, older Americans are choosing to work longer for emotional and psychological reasons.

A study from the Sloan Center on Aging and Work found that 89 percent of older workers surveyed reported enjoying their work. And in a sample of individuals ages 50 and over, the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce found that 91 percent of those surveyed said the work they do is meaningful to them. Older folks continue working beyond retirement to reduce social isolation and increase their connection to the community. Many people report that working helps give meaning to their lives, while others want to be able to use their knowledge and experience on the job.

Helping Baby Boomers in the Coming Years

Although many Baby Boomers are opting to delay retirement and continue working, this growing segment of the population will require assistance in the coming years and decades. More folks are choosing to age in place, opting for home care rather than assisted living. If helping seniors is your passion, contact Franchise with Always Best Care to learn more about starting a senior home care businesses with one of the top home care franchises in the nation.

Learn More

Are you interested in learning more about what it takes to be successful as a senior care franchise owner during the aging-in-place boom? Always Best Care is here to help you navigate the industry as one of our franchise owners! Download our FREE franchising ebook today to learn more and refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Non-Medical Home Care vs. Home Health Care

As a senior care business owner, you may get a lot of questions from clients and their families regarding the difference between home health care and non-medical home care. In fact, to many potential clients, a “non-medical home care business” and a “home health care business” might sound very similar. Here are a few key ways in which these two types of home care differ from each other:

Home Health Care

Home health care is usually provided by a licensed medical professional. This can include nurses, physical therapists, and speech therapists, among other professionals. While a medical crisis used to mean the end of aging-in-place for many seniors, thanks to home health care, many seniors with medical issues can remain in their homes. Home health care services are usually prescribed by the patient’s physician, and the home health care professionals will only be authorized to perform these services. A few examples of home health care services are occupational therapy, wound care, mobility training, pain management, IV therapy or injections, and post-op rehabilitation.

Non-Medical Home Care

By contrast, non-medical home care focuses on keeping seniors safe and healthy, while still allowing them to remain in their own homes. Often, seniors require a little assistance around the house, and with personal tasks, in order to keep a good quality of life. Most often, the aspect of a non-medical home care worker’s job which is most important is that of companionship. Seniors need one-on-one contact and social interaction, as well as someone to help with activities they enjoy and to provide transportation to places they need to go for errands and recreation. Non-medical home caregivers can provide assistance with bathing, food preparation, hygiene and personal care, medication management, light housekeeping, and errands. Non-medical home care can be just as crucial to a senior’s well-being as home health care can be to someone with medical issues.

By distinguishing between these two types of care, clients and families can work with your home care business to better meet the needs of seniors who require one or both types of care.

Learn more about senior care franchising when you download our FREE eBook!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

8 Questions To Ask A Senior Care Franchisor Before Buying In

Starting a business requires a huge commitment, and senior care franchises are no exception. Despite a common misconception, a franchise is not a business-in-a-box, and requires a lot of hard work and dedication. At the same time, the appeal of a franchise, for many, is that it has the advantage of an established brand and a business model with proven success.

Identifying a well-established franchise with a high degree of success is only your first step in determining which franchise is right for you. The fact that other people have had success does not guarantee that you will be successful and, therefore, it is exceedingly important to ask the right questions before making a decision. Here are some key questions to ask franchisors:

What kind of financial assistance do you offer to franchisees? Many franchisors offer financing assistance, so be sure to inquire about how a franchisor may be able to help you in this regard.

Do you provide ongoing training in the form of conferences, seminars, meetings, etc.? Ongoing training, especially when included at no additional cost to you, can help ensure your success.

Tell me about some of your most successful franchisees and the secrets to their success?

What is the day-to-day business like for your franchise? This will give you a sense of what you can expect as a franchise owner and can help you determine whether this particular franchise is right for you.

Tell me about the overhead expenses I can expect with your franchise?
What problems do your franchisees most often run into? This can give you valuable insight about what problems you’re most likely to run into, allowing you to plan in advance.

What kind of insurance will I be required to carry with your franchise, and can you give me an idea of what it might cost?

Do you offer exclusive territories? If the franchisor doesn’t offer exclusive territories, rapid growth of the franchise means that you could be competing with other locations that pop up in close proximity to yours.

These are just some of the questions to ask during the consideration process. The more information you have, the better prepared you’ll be to make a smart, informed decision about which franchise is right for you.

About Always Best Care

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care and assisted living placement services. The company delivers its services through a national network of nearly 200 independently owned and operated senior care franchise territories throughout the USA. Always Best Care has been named one of the top franchises for minorities by the National Minority Franchising Initiative, and one of the top franchises for veterans, as featured in USA Today.

Want to learn more about the exciting and rewarding prospect of franchising in the senior care industry? Download our FREE eBook today!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

401K Home Care Franchise Funding

Should I Use 401K Funds to Start a Home Care Franchise Business? It’s a question many ask every day. The economic rollercoaster has made it more difficult for individuals to find funding to start a business as financial institutions have become more reluctant to issue loans. With fewer options, many people hoping to start a business are seeking alternatives to traditional bank loans.

The days of lending to people with no assets, no income and/or no job are long gone (and for good reasons). Given the greater difficulty of obtaining funds, more people are considering tapping into retirement funds to launch a business. Is this a good idea? Let’s explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of tapping into a 401K to get a business off the ground.

Benefits of Using Retirement Funds

If you decide to withdraw funds from a retirement fund such as an IRA or 401K, how you do so is exceedingly important. A Rollover for Business Startup (ROBS) allows you to tap into retirement funds with no penalties or taxes. Compared to cashing out a 401K or IRA, which would result in a 10% early withdrawal fee, in addition to up to 30% taxation, using a Rollover for Business Startup is the wiser choice and, thus, has seen a dramatic increase in recent years.

Additional advantages of sourcing money from retirement accounts include:

Secure funds quickly—usually in just two to three weeks
Use the funds to pay yourself a salary during the start-up of your business
No interest on the loan, thus moving you closer to profitability sooner
Improved cash-flow situation from the start

Disadvantages of Using Retirement Funds

As with most loans, there are disadvantages to using retirement funds to start a business. The first concern is the risk associated with using funds previously set aside for retirement on a business that may not ultimately succeed. Additionally, your financial advisor may charge you several thousand dollars for the paperwork to process a rollover, in addition to fees for managing the new fund.

Make sure to do your research when considering whether to use retirement funds to start a business, as there are some considerable risks—you should know what’s at stake before you make any final decisions.

Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living placement services, and home health care. The company delivers its services through a national network of over 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the USA.

Learn more about senior care franchising by downloading our FREE eBook today!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Realize Your Dream of Helping Seniors through Franchising

The senior care industry is growing rapidly. Roughly 13% of the current US population is 65 or older — a number that is projected to increase to around 20% by the year 2040. Changing demographics and an aging Baby Boomer population are creating unprecedented need for senior care services, as well as unprecedented opportunity in this growing industry.

The needs of seniors vary dramatically—some seniors need help with everyday activities like errands, bathing, dressing, medication management and housekeeping, while others have medical conditions like dementia, Alzheimer’s or diabetes that require monitoring and care. Still others require round-the-clock care in an assisted living community or nursing home.

Starting a Senior Care Franchise Business May Be Within Reach

If your passion is helping seniors, and you have a mind for business, starting a senior care franchise may be right for you. The extent of care you are prepared to provide seniors may be dependent on the amount of capital you have to launch the business. For example, non-medical in-home senior care does not require a medical staff or medical equipment, making your start-up costs lower than that of a home health agency that provides medical care.

You can launch a non-medical in-home care business with between $74,000 and $150,000.

If helping seniors is your dream, owning and operating a senior care franchise can help you make that dream a reality, and senior care is one of the most recession-proof industries in the nation. Learn more about franchising with Always Best Care. Always Best Care is one of the nation’s leading providers of non-medical in-home care, assisted living finder and referral services, and skilled home health care. The company delivers its services through a national network of over 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the USA.
Learn more about senior care franchising by downloading our FREE eBook today!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Character Traits of Successful Franchisees

While most anyone with the funds and ambition can find a franchisor willing to sign them on as a franchisee, owning a franchise is not necessarily right for everyone. It’s important for prospective franchise owners to look inward and evaluate how they want to run a business. Contrary to how some may envision franchises, they are not businesses-in-a-box.

It’s important to evaluate your needs when considering becoming a franchise owner—do you want a lot of free time? Is spending time with your family a priority? Do you have the skill set required of a franchise owner?

“Franchise King” Joe Libava told Entrepreneur Magazine that modesty is in order when starting a franchise. Even if a person has decades of experience in a high ranking position, Libava said, he or she must follow the rules of the franchise, regardless of their experience. It’s important to remember why a franchise business was appealing in first place—avoiding mistakes and buying into a brand with a proven track record of success, for example.

One important consideration is whether you are okay with following someone else’s rules. Rule-breakers and independent-minded folks will likely have difficulty in a franchise environment. A franchisor worthy of your buy-in will already have a proven recipe for success, and the expectation will be that you follow that recipe.

Owning and operating a senior assistance services franchise requires an especially serious commitment, considering the level of care and responsibility involved. If you have a true passion for helping others, your personality is compatible within the franchise model, and owning a business is your dream, franchising with Always Best Care may be right for you.

Always Best Care is a leader in non-medical in-home senior care in the United States. We have been rated among the best home care franchises in the United States. Learn more about the services we provide and about becoming a franchisee on our website.

Learn More

Are you interested in learning more about what it takes to be successful as a senior care franchise owner during the aging-in-place boom? Always Best Care is here to help you navigate the industry as one of our franchise owners! Download our FREE franchising ebook today to learn more.

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Running a Successful Franchise Business

Buying into a franchise does not equal automatic success. As many of us have experienced first-hand as consumers quality of service, efficiency and product quality can vary greatly from one franchise operation to the next. Here we outline some of the key steps to running a successful franchise based on the advice of expert Joe Libava, dubbed the “Franchise King.”

First and foremost, have a plan and stick to it. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day operations of the business, and not follow the plans and protocols you’ve outlined for yourself. But straying from the plan can lead to financial breakdown and customer dissatisfaction.

Don’t ignore the instructions and tools given to you by your franchisor. Those tools have had proven success and are there to ensure your success and the continued success of the brand. Many franchisors provide franchisees with tools for training, sales, marketing, tech support, and more. Take advantage of them!

Remember the golden rule: the customer is always right. There’s no doubt that poor service will keep customers away, and as word spreads, deter new customers from patronizing your business. Make sure your employees are trained to provide excellent service at every level and are held accountable should they fail to do so. Repeat customers are vital to the success of any business, and providing excellent service should be central to your strategy. Offer incentives to draw repeat customers and make sure your customers know they are valued.

Network to give your business an edge. Networking with other business professionals or joining your local chamber of commerce or small business group will likely lead to the exchange of ideas and information that could help propel your business forward. Be sure to network with friends and family, as well—your biggest allies—to get the word out about your business.

Being proactive, diligent about excellent service and networking can all help you be a more successful franchise business owner.

Start Your Own Senior Care Business

Franchising with Always Best Care could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for to make a real difference in the lives of seniors. Always Best Care is recognized as a leader in the non-medical in-home senior care industry. To learn more about franchising with Always Best Care, visit our website.

Learn more about senior care franchising by downloading our FREE eBook today!

Please refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Success Rate of a New Franchise Business vs an Independent Start Up

If you are considering starting your own business, you must decide if you want to start your own independent start-up business or invest in a franchise. Both types of businesses have qualities you will need to consider carefully when making this decision. Certainly with an independent start-up you are able to make all the decisions on how to run the business, but with a franchise you gain brand name recognition and supportive assistance. One of the main points you will need to look at is the success rate of both types of businesses. Below is a look at the success rate of starting a new franchise business vs starting an independent start-up business.

Success Rate of a New Franchise

A new franchise is associated with a main brand name company. The new franchise owner must purchase the rights to open their business from the main company. While start-up costs for a franchise may be less expensive than an independent business, franchise owners may incur added costs further down the road.

A study by the International Franchise Association (IFA) suggested that at many as 95 percent of new franchises were still in business after five years, and 91 percent after seven years.

As a way to further support IFA’a figures, FranNet completed another survey where it followed 1,260 new franchises from 2006 to 2010 to see what the success rate was. According to this survey, 91 percent of the new franchises were still in business after two years, and 85 percent of these franchises were still in business at the end of four years. Both studies show a very high success rate for new franchise owners.

Success Rate of an Independent Start-up

An independent start-up is a business that is built from the ground up and is not associated with any other brand name company. Typically, the start-up costs for these independent businesses are slightly higher and require the business owner to have an in-depth knowledge of how to manage and operate a business.

Statistics show the success rate for independent start-up are much lower than those for franchise companies. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the US Small Business Administration, 70 percent of independent start-ups are still in business after two years, and 50 percent of still in business after 5 years. This number drops to just over 30 percent for independent start-ups that last longer than 10 years, and 25 percent for those lasting more than 15 years.

The success rate for a new home care franchise seems to be much higher than those for an independent start-up business. This large difference may be because franchises offer a vast amount of supportive services to new business owners to help them start and operate their businesses, which many new start-up owners just do not have.

Learn more about senior care franchising and download our FREE senior care franchising E-book today!