America is aging fast. There are now almost 50 million senior citizens over 65 in the U.S, and that number is expected to double in just a few years. Because of their age and health issues, many seniors are homebound or less mobile, and need a bit of help at home with some of the routine tasks that used to be so easy for them, like meal preparation, light housekeeping, shopping and errands. As little as two hours a day of help can make a big difference – enabling seniors to remain in their own homes – which is what 90% of them want. At home, they have familiar surroundings, privacy and independence.
Because of this senior population boom, the demand senior home care has grown swiftly to keep pace. It’s a profitable and satisfying way to help others and make good money doing it. If you’re not familiar with it, you may have some questions before you’re ready to get started. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions:
1. What does a senior home care provider do?
Most senior home care clients are between 65 and 95 years old, living in their own home, who just need help with daily living activities such as laundry, meal preparation, housekeeping, and medication reminders. A home care provider helps them live at home by taking care of these tasks, and also provide companionship by listening to their clients, reading a book to them or playing cards.
2. How much are senior home caregivers paid?
There is a big difference in the pay for caregivers who work for a home care agency and those who have their own independent home care service. For example, an agency might charge the client $24 an hour, but only pay the caregiver $12 an hour. This is a business with built in profitability. It’s a simple matter to see what the going rate for private pay clients is in your area.
3. Who hires senior home care providers?
Senior care professionals are the best referral source for potential clients. Increasing demand means they are always looking for quality caregivers. At Home Eldercare franchisees offer that quality due in large part to our comprehensive training and support.
4. What accounts for the rapid growth of the business?
There are two reasons for this demand. First, medical advances have made it possible for people to be cared for at home rather than in a hospital or nursing home. Second, increasing costs of health care have created a growing demand for more affordable in-home care. Third, the recent pandemic has made aging in place a far safer alternative to care facilities.
5. What’s the difference between in-home health care and non-medical home care?
In home health care requires medically trained health care workers, like nurses and CNAs. Non-medical care involves only the tasks that do not require medical training. For example, a non-medical home care provider can remind a client to take their medications, but cannot administer the medications.
6. Can I work part-time?
Yes, in some instances you can. But keep in mind that you are running a business, and that does place a lot of demands on your time. This is a business that gives back based on what you put into it.
7. Is it expensive to get started?
An At Home Eldercare franchise costs less to purchase than the majority of home care franchises. Support and training are included in your franchise fee. You can operate the business from home, saving you the cost of opening an office.
8. What if I’ve never done this before?
No. Our start-up kit, training program and support staff will get you up and running quickly and easily. In fact, very few our franchisees come from a medical background. Most of our clients have come from industries as diverse as real estate, IT, and the furniture industry.
9. How do I find customers?
There are many avenues to pursue for obtaining employees and clients, to the point that we will spend almost 4 full days with you in training, exploring the various methods of finding clients and attracting staff. No special skills required.
10. Do I need any special training or a certificate?
The vast majority of states require some form of certification or licensing. We have trained for the DHSR, the licensing division for the state of North Carolina for the past 10 years; you might say we are expert when it comes to licensing and certification.
As an At Home Eldercare franchisee, you can earn a solid, dependable income regardless of what the job market is doing. It’s as close to recession-proof as it gets, as seniors continue to get older and require in-home caregivers. For more information about starting a Senior Care franchise with At Home Eldercare, go to our contact page.