Senior Care Franchising

Assisted Living Locators: Seniors Assistance

Franchise Could Easily Triple Number of Franchisees

The Emerging Game-Changer

in Non-Skilled Home Care

Giving Back is Good for the Soul and for Business

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what’s new!

Always Best Care Senior Services Tint World® Names Announces Year-End Results 2018 Franchisee of the Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading seniorYear care franchise systems in the United States, announced its year-end results. Fueled by aggressive franchise development, brand-wide giveback efforts and the implementation of awareness generating initiatives, Always Best Care achieved its 11th consecutive year of positive revenue growth.

In 2018, Always Best Care signed eight new franchise owners and opened 12 new territories, including St. Louis, Missouri, Pasadena, California and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company has also remained committed to giving back to the communities it serves and engaged in several charitable initiatives this year, including its annual sponsorship of the Alzheimer’s Association and participation in the veteran coat drive. Additionally, Always Best Care hosted its second annual senior pet adoption campaign, which

covered adoption fees for seniors seeking an animal companion. Studies show that pet ownership helps lower stress levels, blood pressure and depression and Always Best Care is helping to combat this issue in Americans over the age of 65. To bring the

cause to life, Always Best Care franchisees partnered with local animal shelters in

October and helped place pets in homes across the country.

www.alwaysbestcare.com

Mobility City’s Doors Are Now Open to Franchisees Mobility City, the premier and oneof-a-kind mobile repair and cleaning service for mobility equipment to individuals, groups, facilities, hospital, organizations and businesses that rely on various mobility devices, has opened its doors for franchisees to share the same success the company has been experiencing for years.

Mobility City is a pioneer business in mobile repair, rentals, sales and cleaning services for various mobility equipment such as wheelchairs, power chairs, mobility scooters and many others. The business assists individuals with restricted mobility due to age, accidents, illness and other conditions. People who use

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wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility equipment to go to places or simply carry out their regular chores spend most, if not all, of their waking moments using them.

When most people resort to doing the task themselves, they encounter numerous technical problems and soon realize that it requires professional expertise. A Mobility City franchise owner will have the chance to be of service to the disabled young and old, seniors, veterans and injured individuals by ensuring that the mobility equipment they rely on more than anything will be in good working condition all the time.

Apart from the service-side of the

business that can help develop internal motivation to carry out the work, being a Mobility City franchisee will also provide the chance to make a difference in the community and to achieve financial independence considering the many opportunities in this industry. Keep in mind that every person, facility, business or organization that uses any of the many kinds of mobility equipment is a potential client.

For more information, visit www.mobilitycity.com.

Rapidly Growing Home Care Brand Plans to Add 3 Additional Countries Within 12 Months North America’s fastest growing home care franchise system, Nurse Next Door, has just launched its bold pink brand in Australia. With a master franchise now operating in Melbourne and plans to add several more franchises in 2019, this is the first step in the company’s strategy to set up in three new countries over the next 18 months.

A recent top 50 ranking on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list reflects Nurse Next Door’s growth surge. Countries around the globe are experiencing the same rapidly growing population of seniors as we are in North America, and President and CEO Cathy Thorpe foresees a continued upwards trajectory as the home care brand moves into new markets.

America. Company leaders will focus on finding the right partners to represent the brand in each new country. As for Australia, they’ve entrusted experienced entrepreneurs Matt Fitton and Amber Biesse to lead the expansion.

Nurse Next Door launched in 2001 and began franchising in 2007, and now has over 150 franchises around North

Nurse Next Door matches caregivers and Registered Nurses with seniors to receive non-medical or medical care and

New Franchise Partners in Melbourne, Matt Fitton and Amber Biesse

companionship from the comfort of their

home. Their philosophy of Happier Aging-which aims to help seniors get back to

doing the things they used to love doing,

but don’t do anymore--is one approach that has helped them stand out in the market.

To learn more about Nurse Next Door, visit www.nursenextdoor.com. of 2019 award, and of those, 22 are Right at Home agencies, more than any other company. This makes Right at Home No. 1 in the nation.

Right at Home Franchises Recognized With Caring.com’s “Caring Stars of 2019” Award Caring.com, a trusted resource for families to find in-home care for their senior loved ones, released its annual “Caring Stars of 2019” list, a reliable industry source of information that showcases the best senior care around the country every year.

This year, Caring.com is also highlighting those organizations that made the “Caring Super Stars of 2019” list. These are

businesses that received the Caring Stars award in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Right at Home, one of the nation’s leading providers of home care for seniors and adults with disabilities, is thrilled to announce that of the 446 in-home care agencies that received the Caring Stars of 2019 award, 141 of them are Right at Home agencies. Also, 50 in-home care agencies received the Caring Super Stars

The recent Caring Stars awards top off a significant year in 2018 for the Right at Home brand. Right at Home opened a conversion program for independent home care businesses. The brand also launched its inaugural Professional Caregivers Week in November to showcase their appreciation for caregivers and bring attention to the profession. With more than 500 locations in over 40 states and eight countries, Right at Home is positioned to continue dominating the in-home senior care market in 2019.

To learn more about the Caring Stars program and view the complete list of winners, please visit: www.caring.com/ caregivers/bestseniorliving.

For more information on Right at Home, visit About Right at Home at www.rightathome.net/about-us.

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what’s new!

FirstLight Home Care Coming Tint World® Names to Overland Park 2018 Franchisee of the FirstLight Home Care, an award-winning provider of nonYear medical home care, announced today it will open a new location in the Kansas City area in Overland Park, Kansas, in February 2019. The office will be owned and operated by brothers Michael and Andrew Brainerd.

FirstLight Home Care of Overland Park will be serving the Overland Park area, including Lenexa, Prairie Village, Leawood and Shawnee. Qualified caregivers — Supportive Care Workers — interested in FirstLight career opportunities are encouraged to email either Michael Brainerd at mbrainerd@firstlighthomecare. com or Andrew Brainerd at abrainerd@firstlighthomecare.com.

FirstLight serves seniors, adults with disabilities, new mothers, veterans, those recovering from surgery and other adults in need of assistance. Their caregivers help with many needs – from personal hygiene and household duties such as cooking, cleaning and running errands to mobility assistance and dementia care.

this growing need and help improve the well-being of members of the community.”

“This Kansas City-area office will help meet the increasing demand for home care in the area as baby boomers choose to age at home,” said Jeff Bevis, FirstLight Home Care co-founder and CEO. “We are eager to extend FirstLight’s culture of care to meet

Visit www.firstlighthomecare.com to learn more.

Andrew Brainerd (left) and Michael Brainerd

Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight Home Care has experienced steady growth and is now operating more than 250 locations in 34 states throughout the U.S.

Safe Homecare’s Denver Franchise Brings in Over $1 Million in Revenue Within 6 Months professionals, and insisted that they launch and prove the SAFE HOMECARE franchise model in one entirely new location and market to “prove to ourselves, as much as others, that our turn key model, concepts and strategies designed to tap into this exploding market, with minimal capital requirements, was everything we believed,” said Jeff Krueger, the CEO.

SAFE HOMECARE (acronym Support Assistance For Elderly) is celebrating success of its Denver franchise exceeding revenue of $1 million in the first 6 months of its second year of operation! ($1,063,363 first 6 months of 2018 per FDD).

In 2017, SAFE’s CEO Jeff Krueger, an attorney and CPA, pulled back on the reins of his enthusiastic team of tenured business

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The Denver SAFE HOMECARE franchise commenced operations in early 2017 in a highly competitive and established market. “We wanted to test our model in an established and mature market, where, as the new kid on the block we wanted to take a sophisticated and developed market head on to see, and show, we were made of.” said Adam Krueger, SAFE’s COO of Franchise Operations. “Instead of just saying we know what we are doing, we can now back it up with empirical data.”

As a consequence of the tremendous success of the Denver Franchise location, SAFE has internally greenlighted the introduction of SAFE HOMECARE to the franchising world.

To learn more, visit www.safehomecarefranchise.com or call 855-953-SAFE (7233).

Don’t miss an issue COV ER STO RY

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R E-B AT H

“The support is amazing.

They have people that specialize in each aspect of the business, so if you ever need specific support, you can rest assured you are talking with an expert.”

- Sean Senno

BATHROOM REMODELING:

CREATING AN EFFORTLESS EXPERIENCE Re-Bath is the leading bathroom remodeling franchise for a reason: they offer full bathroom remodels with design, quality products and installation when, typically, these services are handled by different companies.

Re-Bath is the only company to streamline the bathroom remodeling process in this way, creating an effortless experience for customers and franchisees alike.

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Re-Bath bathroom remodeling services include: • Free Design Service

Re-Bath’s design consultants work with customers to craft a design – from traditional to contemporary – that completely transforms their space into a bathroom they love.

• Quality Materials

Re-Bath offers a wide selection of the highest quality materials, including its own brand of wall surrounds called DuraBath™ and Durabath™ natural stone.

• Professional Installation

Re-Bath’s technicians handle every aspect of the remodel — from removal to installation — in just a few days.

The Re-Bath website even provides customers with an interactive “bathroom visualizer.” This sophisticated online

design tool gives customers an engaging and interactive way to better imagine the bathroom of their dreams.

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• Replacing bathtubs with walk-in showers or walk-in bathtubs

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The company’s one-stop-shop approach appeals to everyone from first-time homebuyers to veteran homeowners, and the numbers say it all.

One Re-Bath location averages nearly six times the amount an independent contractor makes in revenue. And thanks to the franchise’s sales- and marketingT H model, E MRe-Bath AGAZINE focused business franchisees with territories of 500,000 in population or more report a whopping average revenue of $2,123,537* per territory and are well-known across the United States with a presence in 43 states.

• Discreetly adding safety rails inside the shower

$5.95 www.franchisingusamagazine.com

• Widening doorways to fit wheel chairs • Raising toilets for easier transitions from wheel chairs

Many baby boomers turn to Re-Bath because the franchise’s bathroom designs are not only safe and accessible but

sleek Fcomfortable, OR FR A and N Cmodern, H I Stoo.

EES

VOL 07, ISSUE 3, JAN 2019

Set Yourself Up for the Same Success

RE-BATH

Re-Bath is Well-Loved by the CREATING Market’s Highest Spenders

Re-Bath uses a sales- and marketingfocused business model. That means there’s a strong emphasis on teaching franchisees the benefits of hiring experienced and professional sales representatives and allocating a large chunk of their budget toward effective marketing and advertising efforts.

AN EFFORTLESS EXPERIENCE

Baby boomers are the home renovation industry’s top customers, making up one-third or more of the market. And, the demand for home improvement services increases as more and more baby boomers choose to age in place in the comfort of their homes.

SPECIAL “Aging in place” is a phrase used to describe an aging person, typically 55 years of age or older, living in a residence of their choice for as long as they’re able.

Many of those who fall into this group FEATURE will soon need to update their bathrooms, seeing as it’s one of the most dangerous rooms in the house for this aging class.

Franchisees never even have to pick up a hammer to run their business because the Re-Bath ownership role is focused on growth strategies and business development. Franchisees receive extensive training on both short- and longterm risk management. Plus, they have access to comprehensive training tools, advanced business management systems and a complete library of ready-made marketing materials.

Baby boomer bathroom renovation trends include:

The franchise also manufactures and supplies franchisees with the majority of

SENIOR CARE FRANCHISING

EMPIRE BUILDING

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NEGOTIATING THE BUSINESS TERMS OF THE LEASE DEAL

FOR FRANCHISE TENANTS LATEST NEWS

FINANCIAL ADVICE FROM THE BANKS

TOP LAWYERS’ ADVICE Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 1

www.franchisingusamagazine.com Franchising USA

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COVER STORY: Assisted Living Locators

Seniors Assistance Franchise Could Easily Triple Number of Franchisees, CEO Says When it comes to growth, this senior assistance franchise wants to see a threefold increase in franchisees.

Based in Scottsdale, AZ, Assisted Living Locators currently has 105 franchises spread throughout 34 states, but there is so much more room for growth.

“We could literally triple our size,” founder and CEO Angela Olea said during a recent interview. “We’re at 105, we could easily be at 300.”

Florida, with its large senior population, and California are areas that are wide open for growth, she noted, along with regions of the country where they haven’t gotten into yet.

A Different Kind of Seniors Assistance Assisted Living Locators is a different kind of franchise when it comes to senior assistance.

“We could literally triple our size. We’re at 105, we could easily be at 300.”

- Angela Olea

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“The quick analogy of what we do is we’re like a realtor for the elderly,” Olea explained. “We help locate assisted living homes or care communities that seniors need based on a combination of factors that match the senior’s financial, medical, social and location needs.”

Families contact Assisted Living Locators and explain those needs. Then, the company’s assisted living consultants --

“The quick analogy of what we do is we’re like a realtor for the elderly. We help locate assisted living homes or care communities that seniors need based on a combination of factors that match the senior’s financial, medical, social and location needs.” - Angela Olea attorney from Greenberg Traurig she broke new ground in the referral and placement field.

“I created the first referral and placement franchise in the U.S,” Olea said. “I had to overcome a lot of barriers. There are several other placement and referral franchises that are out there now, but it’s my recipe. I wrote the cookbook.”

The Recipe the franchisees -- go to work, searching a combined local and national database of communities and homes to find the best matches for the senior’s needs. They walk the families through the process of comparing choices and helping the family make the right choice for their senior.

Ultimately, it’s the family who makes the final decision.

The service is free for the families, with the franchisee getting paid by the facilities when a senior is matched with them and moves in.

Assisted Living Locators has contracts with the United States’ top seniors care facilities including Brookdale Senior Living and Atria Senior Living, as well as thousands of care homes across the country. The company also works with non-medical home care providers if a senior requires that type of service.

Getting Started Olea’s background is working as a registered nurse caring for seniors.

She noted that seniors who would be discharged from the hospital would often end up back in the hospital soon after because they were not getting the proper care after being discharged.

Frustrated, she spoke with a social worker to find out what the process was to get

seniors in proper care facilities once they were discharged from the hospital. To her dismay, the social worker told her that all they did was give seniors brochures to various care facilities and left it up to them.

But, none of the facilities that seniors were being pointed to had been vetted by anyone, meaning neither the social workers nor anyone else at the hospital knew if these facilities were any good.

That bothered Olea and she decided to do something about it. She started by researching places in her area that catered to seniors, so she could personally vet them herself. The more she researched, the more she discovered all the options seniors had. Then the proverbial lightbulb went off and the idea for Assisted Living Locators came to her.

“It was a little spark that became an inferno when frustration turned to inspiration,” she said.

In 2003, she created a website and started her database of senior facilities in her local area. Shortly after she launched the business, she started receiving calls from all over the country needing a service like Assisted Living Locators.

That’s when she was introduced to the world of franchising. Together with an

Through a lot of brainstorming and trialand-error, Olea came up with a franchising model that works. Unlike other franchises that are primarily based on population.

Her franchise is not only based on population, but also on how many senior facilities are in each area.

Once she established the best way to do things, she started franchising in 2006.

Every new franchisee comes to Scottsdale for five days of classroom and field training where they learn the finer points of networking and how to properly vet a seniors facility to make sure it is good quality and find out what the staff is like, what services they offer, the size and type of the building, how many people live there and any other information that would be useful to families looking for a new home for a senior relative.

After the franchisee returns home, they are privy to a 13-week one-on-one coaching course while they open shop.

When they hit certain preset benchmarks in their business, a team from Assisted Living Locators will then travel to the franchisee’s location for two more days of training and help with their business.

All facilities that franchisees visit get entered into the franchises’ Assisted Living Locators Integrated Network (ALL-IN) database.

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COVER STORY: Assisted Living Locators

One of the main reasons Olea wants to triple the number of franchisees is because in this industry, the more franchisees the company has, the easier it is for everyone.

The company has many situations where a daughter who lives in one region like New York will call and want to ask about places for her mother who lives in another region like Florida. Because Assisted Living Locators has franchisees in both regions, the franchisee in the daughter’s location can collaborate with the franchisee in the mother’s location.

“Although our franchisees have territories, they are borderless as far as the assistance they can provide with a shared revenue model,” Olea explained. “They can share

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“Although our franchisees have territories, they are borderless as far as the assistance they can provide with a shared revenue model.

They can share the fees that they collect, so they both have a vested interest in helping the family.” - Angela Olea the fees that they collect, so they both have a vested interest in helping the family.”

that families are aware of this service category,” she noted.

The best type of person for this franchise, she noted, would be someone who cares about helping seniors and who can network and build relationships easily.

They also must be a lifelong learner, as it is a young industry that is continually evolving, plus they must be an educator because many people who need this type of service aren’t even aware that it exists.

With such low overhead and minimal need for staff, Olea recommends that franchisees work from home. However, if they prefer, they can hire staff and have a commercial office if they want.

“Our marketing model includes an educational component to make sure

With low overhead and high earning potential, plus the opportunity to help people in need, Assisted Living Locators should have little trouble tripling their franchisee count. www.assistedlivinglocators.com

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r o i n e S C ar e Franchising feature

When it comes to franchising there are so many choices for investors to consider. The market is no longer as simple or cut and dry as it used to be.

As the economy progresses, new and creative ways develop to generate profit.

Some ideas come from consumers, while others come from invention or derive from popular products already on the market.

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Meanwhile, some franchises occur from necessity, which is the case for Senior Care. According to the Census bureau, 13.3 % of Americans are seniors and their needs are exceptional in comparison to the rest of the population.

Though they tend to have some health care concerns, there are different approaches to senior care that have slowly developed into a variety of businesses. People are living longer and enjoying their retirement.

In fact the average life expectancy in America is 79 years, which leaves a lot of time for people to enjoy their life after work.

Of course, some seniors may be seeking assistance and care, and medical advancements have also opened doors to numerous different ways to seek hospitality. These options have created different franchising sectors for investors to consider.

For someone passionate about healthcare or with a background in health, this could be a great way to combine business and pleasure. Of course, it’s not necessary to have experience in this field to succeed in senior care but for those who enjoy taking care of others, this could be a very fulfilling career.

“The care doesn’t tend to include medical assistance but rather personal care: food preparation, personal hygiene, housekeeping and a variety of other everyday tasks.”

own, with less responsibility. They tend to have snow clearing and garbage pick up available, as well as a quick means to communicate with a healthcare facility.

“Having a business that helps people transition in life, providing clients with a safe and healthy space is such a great experience and investment for franchisees.”

Besides health, there are numerous other business opportunities for senior care worth considering. Some rely on involvement from franchisees, while others don’t. It depends on the type of opportunity one is interested in.

Independent Living communities Some senior citizens are ready to move out of their long-term home and downsize but are not seeking assistance or medical care.

Independent living communities are either available as apartment style housing or smaller houses within the same lot. Either option allows seniors to live on their

Some centres provide cleaning services and other additional perks for its residents.

This type of franchise would involve a lot less paperwork and involvement because it doesn’t have too much red tape or insurance claims. Without healthcare services, the franchisee doesn’t have to be weary of as many laws and regulations.

Any legal issues would be easily addressed by the franchisor but it would definitely be a less time consuming option.

Review the opportunities within this type of senior care facility to make note of the services provided, how much staff is onboarded and how much energy and work is expected from a franchisee. If you’re looking for a work-life balance, it could be dependent on the allowable staff hires and operations of the franchise.

This type of franchise would have a high buy-in cost mainly due to location but the profit is guaranteed. Plus this isn’t a business fad. The aging population is expected to grow in the near future as baby boomers seek independent living

options. The profit is pretty high and it can likely run itself. A franchisor would help set up a lot of the operations and marketing.

Statistics and location are important for senior care, it’s probably not helpful to set up a facility surrounded by a younger population. Looking at stats within the community and local competition is important to determine success before investing.

Assisted Living facilities Similar to independent living spaces, these franchises come with staff that care for the residents. The care doesn’t tend to include medical assistance but rather personal care: food preparation, personal hygiene, housekeeping and a variety of other everyday tasks.

If one had the proper amount of finances and are interested in senior care, their best bet is a franchise due to insurance and the variety of legalities involved in the process.

A franchisor provides all the information and claims so you don’t have to do the work, while also providing the marketing

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and advertising you need for success.

A lot of assisted living facilities can be associated with a certain name brand. That reputation allows for a more likely profit, and creates a strong clientele without any of the legwork.

The startup costs are dependent on the location and how large of a facility is expected but again the profit is guaranteed.

Roughly one million Americans live in senior care facilities and that population will grow as the 77 million baby boomers seek retirement and assistance.

Both independent living situations and assistance living would be competitive with a few unusual markets. More seniors are looking at international facilities to help lower the cost of living, while some seniors seek government assisted programs.

Skilled Nursing Facility This type of franchise clearly involves health care features and staff, which involves a lot of regulation. If this type of facility is of interest, a franchisee could easily rely on a franchisor to carry the heavy load of instructions. Head office would have a fine guideline that makes running such a complex business much more simplistic. Plus you’d be confident that your procedures are safe and in order with a franchisor supporting you along the way.

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“Some seniors may be seeking assistance and care, and medical advancements have also opened doors to numerous different ways to seek hospitality. These options have created different franchising sectors for investors to consider.”

A healthcare facility would be competitive directly with hospitals, but not long term.

Hospitals have short term stays, while assisted living is long term.

A benefit is guaranteed income. Residents can either pay out of pocket or through medical aid and government support.

There is a lot of financial freedom within senior care; if residents are receiving aid, it automatically goes into your pocket.

People are likely to choose a nurse assisted facility when they have health concerns because it creates a long term living option. In comparison to hospitals, it also provides a home-like environment that is safe and aware of its clients needs.

Nowadays seniors have more buying power. They are ready for retirement and they come prepared with a checkbook.

Most families are retiring with a dual income as well as a house to sell. This portion of the American population is growing and well-prepared for the next step.

Their children want what is best for them.

They are willing to help them invest in the proper steps to retire and live at ease.

People will spend a lot of money to rest easy at night, and senior care facilities allow for that ease. A franchise is backed up by head office support and a wellbranded name that families can rely on for their loved ones.

It’s a very fulfilling franchise option.

Having a business that helps people transition in life, providing clients with a safe and healthy space is such a great experience and investment for franchisees.

For those interested in a bigger and more complex operation, though greatly supported by a franchisor, senior care franchises provide a business opportunity that allows you to help families feel at home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After receiving an English Degree, followed by a Journalism Diploma, Gina Gill became a freelance journalist in 2008. She has worked as a reporter and in communications, focusing on social media. She currently works as a community information officer with Epilepsy Society, while pursuing her writing career at the same time.

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Expert Advice: Jason Wiedder, Vice President of Franchise Development of Always Best Care

Giving Back

is Good for the Soul and for Business As leaders of the franchising community, we all have the responsibility to give where and when we can.

The franchising community has a longestablished presence when it comes to giving back and it’s one of the reasons I’m so proud to work in this industry.

Through the ongoing work of franchisors, company-wide initiatives or individual franchisees, the community-support efforts are immeasurable.

While many of us share a strong desire to support the community, franchise brands are each tailored to serve different

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audiences and their services vary. A fast-casual restaurant concept certainly has a fairly contrasting purpose and mission when compared with a senior care agency, but the importance of building a company with community top-of-mind is an effective method to help secure, and fuel long-term success across a variety of verticals.

For more than a decade, I’ve been part of the franchising and senior care industries.

Through my work with Always Best Care, I’ve witnessed first-hand how following this ideology and empowering employees to give back can bring success to entrepreneurs. To help others understand its importance, I’ve shared the below recommendations detailing how business owners can create an environment that

capitalizes on employees giving back to their community.

1

Identify Passion and Build On It

The first and most vital step towards making a positive change within your industry or community is to identify the cause that gets your employees out of bed.

Passion will always be the main source of motivation that will feed their commitment to execute a successful campaign.

Recognizing that the senior care industry draws a group of passionate and eager individuals, Always Best Care has been able to establish a variety of charitable community efforts based on our founding purpose of inspiring change and improving

quality of life. No matter your industry, your employees gravitated to your business for a reason and will help you determine a meaningful cause that supports both your their wishes and company values.

As an example, our caregivers provide assistance for individuals that suffer from cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, traumatic brain injuries and other lifealtering and threatening diseases. To build on our desire to help, we’ve partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association on a national level and our franchisees assist in initiatives to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s within their communities.

It’s essential that employees are passionate about the cause and their motivation will help establish strong visibility within key markets.

2

Invest In Your Employees, So They Invest In Your Community

Employees and franchisees want to be part of an organization that is committed to their development and success. Employees who feel valued and heard within your organization will be motivated to administer projects that are important to the community you service.

From a franchisor’s standpoint, I’ve found it most beneficial to create a business model that provides ongoing support for each individual franchisee and supply them with the tools needed to hire and train the right professionals in their market. At Always Best Care we provide franchisees with the resources needed to successfully run their business, so they are able to invest in employee support.

This has resulted in team members and caregivers taking pride in their work and clientele, which builds a desire to support local charity events and fundraisers.

Once you recognize the importance of your employees’ needs, take the necessary steps to show your appreciation and invest in their growth so they feel empowered to do the same for your company’s efforts to better their communities.

3

Cater To The Cause

Lastly, allow your franchisees and employees the power to make a difference.

As a franchise, you have access to a plethora of resources and hard working individuals who together can inspire positive change. Encourage your team members to bring forth organizations and causes they want to support and help them execute a plan.

Whether it’s through allotting time to work on a pro-bono project, providing resources or offering incentives to motivate additional team members to participate – having the backing from the leader of any organization will go a long way. Keep an open mind and listen to what your employees would like to accomplish. Tell them how you can support their initiative and help make their dream of giving back a reality.

By following these guidelines, you’ll shape your franchise to uphold the value and importance of community. Through building on the passions of those you employ, committing to their professional well being and empowering them with the tools needed to flourish within the industry, the possibilities are endless.

A company culture that thrives on the importance of giving back has many benefits, and will ultimately generate a positive image and profitable business.

Jason Wiedder joined Always Best Care Senior Services as Vice President of Franchise Development in March 2018. Previously, he was Vice President of Franchise Development for Brain Balance Achievement Centers. With more than a decade of experience in franchise and senior care industries, he has held various senior management positions with companies such as A Right Place For Seniors an Senior Helpers where he helped grow the company from 3 franchises to 275 franchises. www.alwaysbestcare.com/franchising

Jason Wiedder

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Expert Advice: Jeff Bevis, co-founder and CEO, FirstLight Home Care

The Emerging GameChanger in NonSkilled Home Care New rules from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will expand market

New business opportunities are coming to the home care franchise sector through expanded Medicare Supplemental Plan offerings but not without the willingness to make significant investments to meet federal requirements.

New Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rules that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, are finally making a breakthrough to include personal care services as eligible for coverage under some Medicare Advantage supplemental

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plans. Previously, that has not been the case on a broad basis.

• Transportation for errands and appointments

Although some long-term care insurance policies have provided coverage for nonmedical care for many years, this is the first time that there is a true CMS edict that Medicare Advantage supplemental plans can formally cover personal care services.

• Travel assistance and companionship

What is non-medical home care?

Non-medical home care taps into the market of people who don’t need clinical medical care but can use some help to remain independent. This can take the form of companion and personal care services such as: • Basic housekeeping help • Assisting with personal needs such as bathing, feeding or grooming

• Preparing meals From a business perspective, non-medical home care services have traditionally been private pay. Without the need to comply with federal regulations or insurance requirements governing reimbursement, non-medical home care owners have prospered with only a portion of the true market utilizing services. The majority of states nationwide do require non-medical home care businesses to be licensed but with low barriers to entry.

The new coverage changes through CMS do come with a price. Although CMS is now permitting Medicare Advantage Supplemental plans to cover some personal care services, home care providers will have to meet higher standards.

“The CMS rule change is exciting news for the home care industry, but business leaders must be clearly aware of the costs and potential pitfalls that come with the new opportunities.”

The 21st Century Cures Act mandates the use of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) and Electronic Home Health Records (EHR) for services that require an inhome visit by a provider. In addition, home care providers can seek accreditation with approved national organizations. These three new standards alone will require eligible, approved home care providers to make advance investments in their infrastructure, service processes and technology systems to remain compliant.

Not instantaneous Although the rules went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019, the transformation is not going to be instantaneous. In the run-up to the rules going live, there was not a massive number of insurers announcing Medicare Advantage Supplemental plans to incorporate the coverage. There has not been a big push from insurers yet to offer new benefits. The change will probably be more impactful for the industry beginning in 2020 once carriers have a better sense of the impact, pricing and the state of the market. As they incorporate the coverage, it will begin expanding the market of potential clients to be served under the Medicare coverage of long-term care.

With 86 million people in the United States expected to reach age 65 and beyond by 2050, the market for home care services has already been growing dramatically. The rule change will open up more sources of payment for non-medical home care services and has the potential to create a massive increase in the number of potential clients in the years ahead.

There were 19 million people enrolled in Medicare Advantage Supplemental plans in 2017, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. If even some percentage of those numbers are now eligible for coverage of personal care services, that’s a significant potential spike

in clients for successful, well-prepared home care companies to serve.

Tough requirements The CMS rule change is exciting news for the home care industry, but business leaders must be clearly aware of the costs and potential pitfalls that come with the new opportunities. There are substantial requirements for home care businesses seeking to become properly credentialed to receive payments from Medicare Advantage Supplemental plans. This opportunity is not to be taken lightly. It’s not going to be easy.

To be best positioned for future opportunities when they occur, home care businesses must follow all of the steps and meet all the federal requirements ahead of time. This will require some big operational shifts — and major investments — from each home care provider and the industry as a whole in order to meet the increasing demand and provide the type of services covered under the CMS rule change.

rule change represents a fundamental expansion to Medicare Advantage Supplemental Plan benefits. Leading home care companies who have made the advance investments and have maintained higher levels of service delivery will be up to this new challenge.

Jeff Bevis is co-founder and CEO of FirstLight Home Care, which is a toprated non-medical home care provider with a network of offices that provides more than 105,000 hours per week in care for more than 5,300 clients in over 34 states. www.firstlighthomecare.com

New opportunities In coming years, the CMS rule change will create greater separation between progressive, well-prepared home care businesses and the rest of the industry because not everyone will step up and make the advance, major investments to meet the requirements. The CMS

Jeff Bevis

Franchising USA

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Expert Advice: Christopher Conner, President of Franchise Marketing Systems

Franchising in the Senior Market The statistics are enough to make any businessminded person drool.

The over 65 population is growing every year by over 3.3 percent annually compared to the under 65 market at .3 percent annual growth.

The incredible growth in this market segment has given meteoric rise to a wide range of senior focused services and products. The franchise market has benefited directly from this growing market and the euphoric expansion has driven innovation and creative ways to serve this market.

The senior care market is what originally

broke ground in the senior franchise market with an enormous variety of inhome senior care franchises starting with brands like Visiting Angels. The in-home senior care market continues to thrive today with newer brands such as Ideal Homecare and Caring Matters Homecare.

These models focus on delivering professional care to seniors from the comfort of their own residence. This market alone has exceeded 440 billion in annual sales by some accounts and shows few signs of slowing down.

“Most senior businesses are models that you can make money and feel good about what you do every day.�

New models that have been created out of demand to serve this senior market also have entered the senior franchise market with high levels of success. Avendelle Senior Homes, a franchise with locations

in Dallas, Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina converts residential properties into smaller, cozier nursing homes with the ability to provide better care.

Avendelle in the last year has opened 6 new homes in Dallas alone.

55 Plus Fitness is a senior focused fitness and gym model that offers a comfortable environment for seniors to exercise and socialize with one another. Traditional gym models full of young, lightly clothed people create an unwelcoming place to work out for someone in their 60’s and 55 Plus was designed to address just this need.

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Regardless of the business segment, there is opportunity in the senior market and franchisees are reinforcing this with their dollars and investment. The great part about doing business in this market segment is the goodwill that accompanies the profitability. Most senior businesses are models that you can make money and feel good about what you do every day.

Christopher Conner is the President of Franchise Marketing Systems and has spent the last decade in the franchise industry working with several hundred different franchise systems in management, franchise

“Regardless of the business segment, there is opportunity in the senior market and franchisees are reinforcing this with their dollars and investment.� sales and franchise development work.

His experience ranges across all fields of franchise expertise with a focus in franchise marketing and franchise sales but includes work in franchise strategic planning, franchise research and franchise operations consulting.

For more information on how to choose the right food service franchise, contact Chris Conner at Chris.Conner@ FMSFranchise.com www.fmsfranchise.com

Chris Conner

Franchising USA

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