senior care 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.

The Value of Local Support for Your Senior Care Franchise

If you’ve worked in the corporate world, you understand what it’s like to have the support and structure of the company behind you. But operating within this structure leaves you with very little freedom to make decisions and take risks. That’s why franchise ownership is so attractive — owning and operating your own senior care franchise location allows you to experience the best of both worlds: You are the owner of your own business, with the freedom to make important decisions, but you also have support and structure provided by the company.

One important aspect of franchise ownership that sometimes gets ignored is the presence of support on the local level. It’s easy to view franchise ownership in terms of the relationship you have with the company at the national — or global — level, but it’s local and regional support that often means the most on an on-going, day-to-day basis.

How does local support help franchise owners succeed? Let’s take a look!

National Directors and Area Representatives Understand the Needs in Their Area

In the senior care industry, a cookie-cutter approach just doesn’t work. Every community is different, and methods that work in South Florida may not be effective in northern Minnesota. People live different lives in different parts of the world, and local National Directors and Area Representatives understand the regional nuances that give their franchise owners an edge over competitors who don’t have local support.

National Directors and Area Representatives Are There for You on a Regular Basis

Support from the corporate level is important, but it’s not usually meant to be a daily lifeline. Local support means having someone in your corner that you can call on when needed. They are also there for you to provide planning, mentoring and team building in a way that fits with the needs of your community. Regular in-person visits are part of the National Directors’ and Area Representatives’ responsibilities for our owners.

The Best Local Support When You Franchise with Always Best Care

At Always Best Care, we believe strongly in a system of support that includes the assistance of experienced National Directors and Area Representatives. National Directors and Area Representatives are there to provide support when you need it in addition to helping you hone your business plan for maximum results. Regular meetings provide structure and motivation, and our proactive approach to mentoring and coaching means that you’ll always be on top of your game.

Always Best Care is one of the leaders in the growing senior care industry because we believe in our people. Providing great local support is just one of the ways we help our franchise owners grow their businesses and serve their communities.

Are you interested in learning more about what it takes to be 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 amazing franchise owners! Download our FREE senior care franchising eBook today to learn more and refer to our most recent Franchise Disclosure Document for important details.

Leadership, Culture and Finding the Right Franchise

If you’re thinking about becoming a senior care franchise owner in your community, it’s important to understand that what you’re about to start is more than just a business opportunity. Senior care franchising is about providing a resource for area seniors and their families, and doing your job well requires you to be an active leader. But it’s also important to select a franchise ownership opportunity that provides strong leadership for you to follow.

Franchise Culture

When you are awarded a franchise location, you become a part of the company’s culture and value system, so it’s important that you select a business that allows you to operate in a way that’s consistent with your personal vision and values. A good fit is crucial for franchise success, so it’s important to investigate the type of leadership and support that the franchisor provides.

After spending time in the corporate world, poor leadership is one of the many reasons people turn to franchising. Which is why you should work to find a franchisor that features strong leaders and a proven system to help its individual owners succeed.

Online Research

Before you meet with representatives of a franchise, you can learn a lot by investigating the business’s online presence:

– What values and culture does the company’s website portray?
– What kinds of values are evident in the company’s blog posts?
– What kinds of things are being written about the company elsewhere online?
– What sort of reputation does the company have inside the industry?

Ask yourself these questions as you perform your research, and make note of how each company you investigate matches with your values.

Talk to Franchise Owners (Validation)

Speaking with current franchise owners is essential in your search for the ideal opportunity. These business owners understand what it’s like to work with the company on a day-to-day basis, and they possess insights that cannot be found elsewhere. Ask them questions specifically about the company’s leadership and culture, but also pay attention to their attitudes as they talk to you. If it seems like frustrations are brewing under the surface, it could be a red flag. However, if they seem genuinely enthusiastic, it could be a green light for you to proceed!

Meeting the Sales Team and Other Franchise Representatives

You can learn a lot from the sales people and franchise representatives you meet! If everyone clearly believes in the brand, you’re probably on the right track. But if you can sense that these franchise gatekeepers are holding back and not being completely authentic, you may want to keep searching.

These people are products of the company’s culture and leadership, so if you can’t connect with them, or you feel a lack of confidence from them, something less than ideal could be happening at the leadership level.

Consider Franchising with Always Best Care

Always Best Care has been providing excellent senior care services since 1996, and our position as an industry leader is a direct reflection of our amazing company culture. Contact us today to learn more!

Are you ready to build your future in the home care industry? The time to make a difference is now! Learn more about franchising with Always Best Care and get started on your journey to success by downloading our FREE E-Book today!

Franchise Ownership and Marketing Muscle

Owning your own business requires you to be able to spread awareness about your products and-or services. Marketing is absolutely crucial in your quest for success, and it’s something that you’ve got to focus on consistently. Some people have a natural knack for marketing and advertising, but for others, it can be a struggle. And these days, businesses need to engage in newer marketing strategies (SEO, Google, e-mail marketing) as well as social ones (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram, etc. ) to make the greatest possible impact.

The amount of time and energy that needs to be devoted to marketing in a modern business can be overwhelming, but franchises offer business owners the chance to access some powerful marketing muscle to complement their own efforts. Franchise owners need to devote time and energy to marketing their businesses, but they don’t have to do it all alone.

The Franchise Marketing Advantage

When it comes to marketing a business successfully, one of the key components is developing name recognition. With a start up, it’s necessary to build that name recognition from the ground up. It takes a considerable amount of time and effort to build trust around the brand. Doing so can be rewarding, but it’s also quite exhausting.

As the owner of a franchise, you begin your business with name recognition built right in. it’s your business, but it’s also part of a proven framework of ideas, strategies and excellence that people recognize. You certainly need to go out there and let people know about your business, but with so much familiarity built in, you can make it much easier to convince people that what you’re offering is worth their time and money.

Advertising Expertise and Cutting-Edge Marketing Strategies

As a senior care franchise owner with Always Best Care, you get access to a tremendous marketing machine. Franchise owners benefit from award-winning marketing programs that reach potential clients through referral marketing and digital marketing efforts.

When you franchise with Always Best Care, you get assistance in developing specific marketing strategies that are highly focused on your local area.

– Our direct marketing campaigns help you deliver a value-packed newsletter to potential clients
– Brand awareness campaigns and lead-generation tools can be concentrated on your specific region
– We give you the most effective tools for engaging on social media, as well as access to the latest Search Engine Optimization (SEO) best practices
– There are more than 250 marketing collateral pieces available for a wide range of campaigns

Unleash Your Franchise Marketing Potential

As an Always Best Care franchise owner, you’ll always have a powerful marketing team behind you, offering guidance and support so you can ensure that your business gets noticed and builds a great reputation. If you want to own your own business, becoming an in home senior care franchise owner with Always Best Care is a great way to do so with the backing of one of the best brands in the industry!

Get started by downloading our FREE E-Book today!

How You Can Help Today’s Seniors Get What They Want

One of the most important benefits associated with senior care franchise ownership is the opportunity to give back to the community and provide a resource.

But before you can provide your community with a valuable resource by offering outstanding senior care, you need to understand what seniors actually want. Seniors have many more options available to them in their post retirement years than ever before, so it’s crucial to be able to offer what they actually want.

Let’s take a look at some of the key desires that today’s seniors have — and explore how you can satisfy them as a senior care franchise owner in your community!

Respect

Seniors don’t always get the respect they deserve in our fast-paced world. Youth culture seems to dominate every facet of society, which can leave older individuals feeling like they exist on the margins.

Seniors don’t need to be treated like royalty, but they should be made to feel that they are every bit as important to society as anyone else.

As a senior care franchise owner, you can make a huge difference in your business — and the way your clients feel about you — by simply recognizing that older individuals deserve respect. As the leader of your business, everyone looks to you for guidance, so treat your clients (potential and otherwise) with the utmost respect, and your staff will follow!

Being Treated As Individuals

It’s all too easy to lump everyone over the age of 65 into a broad category known as “Seniors.” The reality is that seniors are just as diverse and varied as any other cross section of society. Certainly, seniors have a lot in common with each other generationally speaking, but that doesn’t mean that they’re all the same.

One-size-fits-all plans may work some of the time, but if you’re not treating each senior in your care as a unique individual, you risk alienating them. Every senior in your care has his or her own wants and needs; just because two people share the same birth date doesn’t mean they share the same requirements for senior care.

Communication

For most people, a social life is tied closely to professional life, so when individuals retire, they often find themselves missing out on conversations and interactions with others. Older individuals often have a lot to express, so it’s important to be able to truly listen to what they have to say, whether it’s in casual conversation or when they require something critical for their care.

Seniors also appreciate being looked in the eye and talked to directly. Too often, senior care providers speak directly to a family representative without addressing the senior loved one, which can lead to feelings of alienation and a loss of self worth. Of course, it’s important to be able to communicate effectively with family members and other loved ones, but don’t forget the person who’s at the center of it all!

Get started by downloading our FREE E-Book today!

Transitioning Into Franchise Ownership

Franchising is a great way to own and operate your own business, but the concepts inherent to franchising aren’t always easy to understand. In many cases, newcomers to this type of business model — those who have never run their own business before — adapt more quickly to franchising than those people who come from the world of independent business ownership. Adjusting to a career as a franchisee can be difficult for those who have owned and operated their own businesses in the past, even though these individuals bring tremendous assets to the table.

Are you a business owner who is considering a shift into franchising? Your skills and experience will serve you well, but there are some important things to keep in mind as you make the change and learn how to operate successfully as a franchisee.

Let’s take a look at some helpful tips!

Do Your Research

This is true for everyone entering a career in franchising, but it’s particularly true for those who come from the world of traditional business ownership: researching the ideal franchise opportunity is crucial to your eventual success. As someone with experience in business, you’ll want to enter a franchising situation that rewards your depth of knowledge, and you’ll want to find an opportunity that allows you to use your accumulated skills to earn success. A lot of franchising opportunities will be less than ideal. Use your time in research to eliminate prospects that won’t serve you well.

Talk To People

As a business person, you probably have a large network of people whose experience and knowledge you can draw from. You learn by interacting with them, and they have been essential to your success. Use your networking skills to your advantage as you investigate various franchising opportunities — talk to existing franchisees and learn about their experiences. Don’t be afraid to seek out conversations with franchisors, either! Your efforts here will help you determine which franchise suits your skills and your business style best.

Consider the Industry

If you’re thinking about shifting into franchising from a career as an independent business owner, you must be looking for change. Perhaps this means that a change of industry is appropriate, as well. However, you may be better off remaining within the industry that you know and find familiar. The choice is yours, but it’s one that requires thought and serious consideration.

One thing is for sure: the senior-care industry is growing rapidly, and franchisees from all walks of life are finding renewed passion for their careers in this amazing franchising sector!

Learn More

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

Report: The Senior Care Business Is Booming!

If you’ve been paying attention to trends in franchising and in the senior care sector, you’ve surely heard that in-home senior care franchises are thriving. There’s a lot of hype surrounding our industry today, which has a lot of people excited for good reason. But for others, all of the publicity — even the good news — is cause for increased skepticism.

Can the senior care industry really be doing that well? Is it possible that senior care is going to continue to grow at a terrific rate? Is there actually reason to believe the hype around in-home senior care?

If you’re not sure if senior care is the right industry for you to move into the next phase of your career, it’s okay to be skeptical about all of the amazing stories you might be hearing. In most cases, it’s a good idea to be wary of the hype, especially when it comes to an investment of your time, money and professional skills. But more and more, the hype surrounding senior care is justified.

In fact, a new report sheds some light on many of the reasons why senior care continues to be a booming industry and one that will likely reward franchise owners in the months, years and decades to come.

Let’s take a look!

The Demographics Tell a Big Story

Recently, The Wall Street Journal published a report on the future of senior care that should be great news for those of you who are about to enter the industry as in-home care franchise owners. Compiled and written by entrepreneurship expert Ruth Simon, the report gets into the many reasons why senior care is so hot right now — and will continue to carry heat into the future.

Demographics tell almost the whole story. People are simply living longer than ever before in history, and those who have reached retirement age are healthier and better equipped to handle life than their counterparts from previous generations. And right now, the portion of the population that’s 65 or older is about 15% of the total. By 2060, seniors will account for nearly 24% of the total U.S. population

As a result, senior home care businesses have grown 6.6% annually. Compare that number to the growth rate of non senior home care franchises, which is less than half at 2.6%

Why Franchises Work

There are a lot of different ways to take care of seniors and cater to their specific needs, but franchises are emerging as the dominant model in the in-home care industry. Sure, there are startups out there that are occupying small spaces in the industry, but franchises represent the wave of the future.

Why?

With franchise ownership, people can run their businesses with the help of experts and proven systems. Franchisors take care of training and cutting through much of the red tape that would otherwise prevent business owners from moving forward. They also work hard to establish trusted brand names in communities, which is a boon for business owners who don’t want to start from scratch. This is also key for seniors and their families, many of whom don’t understand the industry and are unsure about whom they can trust.

When you look at the combination of demographics and the benefits of franchise ownership, it’s easy to see that senior care franchising will continue to offer a terrific opportunity for business people in the near — and far — future!

Franchise With Always Best Care

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.

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

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.

The Ways Baby Boomers Are Changing the Face of Senior Care

When Baby Boomers speak, their voices are heard loud and clear thanks to their sheer numbers and the influence they still hold over society. And these days, individuals from this special generation are talking more and more about how they think their senior years ought to be spent.

It’s no surprise to learn that the Baby Boomer generation has some different ideas about senior care than the generations that came before.

Let’s take a look at three of the big ways in which Baby Boomers are changing the senior care industry.

Greater Numbers and Longer Lives

The Baby Boomer generation counts about 80 million people as its members, and about 8,000 of them are reaching retirement age every day. The senior care systems that have been in place for decades are simply not designed to meet the needs of so many people retiring at the same time. This puts a great strain on existing modes of care, such as skilled nursing facilities and other types of support services.

Baby Boomers are also living longer lives than those of previous generations: people born at the tail end of the Baby Boom generation (1964) are expected to live about six years longer than those who were born in the earlier parts of the 1900’s. Advances in technology, fitness and medicine are increasing longevity. Baby Boomers want to take advantage of it, making previous senior care institutions somewhat obsolete.

A Greater Desire for Freedom

The Baby Boomers made a name for themselves by questioning previously held standards of how life should be lived. Over the years, they have established new ways of thinking in our world, and they are taking that sense of change and improvement into their retirement years, as well.

Baby Boomers just don’t see themselves the same way that previous generations have when reaching retirement age. They have little interest in sedentary retirement. Many have recollections of the limited options their parents had years ago, and they prefer to stay at home for as long as possible, where they can feel free to live their lives as they see fit.

Providing In-Home Senior Care for Baby Boomers

Senior care franchise owners are leading the way when it comes to providing the types of care that Baby Boomers want. As a senior care franchise owner, you can operate a business that is designed to offer the balance modern seniors seek between a life of freedom but with a level of care that ensures continued health and safety. If you are wondering how you can accommodate the needs of the aging population in your community and are ready to go into business for yourself, senior care franchise ownership could be the perfect solution!

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.

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.