The baby boom population has created a new dynamic in the marketplace: The competition for senior living care. The existing senior care facilities are ramping up their marketing a notch, particularly with the new Segovia Áegis Senior Living resort-styled community set to open in Palm Desert in May and a report that the national franchises, see revenue swell more than 225 percent in 2009.

An open house last week at a mid-valley senior community highlighted that theme.

Mission Hills Senior Living at Rancho Mirage, 34-560 Bob Hope Drive, held a grand reopening under a new name and new management — Integrated Senior Living — that kicked off a raffle through May 5 for three Assisted Living apartments for as little as $250 per month over for 12 months.

The value of the drawing was reported to be $30,000.

Normal rent for the apartments start at $2,800 per month in Mission Hills, an assisted living and memory care community with 124 units.

Senior Living Care read more.

Take the first steps to becoming Senior Home Care business owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

In any business deal, there is room for negotiation and that applies to franchises too. While a franchise may come with a predetermined structure, which is one of the benefits that many prospective franchise investors look for; not everything is written in stone. If you’re interested in a specific franchise, but don’t like all the terms, work with a legal professional and negotiate the contract. You may find that the franchisor is willing to budge on some of their terms. It is likely, however, that franchisors will be more cooperative in negotiating some points versus others and these may include the following:

1. The franchise fee – two things the franchisees must pay is an initial franchise fee plus a royalty percentage to the franchisor. It’s unusual that a franchisor will budge on the royalty charge, but they may negotiate the purchase fee

2. When the franchise opens – the franchise contract may come with an opening date, but a franchisee can always ask to change this before signing to better accommodate their schedule or personal goals for the business

3. The location of the franchise – when signing a franchise contract, a franchisor might have a very specific location in mind whether it’s an existing franchise or not. Franchisees might consider a different location based on where they live, or where they recognize a demand for the business

Via: All Business

Image: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

You might have dreams of getting into the franchise business, but having that aspiration doesn’t mean that you’re the right person for the job. Franchisors won’t take just anyone with a dream and a smile – they want people that will properly represent the brand and do them proud. Oh, and then there’s that whole money issue as well.

So, if you’re dreaming of a senior care franchise in your future to give back to the elderly population in your community, you’d better consider whether or not you fit the bill from the perspective of a franchisor. Here are a few things that they look for:

1. Money, money, money – a franchisor provides support to a franchisee, but that doesn’t mean that they foot the financial bill as well. Prospective franchisees must have the money for the initial start-up fee, and also enough in reserve for contingency

2. Good support of the brand – franchises are successful because they’re part of a known brand. Along with this, franchisees can make lower risk investments in getting involved with successful businesses. But, franchisees do need to be willing to follow the system that’s set in place and not rewrite the rules

3. Driven – a franchisor can help guide a franchisee, but they’re not there for handholding. A franchisee needs to run with the guidelines provided by the franchisor and make every effort to make the business a success

Via: All Business

Image by Search Engine People Blog via Flickr

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

When you decide to purchase a senior care franchise, provided you’ve entered into a deal with a reputable company that’s really dedicated to the success of your brand; you’re not alone. While at the end of the day, it might be your reputation and your financial investment that’s on the line, franchisors want to see all of their businesses succeed.

As you begin to grow your senior care franchise, ensure that the franchisor continues to play the role that was agreed upon in your contact to help set you up for success, that way you can reach out to the community that you desire to help.  Here are a few things that you can expect from a franchisor to set you on the right path.

1. Ongoing communication – a great franchisor should remain in regular communication with you about how the business is growing on the whole. They can share stories of success and failure for you to learn from as a new franchisor, and provide you general industry trends that will help you make successful business decisions.

2. Support – as you setup your business, you shouldn’t have to be on your own when it comes to learning the ropes of marketing and financial management. A franchisor can provide this guidance either by way of documentation, a training program or access to individuals involved with the company that can provide this advice

3. Monitoring – remember, as a franchisor they want success as much as you do, because it’s their brand and reputation on the line if your franchise doesn’t do well. Expect them to monitor your business and practices and to receive feedback (positive or negative) on following their guidelines

Via: allbusiness.com

Image: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

As professional caregivers, you play such a great role in the lives of the seniors that you care for already; but you never know when there might be more required of you. Depending on where you live, various natural disasters could take place and these put seniors in an even more vulnerable place than younger generations. After Haiti’s devastating earthquake, disaster planning is on all of our minds, so if you haven’t spoken with your senior care recipient and their loved ones about a specific care plan in case of a natural disaster or another related emergency, it’s time to start planning.

You don’t need to do this independently; it is essential to involve the seniors you care for and the more important people in their lives in coming up with a disaster plan, but as a caregiver you can encourage that one be put in place. You should also be well aware of what the plan is once it’s been set, because you never know what role you might end up playing should you happen to be with one of your care recipients when or if a natural disaster hits. Here are some things that should be considered in disaster planning.

1. What might happen? – talk about the potential emergency situations that could occur where you live. Is it likely that it will be a flood? Hurricane? Tornado? Forest Fire? Understanding what could potentially occur can help organize a plan.

2. What resources are available in the community? – in the case of an emergency, who else might be available to help? Are there community resources like community centers that might offer shelter? Doctor’s offices or hospitals. Record these resources, and don’t hesitate to contact them before a need should arise to determine what role they might play.

3. What are the senior’s needs? – each senior might have specific needs in an emergency related to their health and general care. Consider what these are. Is there specific medical equipment that will be essential in an emergency? Hearing devices or medications that can’t be left behind? Include these in a disaster kit and also include them in writing so they’re not overlooked.

4. Who will the emergency contacts be? – record phone numbers, addresses and other essential information for those who might be necessary to contact in an emergency.

5. Put it all in writing – the complete plan should be put in writing and reviewed and discussed on a regular basis. Specific needs might change overtime and these must be considered.

Via: Eldercare.gov

Image Source: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

With a New Year here, many senior caregivers will find that those that they care for are working on setting goals that will make 2010 a better year for them. Whether their goals are regarding their health, their happiness, or other aspects of their lives, professional caregivers can play a big role in helping their senior care recipients stay on task and ensure that they don’t lose sight of their goals. Professional caregivers often have one great trait in common, and that’s their organizational abilities – so if your senior is trying to reach a goal, help them track their progress
to keep them motivated.

A journal or calendar is the best way to do this, and you can even get right involved. Each day when you’re with your senior working on accomplishing their goals, right down the progress that has been made but also ask them to record their feelings. For example, if they are working on improving their endurance through exercise, you can record the tasks that were completed that day, and ask them how they feel they’re doing. They might say that they’re not where they hoped they would be, since walking for 20 minutes is the maximum when their current hope is to take a brisk 30 minute walk. This method can help set new goals to accommodate the process, review past process, learn from mistakes, and create a tangible record for motivation.

Get on board, caregivers! If the senior you care for is looking to change their life this year, use your skills to help them along!

Via: Carebuzz

Image Source: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

For many families, hiring a senior care provider is one of the most stressful decisions that they’re likely to make in their lives. Particularly when relying upon a caregiver to deliver the best care possible when family doesn’t live by to monitor the ongoings, families need to know their loved ones are in the best hands. As a senior care franchise owner, it’s your responsibility to meet these needs and provide that assurance that will help ensure your clients are satisfied.

Here are some essential things that all home care franchises must do to ensure that they’re delivering high standards of quality when it comes to their senior care services. Any company that cannot  meet these needs will find their success compromised.

1. Appropriate licensing – senior care franchises need a business license and any other licensing required by the state

2. Insurance and protection for clients and employees – home care franchises must have Workman’s Compensation Insurance, Fidelity Bond Insurance, and Professional Liability Insurance

3. Active management – a great team leader is needed to keep a business afloat

4. Diligence in hiring – training, background and reference checks should be conducted with all new employees, particularly those who will be working directly with clients like the senior care providers

5. Availability – great senior home care services need to be flexible enough to meet the every need of their clients. That could mean offering live-in services or 24/7 care options

Via: Caregiver List

Image Source: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

The senior care industry is growing rapidly to meet the demand of the aging Boomer population and while there are plenty of investment opportunities for those looking to enter the industry as an entrepreneur, it’s not a job everyone’s suited for. Many people have a devotion to improving the lifestyles and independence of older adults in the United States, but as entrepreneurs, they may not have the skills they need to be effective leaders. Do you think you would make a great entrepreneur in the senior care industry? Read through the top traits of successful entrepreneurs and see where you stand.

1. They make a mission statement and stick to it – knowing what the business’ mission is and documenting it helps entrepreneurs keep their business on trap

2. Have a vision for today and tomorrow – entrepreneurs need to have a vision for their business today, and where it will go in the future and they need to include their staff in understanding this goal

3. A goal to make the above happen – with specific goals in place that will allow them to achieve their mission and vision. A good entrepreneur sets goals that are realistic and achievable, but also those that can be measured to determine whether they’re successful

4. You must be an expert – you don’t need to have prior experience in the senior care experience, but you do need to adapt and learn about your industry. To be successful, good entrepreneurs need to be competent when dealing with clients, investors and others in the industry

5. The ability to put together a great team – particularly in the senior care industry, where franchises are responsible for the livelihood of a crucial part of the population, a great, compassionate staff is essential. Entrepreneurs must be capable of recognizing them

6. Have great people skills – you can’t fake this, make sure that you have strong interpersonal skills and remember that communication is crucial in every business

7. Interact with your employees – business owners don’t need to be friends with their staff, but they do need to make an effort to get to know them; this works to motivate them because they feel they’re in a positive work environment

8. A positive attitude – to build a successful business, an entrepreneur has to believe in themselves and their vision, and pass this along to others

9. Be that inspiration – great leaders inspire the people that work for them to want to do better for the good of the company

10. Have a strong drive and ambition – some business owners get by simply by meeting their initial goals; great entrepreneurs have the drive to take their business to the next level and continue growing

Image Source: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry. Call us today at 702-204-1436.

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; when you are a business owner, you will always encounter bumps in the road. One key element that makes an entrepreneur successful is the ability to pick yourself up and dust yourself off anytime you do encounter a challenge, whether it’s a client claiming dissatisfaction, an inability to collect funds owed, or logistical and financial struggles that may come with running a business.

The senior care franchise industry is one that’s booming, and is an industry that helps many entrepreneurs develop successful businesses; but it’s not exempt from these issues that all entrepreneurs face. If you encounter a problem early on, or later in your career, the way you need to handle the situation is always going to be the same.

The most important thing is to recognize that you do have the ability to use your intelligence, experience and problem-solving skills to overcome the obstacle; a challenge doesn’t mean that you need to throw in the towel. You also need to recognize that there’s no benefit in placing blame. Most often business owners place blame upon themselves when something doesn’t go according to plan. Beating yourself up over what you could have done differently won’t get you anywhere; but learning from the situation will help you to better handle circumstances in the future.

Entrepreneurialism isn’t for everyone, though many can learn to be successful, particularly in the franchise industry where proper guidance is provided to help even those less experienced learn to succeed. But, for anyone considering a franchise investment or an entrepreneurial opportunity, it is important to recognize that while there are profits to be had, you need to learn to go with the flow emotionally and financially. When you’re an entrepreneur, there are no guarantees about anything. Don’t expect a regular pay check, and be prepared to handle any situation that crosses your plate.

With the right attitude and approach to a senior care franchise or any similar business opportunity, the sky’s the limit.

Via: Entpreneur.com

Image Source: sxc.hu

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry.  Call us today at 702-204-1436.

The founders of Home Care Assistance, a franchise that provides senior care services to populations of seniors across North America, recently released a book called “Living to 102: The Best Kept Secrets of a Long and Happy Life”. Their focus as a business is not just to help seniors get through their senior years, it’s to ensure that they really get to live them.

From a franchise perspective, Home Care Assistance offers a unique approach to senior care, and with more seniors focusing upon their happiness in older adulthood as well as their health, it’s unquestionable that this is a successful franchise that’s sure to keep growing.

Home Care Assistance Franchises offer the following to seniors, ensuring that they receive the best care. These are the reasons that so many families rely upon HCA to care for their loved ones, and why franchises are able to offer something unique to their local communities:

• HCA provides live-in services to seniors if necessary

• They use the balanced care method in their approach, and train seniors accordingly. This approach is based on lifestyles of global populations that live long lives

• HCA offers non-referral dependent services

• All caregivers receive psychological screening

Via: Home Care Assistance

Take the first steps to becoming a Home Care Assistance owner today. Envision limitless opportunities in the senior care industry.  Call us today at 702-204-1436.