With more and more seniors making the decision to stay in their own homes even as they reach an advanced age, the home care franchise industry is growing rapidly. Opening a home care agency with a trusted franchise partner is an excellent way to both make a living for yourself and also make a positive difference in the lives of the vulnerable elderly population in your community. However, it’s important to keep in mind that there are two different types of home care franchises in the market: non-medical home care franchises and home health care franchises.
As a potential senior care franchise owner, one of the main decisions you’ll need to make early is which form of business you want to open. This decision will have a significant impact on how you go about opening and operating your business. Everything from the licensing requirements you must adhere to to the individual caregivers you hire will depend upon this decision.
At Senior Helpers®, we know many entrepreneurs struggle with the choice between opening a non-medical home care franchise or a home health care franchise. Below, we’ve gathered some general information that can assist with the decision-making process and enable you to understand the crucial differences between these two types of businesses.
What Is a Non-Medical Home Care Franchise?
The focus of non-medical home care is to help seniors grow older at home in a manner that is both comfortable and safe. As a result, this type of care can make it possible for seniors to avoid having to move into an assisted living facility or the home of a relative.
Individuals who receive non-medical home care services typically do not have significant health concerns or medical issues to cope with, but do require help to complete their day-to-day routines at home.
Home care agencies of this type employ non-medical personnel such as caregiving professionals and home care aids. Although these employees do not offer medical care, they make a significant difference in seniors’ quality of life. They also give clients’ family members essential peace of mind and relief from the task of caregiving.
The types of care offered by home care agencies often include:
- Companionship for seniors who feel lonely
- Personal care, such as assistance with showering and dressing
- Transportation to and from activities, errands, and appointments
- Minor chores in the home and meal preparation
- Doing grocery shopping and pharmacy pick-ups
- Giving reminders for medication schedule adherence
The potential clients of a non-medical home care agency are generally older adults who require aid to complete activities of daily living due to age-related cognitive decline or mobility difficulties. Home care is also often sought out by families who worry that an elderly loved one is becoming socially isolated. Additionally, these services support family caregivers who feel overwhelmed by their many duties.
What Is a Home Health Care Franchise?
As the name suggests, the crucial factor distinguishing home health care from home care is the focus on the medical aspects of caring for seniors at home. In addition to helping older individuals remain in a comfortable and familiar space, home health care includes services that would typically be offered in the context of a hospital or other medical setting.
These services are generally reserved for seniors with chronic medical conditions that take a significant toll on their day-to-day well-being, people who require monitoring and assistance following an injury or change of medication, or those whose physical condition does not allow them to safely travel to a medical facility.
Services provided by home health care agencies frequently include:
- Nursing care and wound care
- Medication administration
- Help with using medical machinery
- Conducting blood pressure checks
- Physical, occupational, or speech therapy
As a result, home health care agencies must hire medical professionals who can provide skilled care, such as registered practical nurses, licensed medical personnel, and physical therapists. The regulations for such businesses are thus much more rigorous than for non-medical home care agencies.
Why Choose a Non-Medical Home Care Franchise Over a Home Health Care Franchise?
While there is certainly a need for home health care agencies, the vast majority of services required by older adults as they age in place can be provided by a non-medical home care business. Entrepreneurs can also experience several advantages when opting to open a non-medical home care franchise over a home health care franchise. Below, we’ve listed just a few.
A faster, less stressful path to business ownership.
Some states do not have licensing requirements for non-medical home care franchises, and the regulations of those that do are much less strict than for home health care franchises. Entrepreneurs can thus expect to encounter fewer obstacles during the process of setting up their businesses and acquiring licensing.
Less overhead and a more streamlined business model.
Non-medical home care agencies have less overhead, fewer requirements in the area of supplies, and lower liability insurance premiums. Furthermore, managing staff is easier and less costly as there’s no need to hire licensed medical professionals or clinical supervisors.
A wider pool of caregiver candidates to choose from.
As many states fewer lower certification requirements for caregivers working at non-medical home care agencies, there is a wider pool of potential caregivers to choose from. This makes recruiting and hiring team members an easier endeavor that is also less time-consuming.
Discover Home Care Franchise Opportunities with Senior Helpers
If the benefits of a home care franchise have you wondering if this is the right step for you, we’d love to give you more information about the opportunities currently available with Senior Helpers®.
We’re one of the leading franchises in the home care industry, and we’re excited to welcome passionate entrepreneurs into our franchise family who share our love for helping others.
Are you ready to learn more about the advantages that non-medical home care franchises offer over home health care franchises? Contact Senior Helpers today to speak with our franchise development team about opportunities that could be the right fit for you!