A Place At Home is Recognized as a 2020 FRAN-TASTIC 500

A Place At Home Franchisees

FranServe, Inc., the largest franchise consulting and expansion organization in the world, honored A Place At Home as one of their FRAN-TASTIC 500 brands. 

FranServe, Inc. connects entrepreneurs to franchise opportunities and introduces franchisors to qualified people. They wanted to recognize 500 brands that are going above and beyond the norm and helping people change their lives through franchise ownership so held their first annual FRAN-TASTIC 500.

Alesia Visconti, CEO of FranServe Inc. says, “Franchising is a doorway for many people looking to be their own boss. A brand that makes our annual “FRAN-TASTIC 500” list demonstrates that it goes above and beyond the norm. They help people fulfill their dreams of business ownership through franchising! It’s a brand that sets itself apart!”

A Place At Home’s Story

In 2012, A Place At Home began offering a range of Senior-Focused Care services. These services including In-Home Care, Care Coordination, and Senior Living Alternatives (SLA). SLA Advisors assist in identifying and transitioning clients to senior living communities at no cost. Staffing solutions to senior communities and other health care organizations is also a service line. 

This senior-focused model proved to be successful. As a result, co-founders, Dustin Distefano and Jerod Evanich began franchising in 2017. Since then 14 locations have either opened or are in the process of opening across the country. Their first franchise location in South Denver celebrated the second anniversary of their grand opening in April 2020.

“I’m incredibly humbled that we are making an impact in communities across this nation – not only because we are helping seniors through the aging process, but also because we are helping entrepreneurs live out their dreams of business ownership,” said Jerod Evanich, President of A Place At Home.

A Place At Home is dedicated to preserving the quality of life for seniors by giving them the support they need to stay as independent as possible and couldn’t be more thrilled with receiving this prestigious recognition for their brand.

First A Place At Home Franchise Location Celebrates 2nd Anniversary

South Denver Franchise

A Place At Home Now Consists of 14 Franchise Locations Across the Country

 A Place At Home, an award-winning senior-focused in-home care franchise, is celebrating the 2nd Anniversary of its first franchise location. In April 2018, Grace and George Bradley opened their doors of A Place At Home – South Denver at 19039 E. Plaza Dr. #230, Parker, Colorado, and impacted the lives of 100 seniors in their community since that day.

The Bradley’s were first awarded the franchise on October 20, 2017. “We’re impressed by A Place At Home’s core values,” notes Grace Bradley. “The fact that in a short time they had created a powerful culture of compassion and respect that drives everything they do.”

Since opening their doors, A Place At Home – South Denver has been awarded Best of Home Care Employer of Choice and Provider of Choice in 2019 by Home Care Pulse. Top-ranking home care providers receive these awards based on client and caregiver satisfaction.

“For a new business startup, the first year is challenging. To surpass that milestone is outstanding. George and Grace have achieved their second-year with glowing reviews and awards to back up their hard work and commitment. I look forward to celebrating their next milestone,” shared William Ogden, Director of Business Performance.

At A Place At Home’s First Annual Franchise Convention, the Bradley’s were awarded the 2019 Rookie of the Year award in recognition of being a top-performing franchisee in their first full year with A Place At Home. They also received the 2019 Top Caregiver Satisfaction and Retention of the Year award. Finally, they were honored with the highly prestigious Founders Cup award. This recognizes the franchise location that made major contributions and played a significant role in the organization’s success.

“It’s extremely rewarding watching their growth,” shared CEO and Co-Founder, Dustin Distefano. “When I first met Grace and George I knew that they had tremendous potential. They put our CARE values into action and it shows with the success they’ve seen.”

ABOUT A PLACE AT HOME

A Place At Home awarded 13 franchise locations across the country since Grace and George took that first leap. Candidates must first be a shining example of A Place At Home’s CARE model. This means they must demonstrate “Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical” values. If your situation has shifted due to Coronavirus and you’re looking for new opportunities during this uncertain time, in-home senior care is a recession and pandemic resilient option. Interested candidates should fill out an inquiry form or contact Jerod Evanich at 888-502-6310 or jerod.evanich@aplaceathome.com.

New Franchise Now Serving Seniors in Orlando

New In Home Care Franchise Owner Stephen Sherbin

A Place At Home has awarded a new franchise in Orlando. Stephen Sherbin and Nicky Sherbin are the new owners that will help fulfill A Place At Home’s larger strategy to help seniors age with dignity through personalized care. 

The Population Reference Bureau predicts that by 2060 close to 100 million Americans will be aged 65 and older. Only 3 percent of the elderly prefer nursing homes. The remainder chooses in-home care support. There is, therefore, a corresponding growing demand for quality in-home care services which led A Place At Home to franchise it’s successful model. 

A Place At Home is set to serve over 22 areas in Orlando, Florida, from Bay Hill to Pine Castle and Pine Hills through the stewardship of Stephen Sherbin & Nicky Sherbin. The owners have extensive experience in healthcare. They will be operating from a centrally located office at Hoffner Center, Suite #234. 

“We happily welcome Stephen and Nicky to the A Place At Home family,” said Co-Founder Dustin Distefano. “They bring vast business and care experience that embodies our spirit of CARE. We believe that they are the perfect people to help us grow and serve seniors throughout Orlando.” 

About The Owners

Stephen is the president-elect of the Florida Hearing Society. He has 18 years of executive-level experience in the hearing aid industry. He is also a former member of the Economic Development Council for Brevard County and a former chair of the Palm Bay Chamber of Commerce. 

His business partner, Nicky Sherbin, is a Radiation Oncology Registered Nurse Manager in Winter Park. She has been providing care for those in her community for more than 25 years. Nicky was also a Spring Training nurse for the Washington Nationals, Montreal Expos, and Florida Marlins. She was also the nurse for the LPGA and helped launch the Sports Medicine Institute in Melbourne, Florida. Both she and Stephen are very experienced in handling VIP clients. 

Why A Place At Home Franchise?

The senior care entrepreneurs chose A Place At Home for its new franchise model and inspiring philosophy. “A Place At Home has given us the ability to offer the complete range of services including in-home companion care and in-home private care,” said Stephen. “We have also started a referral service that transitions patients to the right assisted living facilities that can meet their needs.” 

Stephen praised A Place At Home for its nurturing franchisee relations. “The agency employs its care staff in a supporting, responsible, and traditional way. Their comprehensive training program allowed us to hit the ground running.” 

The US Census Bureau confirms that Florida has the highest percentage of seniors, standing at 19%. The weather, the tax system and the vibrant community of elders are the contributing factors. Stephen and Nicky have a great opportunity to make a difference in the quality of elderly care in the state. 

“Having started my nursing career in hospice and home care and working in radiation oncology for the past 14 years, I have personally seen the life-changing results achieved by competent home care professionals,” says Nicky. “We are thrilled for the chance to make an impact in our local community filled with family and friends.” 

Stephen adds, “Success requires passion. Our passion comes from our family that is going through the same challenges as our patients’ families. We understand the strong need to provide high-quality care for those we love. We also understand the feeling of being trapped by having to work but wanting to be a caring son or daughter. Providing solutions to those problems through our new franchise is incredibly rewarding.” 

About A Place At Home

A Place At Home aims to be agile to the dynamics of the aging process through the provision of personalized services tuned to the unique and changing needs of each patient. The service model is dubbed C.A.R.E, which stands for Compassionate, Accountable, Respectful, and Ethical. A Place At Home helps seniors stay at home for longer with support and a degree of independence they desire. When the patients must move to senior care facilities, free placement services are offered. 

Visit www.aplaceathome.com to learn more about the services we offer and www.aplaceathomefranchise.com to learn about franchising opportunities. 

CONTACT: 

Jerod Evanich, MBA Co-Founder and Head of Development
O: 888-502-6310 x 101
F: 402-281-0738
E: jerod.evanich(at)aplaceathome(dot)com

5 Ways to Market Your In-Home Senior Care Services During the Holidays

Marketing During the Holidays

It’s that time of the year again! The shopping spirit is in the air, and small businesses are dreaming of big sales, of willing buyers with open wallets. However, none of that is a guarantee. Strategic marketing is needed to leverage the festivities for improved sales during the Holidays.

Remember, too, that at this time of the year, consumers are crushing under a barrage of marketing messages. If you provide in-home senior care services, your strategy should, therefore, cut through the clutter and reach the right people where they are.

Here are some excellent holiday marketing techniques for home care services:

1. Find a holiday angle to your services

The holiday feeling is about sharing and caring, and that ties in well with the nature of your senior care business. Currently, friends and family gather to share the love, and there is no better time to deliver an infomercial on your top care services.

Create a thoughtful, inspiring, and heartfelt video on the beauty of in-home senior care and how it enhances the quality of life for the elderly and their families. For example, do a video directed at family caregivers that could use a break to be “just family members” this holiday season. You offer to supplement in a few days to a couple of weeks of service and while you assist with ADL’s and medication reminders, they can focus on their family.

Be sure to share this on your social media pages, promote it on YouTube and email to local community reps. Be prepared to answer questions especially if families are bringing loved ones home from long-term care facilities and need extra help. Learn the ‘vacation’ rules for Medicaid and Medicare coverage to provide extra peace of mind.

2. Get your clients involved

The best holiday messaging should tell the story of happiness and overcoming challenges. If you have clients willing to testify for the excellent quality of your care services, ensure to leverage that. Self-proclamation and inflationary claims don’t accomplish as much as user testimonies do.

You can send out these personal client stories through email, publish them as a series of social media posts, on flyer distribution, or online video. Don’t forget to thank your clients, their families, and everyone involved, wishing them happy holidays and include a call to action. For example, they may have family in town for the holidays so offer additional hours of care so they can enjoy their company and not put them to work or worry about things that need to get done.

3. Give away something meaningful

Let your business reflect the giving that embodies this holiday season. Your current and potential clients expect to be treated this time of year. Promotions can help you break through the market even when you are just starting out.

Your holiday promotion this year can be informed of surprise gifts for the families of your existing clients, discounts to past clients or prospects, or a community senior fun event. You can also partner with other non-competitor brands, health services providers, churches, and other organizations in spreading seniors love this holiday season. Just ensure that there is an awareness value for your business in that arrangement.

Holiday gifting helps to:

  • Spread awareness
  • Increase brand love and deepen brand loyalty
  • Increase the number of referrals

4. Add a festive holiday appeal to your website

It’s a new digital age that we are living in. Pew Research reports that 70 % of seniors go online and use digital services. The inventor of the Web, Tim Berners Lee, is himself a baby boomer, and that shows that the elderly don’t live in a faradays cage of sorts. And if the seniors are not that internet savvy, at least their kids and supporters are.

This holiday season your social media pages and website should be extra interactive full of thank you messages and best wishes. Your landing pages should be holiday-themed. Your entire site needs to be current and informative, enjoyable and assuring of the legitimacy and professionalism of your services.

5. Get out, be part of the community and build a dependable referral program

Unlike most other businesses, an in-home senior care business mostly thrives on referrals. You will find that more than half of your quality client introductions come from health service providers. Introductions from community leaders and local organizations can also give you the leap you desire.

Ensure, therefore, to engage with these people often, more so this holiday season, and offer them incentives/gifts as an appreciation for their leads. Remember to also keep in touch with clients and caregivers through postcards or greetings cards this holiday season.

Don’t let your senior care business miss out on the growth potential of the holiday cheer. Follow the above simple marketing during the holiday strategies and watch your business grow.

Considering a Senior Care Franchise?

When you join our group of dynamic business owners, as franchisees of A Place at Home, you’ll have strong support, thorough training and valuable business resources to help you succeed. Contact us to learn more.

A Place At Home Opens its 10th Location

Innovative senior care company continues to expand.

A Place At Home opened its doors in North Texas on Monday, October 14th. It is the tenth APAH location to open its doors nationwide. APAH has launched other franchise locations in Austin, TX, Colorado, Michigan, California, Oregon, Arizona, Arkansas, and Papillion, Nebraska. The corporate headquarters is located in Omaha, Nebraska.

Founders Jerod Evanich and Dustin Distefano opened APAH in 2012. Both men shared a passion for making changes in senior care. They created a continuum of care model to ensure APAH would be a true solution, rather than just another home care agency. This model includes four service lines which are in-home care, care coordination, senior living alternatives, and staffing.

A widely positive response led to exponential growth, ultimately culminating in the decision to open franchising opportunities across the nation. The first new franchise opened its doors in 2017 in South Denver with owners George and Grace Bradley.

This year Evanich and Distefano celebrated their tenth location by launching the First Annual Franchise Convention, where they brought all of their new franchise owners together, giving them an opportunity to socialize and benefit from a number of seminars.

“It’s the first of many milestones for the franchise system,” said Evanich. 

“The growth we’ve seen since 2017, and hosting our first annual franchise convention, is a significant turning point for our brand. We’ve gone nationwide, and are in discussion with a prospect to potentially go international in order to reach more seniors in need of our services,” adds Distefano.

Evanich said they focus on finding the right people to expand their brand. “More and more entrepreneurs are looking for meaningful business opportunities, as well as a quality service model they can stand behind.”

5 Business-Busting Mistakes to Avoid

Launching your own business is a life-changing endeavor. Once you take that leap of faith – you are journeying towards building your own legacy and attaining that highly sought after all-American dream.

Just as with anything rewarding in life, business ownership doesn’t come without challenges – especially during the initial start-up phase. Paying due diligence and proactively preparing for any potential bumps in the road will prevent disastrous, business-ending obstacles and lead you on a path to success.

1. Choosing the Wrong Partners

Value your intuition, do background checks and add the right skills. Before partnering, thorough due diligence, and careful business planning, is always required. Almost automatically, you may plan on going into business with spouse, family or old friends. Stop to consider whether they have what your business needs. If they’re partially funding your new venture, you could consider making them silent partners. Another avenue would be creating an employee relationship, to get the expertise needed, without giving away part of your company. Hire or partner with trusted people, who have skills that complement yours, rather than needlessly duplicating your talents.

When you do begin partnerships (or hire key employees/managers), it is crucial that you create a clear, documented division of responsibilities to prevent misunderstandings that could destroy your company down the road. Remember, you need partners that will commit to their role, share your vision for success and have the positive attitude to help you get there.

2. Going It Alone on Business Decisions

Use a board of directors, business coach or mentor, to help bring balance, objectivity and required expertise to your decision making. If you make crucial decisions alone, or with a like-minded co-founder,  you can become trapped in an echo chamber. You may be “too close” to the business to see the best solution. However, you can certainly be the final word and key decision-maker. Make sure this, along other partner duties/expectations, is documented when starting your company.

3. Ignoring Competitors and Customer Feedback

Monitor competitors closely, so you can clearly differentiate your company and lead the market. Excel at what they lack and promote/advertise your uniqueness to win customers! Furthermore, seek customer feedback and monitor online discussions. This protects your reputation and provides useful Intel to help shape your products/services going forward.

4. Not Establishing Customer Personas

Know your target market(s) well. Create customer personas for each unique market segment that would benefit from your services. Each persona gives you a representative customer/prospect to “speak to” in your advertising, blog posts and social media content. The persona can include demographic information, like age, gender and income level. Flesh out the personas with as much detail as possible, including each persona’s goals, preferences and problems they need to solve.

5. Not Being Financially Prepared

Be sure to have enough money to cover your initial business start-up costs, including capital expenditures like supplies,vehicles and/or equipment. You’ll also need operating funds to keep your business going until initial customers come your way. Additionally, it is crucial that you set aside funds for future, often unforeseen issues that can come up in a new business. This helps ensure that your new business can survive until it begins to thrive.

Considering a Senior Care Franchise?

When you join our group of dynamic business owners, as franchisees of A Place at Home, you’ll have strong support, thorough training and valuable business resources to help you succeed. Contact us to learn more.

Metro Detroit Gains New A Place at Home Franchise

DETROIT, MI – JUNE 26, 2018

Earlier this month, local entrepreneurs Melissa Shevela and Michael Shevela were awarded the first A Place at Home Franchise in Michigan. The Shevelas have obtained exclusive rights to offer the unique APAH model to seniors in the southeast Michigan, metro Detroit region. Their office will be headquartered in Warren and will also serve the greater Macomb County.

Melissa Shevela will serve as the new franchise’s President. She spent 13 years as the owner-operator of a business in the automotive industry. She guided that business through an exponential growth period, increasing sales eightfold during her time there. She has been in the community for 47 years, and has held many volunteer leadership positions as well. She served as the Coordinator for a Salvation Army Soup Kitchen, for example, and remains active at St. Louis Church. She has a B.A. in Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations from Central Michigan University.

Michael Shevela will serve as the new franchise’s Operations Manager. He has 30 years of experience leading professionals in the automotive industry. He spent 13 years working side-by-side with Melissa on their automotive business. He is known for being a consummate problem-solver who relentlessly follows industry standards. He is a lifelong resident of the southeastern Michigan community.

“After caring for my mother during her battle with cancer, and after caring for my father-in-law during his end-of-life stages,” says Ms. Shevela, “I came to understand the struggles inherent to finding good in-home care. I wished it could have been better for our loved ones. But now, we have an opportunity to make things better for other people’s loved ones. Seniors deserve respect, compassion, and high-quality care during their golden years. A Place at Home puts emphasis on high-quality care-giving and on ensuring seniors can thrive in a safe, happy environment.”

Mr. Shevela agrees, and notes, “A Place at Home stood out as being well-prepared to handle different levels of senior-care needs. We were impressed both by the quality of care they offer and by the company’s commitment to employee development. We align strongly with A Place at Home’s core values.”

A Place at Home follows four core values. Its founders, franchisees and employees all pledge to be “compassionate, accountable, respectful and ethical.” They call it the CARE model.

Mr. Shevela adds, “We promise to uphold the CARE core values for both our clients and employees, no exceptions.”
Company co-founders Jerod Evanich and Dustin Distefano hope to see the APAH “We are CARE” model offered coast-to-coast.

“We truly believe the best way to ensure seniors throughout the nation receive the best care is through franchising,” says Evanich. “Partnering with passionate-minded business professionals who align with our values and who are committed to sharing the Senior-Focused Care model will help complete our Mission ‘to be Passionate Professionals Providing the Compassionate Care Solutions You Need, Where and When You Need Us’.”

Evanich and Distefano launched APAH in 2012. They began franchising in 2017 after experiencing exponential growth.
Evanich and Distefano make it clear anyone hoping to start an APAH franchise should first examine themselves to ensure they can say they are already shining examples of the CARE philosophy.

“If we can see those qualities in a person we will gladly help them parlay their professional background and acumen into running a successful APAH business,” adds Distefano.

Fortunately for seniors in the Detroit metro area, the Shevelas have successfully risen to the challenge.

A Place at Home Service Lines Assist Seniors in Streamlining Care

Senior care businesses are some of the best franchises to open and own—for one simple reason. We’re all aging and we all have aging loved ones. Right now, the large Baby Boom generation is beginning to rely on A Place at Home senior services, and the market will grow from 56M seniors to 84M in a 30 year span. In addition, owning such a franchise can fulfill a desire to help your community. These are great upsides, but you can’t count on “just any” run-of-the-mill senior care franchise to flourish. The best franchises to open will make themselves market leaders. Make your franchise choice wisely, by looking at what sets the best senior care franchises apart.

Avoid Limited Scope Franchises that Don’t Cover Seniors’ Needs

The problem with most senior care franchises is their narrow focus. If you invest in purchasing one of the very narrowly-specialized senior care franchises (those that only do non-medical, in-home or companion care, for example) your group of potential customers is very limited. A narrow, limited scope franchise in today’s highly competitive market may not stand out.  “One-size fits all” single-service franchises are not the most effective for senior care. Most seniors need a custom solution, with services tailored to their current needs and future plans–that’s exactly what A Place at Home franchises offer: more diversity amongst service lines, with phenomenal franchisee training in how to streamline the services.

The Best Franchise to Open: Full-Service and Customized Senior Care

We created our A Place At Home franchise around multiple lines of service. This answers the great, unmet need in the marketplace. Seniors, and their busy caregiving family members, need a customized care solution. Our franchise owners can offer packages of services, unique to each senior’s individual situation. Our full-service franchise offers seniors a trusted and convenient, one-stop place to get an accurate assessment of their needs. Then, our senior care coordinators arrange for, and connect them with, all the care they need now, and outline a plan for future needs from our suite of senior care services.

Invest in Full-Service Senior Focused Care Franchise – A Place at Home

A Place at Home stands out from all the other, single-focus “home care” franchises. With our 4 lines of services, our franchisees can create customized plans to meet each senior’s needs. We are flexible and multi-faceted, in contrast to typical, single-service franchises. With the single service franchises they are forced to recommend other companies to do what A Place at Home can do for the senior. This does two things: 1) you just gave away the revenue and 2) the most important, you just introduced another provider to the client. Our goal is to streamline the aging process by decluttering the amount of providers and manage the situation for them, thus creating a superior service for the senior population.

Their Criticism is Our Source of Pride

Our competition has said, “A Place at Home offers too much! We (the competitor) focus on one service, home care, and do really great at it.” Our rebuttal is this “A Place at Home focuses on one service as well: fulfilling the needs of each senior client and family. We focus on the whole person, providing the best option(s) for each unique senior and situation. Our wide-ranging, custom senior care program drawn from 4 lines of service, provides superior options for seniors–and multiple revenue streams for our franchise owners.

A Place at Home: We’re Better Because We’re Different

In a saturated senior care market, we are proud to offer something truly outstanding. What sets us apart is our deep understanding of the continuum of care a senior may require. This innovative mindset makes us a winning franchise–that will outlast all the rest. Our senior-focused care model takes senior services to a higher level than other franchises in the senior care space.

“A Place At Home franchises offer an innovative, client-centered, full service model. We’re not focused solely on keeping people at home, nor do we emphasize assisted living placement. We’re committed to the best solution for the senior.” – Dustin Distefano, CEO

A Place at Home Provides Services that Seniors Truly Need

When you invest in a senior care franchise, pick the innovative franchise that offers multiple service lines to sustain your business. A Place At Home is poised for rapid growth. Now is the time to join us as a franchisee, with large, prime territories available. Take the next step now. Contact A Place At Home franchise today – 888-502-6310.

Franchises Available in Kansas City – A Place at Home

Franchises Available in Kansas City - A Place at Home

When reviewing Franchises available in Kansas City senior care and home health care is an area that has room for growth. Local demographics in nearby communities show exactly the type of population trend that could need the services that A Place at Home provides. Johnson County in Kansas is one such example.

Johnson County And Surrounding Cities

Johnson County Kansas is a part of the greater 15 county Kansas City metro area. This location covers a large area along the Missouri Kansas border. With Kansas City serving as the ‘anchor’, several sizable cities have grown around the wider metro area. Within Johnson County, pay attention to its largest cities Olathe and Overland Park. These locations are ideal for A Place at Home franchises due to their demographics.

  • Johnson County:

    Overall Johnston county has an estimated population of 572, 428. Of this, an estimated 12.7% (or 72,698) are 65 or older. The home healthcare industry is also strong in the county. Johnson County has 1,601 employees working for 53 different healthcare businesses.

  • Overland Park:

    Has an estimated population of 183,775 of this 14.2% (or 26,096) are 65 or older. The city also accounts for 20 of the county’s healthcare establishments and 887 of its employees.

  • Olathe:

    Has an estimated population of 132,787. Of this 9.2% (or 12,216) is 65 or older. Olathe also accounts for 5 of the county’s healthcare establishments and 45 of its employees.

Among franchises available in Kansas City healthcare is a viable one due to the population and established healthcare industry. Of note, Overland Park has a well-established home health industry. The city of Olathe while smaller has the figures that indicate future industry growth and need.

About A Place At Home   

As the above figures indicate Johnson county is a strong market for A Place at Home. It is an area that needs the services that A Place at Home provides senior citizens. When establishing your franchise you have options on territory size ranging from 30k, 60k, 90k, and 120k in population. 120K is the largest territory offered in the entire industry. When you review franchises available in Kansas City A Place at Home offers opportunity and the chance to truly help senior citizens.