Skip to content

Our Story

Co-Founded in 2012 by Two Childhood Friends

A Place At Home was co-founded in 2012 by two childhood friends, Dustin Distefano and Jerod Evanich in Omaha, Nebraska. After several attempts at finding acceptable care for their loved ones, they were unable to meet their needs at the standard they expected. Both were determined to find a solution for others facing similar challenges. The idea for A Place At Home was born: Senior-Focused Care that is comprehensive, consistent and continuous. After experiencing rapid growth in their Omaha market, they realized they had something innovative. In 2017, they decided to take their Senior-Focused Care model to other communities and the A Place At Home franchise sprouted

A Place At Home’s Roots Grew From Our ‘We are C.A.R.E.’ Philosophy.

This is a commitment to our core values:

Compassionate – We serve with sensitivity and understanding

Accountable – We stand behind everything we do

Respectful – We advocate for mutual trust and consideration

Ethical – We maintain the highest standards and morals

The values are incorporated into every decision A Place At Home makes from the franchise owners we select to the families we serve, employees and caregivers we hire, and the community as a whole.

Our dedication to provide the most compassionate and professional senior care, when and where families need it, and delivered in a manner that is consistent and reliable, means that CARE is the most significant product we offer.

Meet the Co-Founders of A Place At Home

Dustin Distefano, CEO

Jerod Evanich, President

Mitch Benson

Franchise Development Manager

Franchise Development Manager Mitch began his sales career early on, working as a retail assistant in musical instrument stores from high school through college. He then developed account management skills in the ecommerce industry before arriving at A Place At Home. His mother’s long career in health care drove Mitch to seek an opportunity that combined his skill set with a passionate industry. As the Franchise Development Coordinator, Mitch guides potential business owners through the Discovery Process and helps determine if A Place At Home is right for them.

Aubre Phillips

Business Performance Coach

Business Performance Coach Aubre started her career in the senior care industry after 15 years of working in the medical field. An event with her grandmother prompted her to seek work in the senior care industry. She found her place at A Place At Home and is grateful for the opportunities to make an impact in the lives of seniors and caregivers every day. In her role as Franchise Business Coach, she helps franchisees open, operate, recruit and market their businesses.

Jennifer Axelrod

Performance Business Coach

As a certified franchise executive, Jennifer has dedicated over 13+ years of her career to passionately supporting small business owners in building healthy and profitable enterprises. Throughout her professional journey, she has excelled in sales, marketing, and customer service, leveraging her expertise to drive impressive results. Serving as a Performance Business Coach with A Place At Home Franchise, Jennifer is most passionate about helping franchise owners run healthy, profitable businesses. For her, franchising is not just a job but a calling, and she loves contributing to business growth and the franchising community as a whole. Outside of her professional endeavors, Jennifer prioritizes health and wellness and family.

Danielle Sloan

Operations and Finance Support Specialist

Operations and Finance Support Specialist Danielle has been a CNA and CMA for almost ten years, and has spent the majority of that time working in the senior care industry. She started at A Place At Home – Omaha as a caregiver, but quickly moved into an administrative position as a Senior Services Coordinator, matching clients and caregivers, then to Office Manager. Her passion for helping seniors continued to allow her to evolve at APAH, and she is now the Operations and Finance Support Specialist for A Place At Home Franchise.