Start A Home Care Business

Start a home care business for seniors and incorporate your interest in helping others with your business aspirations.   This can be an extremely rewarding business and can take on a variety of aspects depending on what services you’re interested in providing.

Your new business can focus on medical or non-medical services.  

Of course, if you focus on the medical side of home health care, your initial costs of entry will most likely be a lot more than if you choose to provide non-medical services.

The Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. indicates the fastest growing segment of care in the U.S. is private non-medical home care.  This portion of the industry represents a lot of potential for new entrepreneurs wanting to start their own business now! 

With the Baby Boomers marching towards their senior years, this is developing a huge demand for services which help and support their aging needs.  

This can come in the form of many different types of services – you can choose to niche your business or hire employees to offer a broad range of diverse services which support the aging population. 

I believe we’re  going to see a huge growth in the number of home care businesses as seniors continue to be more active, elect to stay in their independent living situations, and require additional help to manage day-to-day activities in order to help them keep their independence.  

When you start your home care business, one of the most important gifts you may offer is your SMILE! 

You may be working with individuals who do not have a lot of personal contact with the external world!   This can definitely be a very rewarding field for those who enjoy being a friend and love the social interaction portion of their work!  

Niche Notes!!

As you plan to start a home health care business, consider these services as a way to niche your business:

1)  Medical Services -- provide nursing and home health care to patients who are returning to the hospital or need to be looked in on each day for nursing support.

2)  Companionship -- be a friendly companion and meet your clients for the day.   Help them write letters, play games, or just have a conversation with them.   Give them your friendly SMILE!

3) Home Maintenance Services -- provide cleaning services, water plants, take their dogs for a walk, paint their homes, or mow their lawns.   

4) Errands -- provide food delivery, drive your clients to appointments, or just take them for a scenic drive to get them out of the house!

5) Nutritional Services -- provide nutritional consulting for individuals requiring special diets, prepare/serve meals, help them take nutritional supplements, etc.

6) Exercise -- take your clients for a walk!  This is huge for folks who are in wheel chairs or use a walker and aren't comfortable going very far on their own, but love to get out and walk!.   Or use your personal training skills to work with them on some strength training or muscle flexibility.  

Start A Home Care Business - What's It Take?

Nutritional Consultant

Personal Shopping

Personal Trainer

Interests/Skills:  

• Non-medical home care experience
• Nurturing & Friendly People Skills
• Ability to Communicate 
• Organization Skills
• Time Management
• Specific skills – massage, nutrition, etc.

Resources:   Along with colleges and universities, you can look to online resources. Check your local laws to determine if you’re required to become certified in any of the service areas before you start a home care business. Make sure you are networking with other health businesses and people who have aging family or loved-ones with disabilities requiring an extra bit of help.

These resources will help you get your name out and provide information about the services you provide. Identify a preferred vendor list to be able to provide recommendations for other requirements to your clients (i.e. medical supplies, etc.)  Consult with your attorney, accountant, and insurance advisors with regards to the specifics of setting up your business.  You’ll want to make sure your cover your business asset and protect yourself against any potential liability.  

Time Required:    30-40+ hrs/week

Training:  As you prepare to start a home care business, work or volunteer in a home or institutional care environment and learn about the requirements of helping seniors or individuals with disabilities to ease their daily lives. Colleges/universities with health care curriculum. Other specialized training including workshops, online learning, and joining Home Care Associations.

Determine what the licensing requirements are for your specific location. Make sure to check both state and local requirements. Getting the appropriate licenses will provide you with experience and up-to-date care information. Join a professional association in order to stay current on the latest nutritional information in your field. 

Market:                Seniors, Persons With Disabilities, and Their Families   

Home Based:      Yes

Internet:              No

Location:              Local, Regional

Start-Up Costs:    $5,000 - $10,000 (non-medical); $25,000 - $250,000 (medical)

Minimizing Start-Up Costs:   It may be possible to use your home office and current transportation to start a home care business, but consult your business plan and determine your overall business goals. 

It could be an office setting may be more appropriate for your business in order to meet clients.   If it looks like you’ll be traveling to your client’s homes/offices, then a home business might be ideal to keep your costs low. 

As you start a home care business, use your personal transportation to get started – you can purchase a couple of magnetic signs or have your car wrapped to identify your business.   Set-up appointments with your client’s at their home to get a feel for their requirements and determine if you’re able to meet their needs.

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