| Home care in the United States is a diverse and | | | | seniors maintain their independence by taking over |
| dynamic service industry. Approximately 20,000 | | | | the daily tasks that become increasingly difficult |
| providers deliver home care services to 7.6 million | | | | with age. They can take the client grocery |
| individuals who require services because of acute | | | | shopping or to the bank, prepare meals, do light |
| illness, long-term health conditions, permanent | | | | housekeeping and provide daily conversation and |
| disability, or terminal illness. Annual expenditures | | | | companionship. Non-medical caregivers represent a |
| for home health care are projected to be $48.3 | | | | rapidly growing trend to allow people needing help |
| billion in 2007. Home care is a broad term that | | | | to remain in their home or in the |
| describes a wide variety of health related services | | | | community.Getting Started!Barriers to entering the |
| provided in the home setting. Home care is health | | | | Non Medical Home Care business are relatively |
| care brought to your home to maintain or restore | | | | low. While potential profits are medium to high. |
| your health and well-being.Growth Trends in the | | | | Your success depends upon many variables: your |
| industrySeniors are one of the fastest growing | | | | marketing efforts, your start up budget, the |
| population groups in the United States. The senior | | | | demographics of your area, just to name a few |
| population has grown about twice as fast as the | | | | critical attributes. In most states no formal training |
| overall population since the early 1980s. The | | | | is required to provide Non Medical Home Care |
| growth is also expected to continue early in the | | | | services. It is important to check with your |
| second decade of the new century when baby | | | | state-licensing agency concerning the appropriate |
| boomers turn 65. Seniors aged 85 and over are | | | | license for the services you will offer. Not all |
| the fastest growing segment of the overall senior | | | | Non-Medical Home Care agencies can perform |
| population. Consequently, the demand for Non | | | | personal care services without a licensed.As with |
| Medical Home Care services is also growing. It is | | | | all business, as the business owner, you must |
| listed as one of the fastest growing occupations | | | | have exception drive and motivation. In addition, |
| by the U.S. Labor Department. According to | | | | your customers will expect your business to be |
| AARP, as Americans age, most will remain in their | | | | punctual and trustworthy. Whether you plan to |
| own homes. Nearly 7 out of 10 older Americans | | | | provide the services yourself or hire employees, |
| own their own residence and most have no plans | | | | these are key business characteristics that cannot |
| to move. | | | | be overlooked.The start up cost for your home |
| As a result, fewer seniors are getting the help | | | | care business depends on how you define your |
| they need with simple daily functioning. For | | | | business scope. The cost can range from low to |
| example, in 1990, 80 percent of seniors needing | | | | medium-high. Some business owners have started |
| help to prepare their meals reported that | | | | their Non Medical Home Care business with as little |
| someone was available to help them; by 2001, | | | | as a thousand dollars to as much as five hundred |
| that had dropped to just 60 percent, according to | | | | thousand dollars.If you are interested in starting a |
| the National Council on Aging. Overall, from 1988 | | | | Non Medical Home Care business you have two |
| to 2001 there was a significant decrease in the | | | | options. You can choose to start your business on |
| number of seniors who reported that they had | | | | your own or your join forces with a Non Medical |
| spouses, relatives, friends or neighbors to provide | | | | Home Care franchise.If you choose to start your |
| personal care or assistance. Today, an | | | | home care business on your own there is a |
| ever-increasing senior population has fewer | | | | diverse amount of information available online and |
| resources available to help them with the daily | | | | in bookstores that can help you achieve your goal |
| tasks of living. At the same time, older adults | | | | of establishing a profitable home care business. |
| have longer life expectancies than ever before. | | | | You can find general business startup information |
| Leading Psychologists believe by seniors | | | | ranging from how to raise capital, how to establish |
| remaining in their own homes, they can retain an | | | | your business plan, to Home Care Guides specific |
| important sense of independence. It is also | | | | to the Home Care industry. These guides can |
| psychologically beneficial for older seniors to | | | | provide you with the critical information you need |
| remain in familiar surroundings. While their | | | | to get started.There are pro's and con's to each |
| well-meaning children may wish to put them in a | | | | start up option. The benefits to starting on your |
| retirement home, the fact is that forced | | | | own are lower cost, ease of entry, and no |
| relocation can cause some seniors to feel | | | | franchise fees. The downside is you won't have |
| disoriented, depressed and confused.Remaining as | | | | the on-going guidance of the franchisor to steer |
| independent as possible can boost a senior's | | | | you around problems and pitfalls.If you decided go |
| overall sense of well-being. Staying in their own | | | | the franchise route you will benefit from the |
| home is, in most cases, far more preferable (as | | | | well-established plans of the franchisor. Many of |
| well as less costly) than relocating to an assisted | | | | the mistakes and pitfalls that you may face by |
| living facility. It gives them a sense of | | | | starting on your own will already have mitigating |
| empowerment, and allows them to retain close | | | | solutions. The downside is that you can expect a |
| friendships with neighbors.The Business | | | | higher start-up cost in addition to a recurring |
| OpportunityUntil recently, however, few choices | | | | royalty cost of 4 to 10 percent. Furthermore, the |
| were available to healthy seniors who wished to | | | | market area where you would like to operate |
| remain in their homes. Most health businesses only | | | | your business may not be available.In the end, |
| offered Medical Home Care. This can be | | | | Non-Medical Home Care is an option that allows |
| extremely costly, since most professionals must | | | | the senior to remain in the home without feeling |
| be registered nurses or nurses' assistants. In | | | | overwhelmed. The senior receives the assistance |
| addition, they may balk at performing light | | | | and companionship required, the family enjoys |
| housekeeping tasks. Finally, they rarely have the | | | | peace of mind that a beloved parent, aunt or |
| opportunity to build long relationships with their | | | | uncle is not struggling with the simple tasks of |
| clients. Often a different professional appears | | | | everyday living and you get the opportunity to |
| every week, which is disorienting to seniors and | | | | start one of the fastest growing business that will |
| prevents establishing a bond with their caregiver. | | | | continue to grow well into the future. It is a |
| Your business, Non-medical Home Care, in | | | | "win-win" situation for all.Blake Williams is the |
| contrast, is designed to help the older adult with | | | | founder of and a multifaceted business |
| the tasks of everyday living. Non-medical | | | | management expert, speaker, and author. His |
| caregivers do not assist with medical procedures, | | | | typical topics include careers, start-ups, small |
| and since they are not registered nurses or | | | | business marketing, and project management. |
| medical personnel, their hourly rate is not as high. | | | | Webmasters and other article publishers are |
| They also offer the opportunity for steady | | | | hereby granted article reproduction permission as |
| companionship, as they are generally assigned to | | | | long as this article in its entirety, author's |
| specific clients on a long-term basis, enabling a | | | | information, and any links remain intact. |
| friendship to grow.These caregivers can help | | | | |