How to Start a Non-Medical Senior Care Business: Know Your Options

Among the many senior care business opportunities out there today, it can be hard at first to know which is right for you. Some senior care businesses require you to obtain extensive licensure, hire skilled nursing staff, and spend big to get off the ground. However, a non-medical senior care business allows you to help elders in your community without these high barriers to entry. Senior living advisors are particularly well placed within this niche.

A senior living advisor is a business owner who provides senior living referral and/or placement services to older adults and their loved ones. In other words, they help people find the ideal living solution during times of transition. As experts in local assisted living, independent living, memory care, and skilled nursing facilities, they connect families with personalized care recommendations, resources, and ongoing support.

How to Start a Non-Medical Senior Care Business: Top Tips

1. Get to Know the Industry

According to the National Council on Aging, approximately 80.8 million Americans will be 65 or older by 2040. Considering that 70% of people who turn 65 today are expected to need some form of long-term care, that means some 56 million families or more will be seeking senior living solutions over the next 15 years.

That kind of growth in the market makes starting your own non-medical home care business as a senior living advisor a truly golden opportunity. The further you research the senior care industry, the more you’ll find it topping the list of hottest business opportunities on the market. Not only is this a growing, financially rewarding business sector—it’s also a chance to do something with deep purpose and meaning.

2. Decide Which Path to Focus On

When searching for non-medical senior care opportunities, you’ll be faced with a choice: home care or senior care consulting (better known as senior care advising). While both paths have their rewards, senior care advising comes with unique advantages, such as:

• Work from home (no office required at the start)
• No staffing requirements at the beginning of your journey
• Extremely low overhead
• Fewer certifications required

With tens of thousands of senior living communities to choose from, it can be hard for families to assess their loved one’s care needs, understand their options, evaluate each residence’s offerings, and coordinate their budget. That’s why so many turn to senior living advisors for help. In these crucial moments of their lives—as they juggle their careers, kids, and the needs of aging relatives—you’ll be there to give them peace of mind.

3. Invest in a Senior Care Franchise

Working with an established brand has numerous benefits for senior living advisors who are just starting out. From helping you establish a proven senior care business plan to providing extensive resources and training, franchising is a way to start fresh without the most perilous startup business pitfalls.

Of course, not all senior care franchises are built alike. It’s important to do your research to find which company provides the best training programs, has earned the highest industry accolades, and offers the greatest profit potential.

Choosing the Best Non-Medical Senior Care Franchise

As a top choice for aspiring entrepreneurs, CarePatrol gives you access to all of these things standard as part of our competitive franchise fee:

• Flexible schedules and the freedom to be your own boss
• A national level of support with marketing, training, and business development
• A robust referral network to grow your client base in the early days
• Proprietary technology to help you make the best recommendations for families in your community
• More!

4. Choose Your Territory & Set Down Roots

Understanding the level of competition in the industry, the major competitors in your area, and the economic viability of the community is crucial when starting out as a senior care advisor. Thankfully, CarePatrol is on your side in this step, too. We perform extensive market analyses to identify prime locations where your new senior placement business can truly thrive.

We also connect you with resources for building your reputation in your local territory from the very start. After your initial 8-12 week training program, you’ll receive two personal visits from your Regional Performance Coach, as well as ongoing national marketing support and opportunities to form relationships with your fellow franchisees. This means you’ll have all the tools you need to establish firm roots early on.

5. Earn Your Qualifications as a Certified Senior Advisor

To best position yourself for success, you’ll need to become a Certified Senior Advisor. While not all states require it, this certification is extremely valuable to have no matter where you are. Being certified confirms your credentials as someone who understands the needs of seniors, has a high standard of ethics, and is ready to put the needs of others first in everything you do.

The certification process is included in Phase 1 of your training journey at CarePatrol. That way, you don’t have to worry about the timing of your licensure or making separate arrangements while you’re getting started. By the time you’re finished with your training program at CarePatrol, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running!

6. Get to Work & Build the Non-Medical Business of Your Dreams!

If you have a passion for serving others and are ready to play a meaningful role in your community, you already have what it takes to start a non-medical senior care business. For everything else, trust CarePatrol. We’re in the business of helping entrepreneurs help older adults and their families across the nation, and we’re ready to hear from you. If you’re ready to do something extraordinary, contact a CarePatrol representative today!

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Choose CarePatrol: Your Best Senior Care Franchise Opportunity

CarePatrol is a proud member of the Best Life Brands family, helping seniors live their best lives possible. By connecting families to senior care solutions that serve their care needs, preferences, and budgets at no cost to them, our franchisees play a vital role in improving the state of elder care in America. To take your place among our successful entrepreneurs, contact us or request more information with no obligation today!