According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people age 65 and older (40.3 million) increased faster than the nation’s total population between the past two decennial reports. That demographic is projected to double in the next 50 years, while the number of people age 85 and older will triple. The bureau’s stats for 2011 show Kentucky to be right in line with the United States with the number of people above the age of 65, at 13.5 and 13.3 percent respectively.
As an industry, senior care is attracting business owners who may or may not have any experience in geriatrics. One burgeoning industry sector is in-home care, as there are plenty of people who would rather spend their golden years in their own homes instead of moving to an assisted-living facility or nursing home.
Enter the franchise Right at Home. Founded in Omaha, Neb., by hospital administrator Allen Hager in 1995, Right at Home has more than 300 locations in North America and other countries, and was the first in-home senior care franchise in China. The company currently has one franchise in Lexington and is looking to find qualified franchise owners for seven more open territories in central Kentucky.
“Our service cuts off where an actual registered nurse would step in,” said Eric Hudson, president and CEO of the first Right at Home in Lexington.
“We basically cater to seniors and adults with disabilities,” he said. “A lot of people think it’s just senior care, but as long as they are over 18 and we can help them out, we do whatever we can to help.”
Right at Home is not home health care, but a non-medical in-home care and assistance provider. Hudson is hiring for two different positions at his Right at Home business. Noncertified homemaker companions provide safety supervision, medication reminders, transportation, light housekeeping and meal preparation. Personal care assistants provide the same services, as well as aiding in bathing, grooming and toileting. Hudson’s personal care assistants need to be certified as nursing assistants, certified medical assistants or state-registered nursing assistants.
“We ask for one of those three for personal care. We are not required by the state to do that; that’s my thing,” Hudson said. “I want my employees to have that extra training when they are working in a case that requires personal care.”
Hudson obtained a license as a personal services agency through the state’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
“It is a very rigorous process to go through to work here,” he said.
He has hired 13 people since opening the business in January this year. For each employee, he conducts a background check, drug screening, TB skin test and reference checks.
His own background is in science. Hudson graduated from UK in 2000 with a degree in natural resource management and was employed by the university’s College of Agriculture. Then, looking to do something completely different, he switched from science to sales, taking the position of inside sales manager at Baumann Paper Company in 2007. In August 2012, he was laid off.
Hudson wanted to start his own company and had been curious about franchises, so he started researching trends. A franchise consultant presented him with a half-dozen franchise opportunities in the area.
“I told him upfront I wasn’t really interested in a restaurant and I didn’t want to have inventory,” Hudson said.
He had three criteria for his yet-to-be discovered franchise: helping people, creating jobs and giving back to the community. When he heard about Right at Home, he was intrigued. He called 17 or 18 other Right at Home owners to learn more about the franchise.
“I call it validation,” he said, “to get the facts about the business and to see if it was something I would like to do. It turned out to be a great fit.”
Hudson now has what he calls a rewarding career, “based on the ability for me to help people out and create jobs at the same time,” he said.
Aside from employee and client interviews, Hudson spends most of his time marketing, talking to potential referral sources such as hospitals, rehab centers, churches, elder law attorneys and insurance companies. He is also concentrating on online marketing, because many people research in-home care sites on the Internet, sometimes for a future but not current need.
Lexington is split into two territories for the Right at Home franchise.
“Right now I’m the only one in Lexington, so it’s all fair game to me,” Hudson said. “Hopefully business will take off and I’ll purchase the other territory.”
For more information about Right at Home, visit www.rah-lexington.com.