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Why franchisees have an advantage over independents in stay-at-home aged-care services

Sarah Stowe

Stay-at-home aged-care services are booming right now as many Australians seek an alternative to residential care for their loved ones. 

In this sector, franchisees are at a significant advantage to start-up solo businesses, backed with experience in both operating the business and in understanding the marketplace and the particular demands of a regulated industry.

Staying up to date with legislation and changes in both aged care and NDIS sectors is crucial. As government departments and the NDIS increase care standards, the policies and procedures that meet and exceed these expectations need to be updated.

That’s where a franchisor can add significant value to a franchisee – taking the pressure off franchisees’ regulatory concerns by communicating any relevant procedural information and ensuring standards are maintained.

It is of course important that franchisees understand and appreciate the differences between home care and hospital care – ensuring the choices of the client rather than the needs of the service provider are what drives the engagement.

It’s also crucial that a franchise brand has the capacity to attract top-class carers that will be an integral part of a franchisee’s business, delivering personal care, nursing and allied health services in clients’ homes because in most franchise networks, franchisees are operating and directing the business, and are rarely the carers themselves.

Ross McDonald at Capital Guardians says it can be a challenge to find the ideal carers.

“Our care advisors certainly have an advantage of being independent, and can look at existing care agencies and non-traditional approaches of finding carers for our clients, via online platforms and advertising directly.”

Nurse Next Door is a well-established North American business that is relatively new in Australia, providing a support service for the ageing and disabled population.

Matt Fitton, Nurse Next Door CEO, can testify to the challenge of meeting and managing the current (and future) demand for service, which is driven by NDIS funding and an ageing population.

He also stresses from a franchisor’s perspective that incoming franchisees aren’t looking to enter the industry to simply make money he points out.

“As an essential service supporting vulnerable people this is an industry that is just as much about passion as it is profit,” he says.

Check out more aged-care service business opportunities here.