Caregiving business to expand along Florida’s Gulf coast
Fifty-three year-old Robert Thomas moved to Fort Myers not knowing anyone and having no home healthcare experience. Thanks to hard work and a strong franchise system, his business became profitable in the first year and has grown steadily in four years since it opened. Thomas owns and operates Assisting Hands Home Care in Fort Myers. Today, with the demand for in-home healthcare growing, Thomas announced Assisting Hands is seeking entrepreneurs to grow the franchise system along Florida’s Gulf coast.
As an Assisting Hands franchise owner in Fort Myers, Thomas is also a regional developer. In this role, he scouts and mentors potential franchisees to expand the in-home caregiving business.
According to the National Institute on Aging, by the year 2015, 25 million U.S. residents will be between the age of 65 and 74. As the baby boomer generation continues to age, the need for cost-effective, in-home caregivers is expected to grow.
In Florida there are $13 billion in uncompensated caregiving hours performed by family and friends of those that suffer from the disease. This equates to one billion hours of actual caregiving time each year in Florida with a 25 percent increase in the number of Floridians affected by the disease since the year 2000.
“The new healthcare reform has not hurt our growth, if anything, the new plan will help us grow,” said Thomas. “Additionally, Florida is still the top destination for retirees, and those numbers will grow exponentially in coming years.”
At a cost of $35,000 per dedicated territory, Assisting Hands business owners receive the benefits of an established franchise system including hands-on training, ongoing support and a package of localized marketing tools. The price is discounted if multiple territories are bundled.
“What differentiates Assisting Hands from other franchise systems is the first-hand experience and support of our regional developers,” Thomas commented. “Before developing the Gulf coast of Florida, I first built a successful Assisting Hands business in Fort Myers. My experience as a franchise owner, coupled with the proximity of my office to each new Assisting Hands franchise owner along the Gulf coast creates a support system unparalleled to other franchises.”
Thomas moved to Fort Myers and launched Assisting Hands after a successful 20 years in international business and finance. “Everything I learned before moving to Florida has been applicable to this business,” said Thomas.
Assisting Hands Home Care offers in-home, non-medical support services that fill the gap between living at home with dignity and the need for institutionalized medical care. Based in Fort Myers, Assisting Hands currently serves approximately 100 clients in Lee and Charlotte counties. Single and multi-unit franchises are available in the following Florida counties: Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando and Citrus. To learn more, call 220-8711 or visit www.assistinghandsswflorida.com‘>www.assistinghandsswflorida.com.
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