Homewatch Caregivers, Largest, Most Experienced International Franchise Provider Of In-home Care Services, Offers Six New San Antonio Territories

Breeze" Cooley Leads New Sales Efforts to Bring Quality Care to Families with Caregiving Problems

SAN ANTONIO (Wednesday, July 02, 2008) - When Homewatch CareGivers, the largest, most experienced international franchise provider of in-home care, opens six new territories in San Antonio for purchase in July, Dave Cooley, director, franchise development, will enjoy a brief homecoming. More importantly, he'll enjoy bringing a solution to his former community for home care problems that nagged at his own family when, from long distance, he and his brother struggled to secure San Antonio caregivers during a six-month period following his mother's double knee replacement surgery.

Territories Contain 10 to 12 Percent Senior Population

With 97 franchise owners in 160 territories, including 9 international owners with 18 territories, Homewatch CareGivers, founded in 1980, provides in-home care services for people of all ages and "we see the San Antonio expansion as a natural next step in our company's growth throughout Texas," Cooley said. "There are nearly 160,000 seniors in these new combined territories, with 30,000 to 35,000 in each territory, which is the Homewatch CareGivers goal of a 10 to 12 percent senior population in the territories it sells," explained the former San Antonio native and retired United States Air Force pilot.

Other major metropolitan systems in Texas — Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Plano and The Woodlands — have embraced the Homewatch CareGivers model and in 2007 alone those combined franchisees provided 120,000 billable hours of care, employed 175 caregivers and served 350 private-pay clients.

Cooley attributes Homewatch CareGivers' (www.homewatchcaregivers.com) success to the company's ability to provide reliable and highly skilled services in companion, personal and comprehensive care and to its full commitment to franchisee support.

Many franchises in the home care industry provide only companion care which is a simpler business model, typically not regulated or licensed by state agencies and dependent upon caregivers who undergo limited training.

More than Companion Care Needed by Over 70 Percent of Seniors

"In the US, 40 percent of home care services are provided for non-seniors, children, veterans, the disabled and chronically ill and people recovering from medical procedures," Cooley explained. "Companion care for seniors is just a small portion of the real care needs in this country and represents only 15 to 20 percent of the senior market for home care. The real need lies in providing personal care, which over 70 percent of seniors require. Personal care is regulated, licensing is required and caregivers must undergo extensive and ongoing training. Then, the remaining 10 percent of the senior market needs comprehensive care because they may be on a feeding tube, oxygen or a catheter or have other more serious and demanding care needs."

Homewatch CareGivers President Leann Reynolds was formerly a multi-territory Homewatch CareGivers franchise owner in Portland, OR for several years. "We run our business knowing that support is the lifeblood of our organization," she said. "Every franchisee undergoes in-depth initial training and receives a dedicated support manager, ongoing training for caregivers and a 52-week direct support program."

Veterans Franchise Discount Program Offered

The initial franchise fee for a Homewatch CareGivers territory is $30,000 and a second territory invested in simultaneously is discounted to $24,500. Nearly 40 percent of Homewatch CareGivers Franchise Partners own multiple territories and Homewatch CareGivers offers a Veterans Franchise Discount Program.

"Over 80 percent of a franchisee's business comes from referrals and those calls are generated by a crisis point in a family's life," Cooley explained.

* According to the US Census Bureau, those aged 85 years and older will grow 78 percent in this decade.
* 85 percent of this age group have disabilities requiring care
* 12,000 Baby Boomers will turn 60 each day for the next 20 years
* 52 percent aged 65 years and older have some type of disability
* 33 percent have severe disability

Home Care Costs 45 Percent Less than Nursing Home Care

AARP surveys show 85 percent of seniors want to stay and age in their own home as long as possible. "Cost factors are shrinking the nursing home industry but expanding the home care industry," Cooley said. "Home care costs on average 45 percent less than nursing home care and, since 1992, spending for home care has grown 11 percent per year versus three percent for nursing home care."

With this national demographic shift, Cooley said Homewatch CareGivers attracts franchisees with strong business backgrounds. "Our male to female ownership ratio is 50/50 but they have a great deal in common: they come from a strong sales or operations background, previously directed several hundred employees and want to grow a large, employee-dominated company. In their first year, our franchisees often grow to an office staff of four and 125 part-time caregivers who are W-2 employees. In four years, those numbers double."

Second Career for Retired Military Offers Way to Give Back to Community

He expects interest to come from many retired military in San Antonio who want a second career where they can give back to the community.

Cooley should know.

Since his military retirement, where previously he was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base for four years as an instructor at the Air Force Officer Training School, "Cool Breeze" Cooley's second career in franchising, in addition to Homewatch CareGivers, previously included tours of duty with Jani-King International and HomeVestors.

About Homewatch CareGivers

Homewatch CareGivers (HWCG) is a leading international provider of in-home care services for people of all ages, including seniors, children, veterans, the chronically ill, and those recovering from medical procedures. Caregivers are triple-screened and continually trained and supervised by healthcare professionals to provide reliable, compassionate, and highly skilled services in companion, personal and comprehensive care. In-home care services are personalized for each client and customized care plans are administered through an international network of 97 franchise owners with 160 territories which includes 9 international owners with 18 international territories. Each office is locally owned and dedicated to ensuring quality of life for clients and peace of mind for their loved ones. Founded in 1980, Homewatch CareGivers is the fourth largest in-home care company in the US. Visit www.homewatchcaregivers.com for franchise, company and caregiver information or call 1-800-777-9770.

Contacts

SJI Ltd. Public Relations
Carol Piaseczny, APR, 303-947-2647
carolp@sjiltd.com

View all Homewatch CareGivers Press Releases

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