Seniors Helping Seniors

About Seniors Helping Seniors

Seniors Helping Seniors is a unique model of elderly care but it is not new. The brand stands for trust and expertise in the field and has over 24 years of service delivery. The company is privately owned with no venture capitalists to answer to which results in a non-pressurised and kind business environment.

Seniors Helping Seniors supports independence. Keeping people safe and happy. In an ageing society, two things are true: people want to work for longer and people need support for longer.

Offering well paid and enjoyable work to seniors provides uniquely valuable peer-to-peer support and ensures the company remains well clear of any problems finding carers.

The care is uniquely in line with the person-centred care being recommended for the future. Customers are self-funders. Care commissioners call Seniors Helping Seniors “perfect primary care”.

The USPs of this care franchise include low investment, uncapped earnings, the lowest overheads in the care sector, and uniquely positive business practices.

COVID-19 inspired a demand for the better. That means taking care of customers, teams and taking care of everything in the supply chain. Seniors Helping Seniors is a proud member of The Good Business Charter, award winners for customer care, and Champions of the Living Wage for the entire care sector in the UK.

Seniors Helping Seniors is inviting people to start a new life, focusing on making an exciting and secure financial future for themselves – one that will grow exponentially if you want it to and improving business practices.

You’ll employ people who are usually distanced from work due to age, paying above the real living wage and providing award-winning customer service.

How does the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise model work?

The service matches elderly people in need of care with a senior who is experienced in the care that’s required. The company fully manages every part of the service with fast response times and unique flexibility.

Carefully matching carers to those needing care ensures common interests and relevant experience. The same carer provides stability for the client. Management provides all the backup and support needed for the client, the carer and everyone involved. The feel is like an extended family.

Ethical trading, transparent processes and easy access to the care that is needed are always achieved.

The services provided are non-medical and of the many benefits to the business being out of scope for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), reduced costs and management time for the franchisee score highly. “It’s a joy to run in comparison to the care franchise I used to run,” says Mike Dooley, owner of Seniors Helping Seniors Brighton and Hove.

As of 2022, the franchise also provides personal care services which are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Whenever the franchisee is ready, the management team support and fast track the provision of personal care services and CQC regulation. Training and support to offer CQC services is free of charge, there is no increase in the franchise fee. There is no obligation to provide regulated services.

Whether you choose to offer personal care or companionship care, the fact that your entire business is focused on employing experienced carers means you have zero problems finding and retaining outstanding carers.

The Seniors Helping Seniors carer loves their work and the brand’s status as champions for the care sector is a source of immense pride across the organisation.

The franchisee can operate some aspects of this business while working from home.

The care sector needed innovation long before the pandemic.
Christian Wilse co-owner of Seniors Helping Seniors UK says: “The average age of a care worker for Seniors Helping Seniors is 59.7 years. We pay well and we carefully support our carers in the work they love to do. All our carers have had substantial care experience, either professionally or caring for a loved one and it feels amazing to help people make use of that experience.

“Paying people well and supporting them to do amazing work is not only the only conscionable thing to do, but we also believe it’s the reason for our company’s success.”
 
Seniors Helping Seniors found out that two unique elements in its elderly care services were responsible for keeping clients and carers safe during COVID-19:

1. Employment: Senior, experienced carers are employed part-time. Employing carers who are close in age to the clients they are supporting means they have a lot in common and relate well. These carers are more easily accepted by people starting their care journeys and very often the same carers stay with the same clients for years.

When the pandemic came, Seniors Helping Seniors realised there was another benefit to the carers it worked with. It was easier for its carers to reduce their exposure to the virus because many live alone or in small family units. Its carers wanted to keep working, many of them stepped up and did more as people shielded. The carers diligence and willingness to comply with best practise around COVID-19 kept everyone well and earned the company their S.A.F.E. care award.

Some of the carers who wanted to do more for their clients when their needs escalated, re-trained during the pandemic to provide personal care services. Some carers took qualifications for the first time, others refreshed professional qualifications. Upskilling carers in this way is how it earned its CQC registration.

Carers are paid above the Real Living Wage when they work. They work because they love what they do. Carers treasure the flexibility at their time of life, and they love to utilise their experience to help others. Christian explains: “For us, experience is everything and we’ve been willing to pay for it from day one in the UK.

“In June 2021, we won a Living Wage Foundation Champions award for the leadership we have shown in the care sector. Historically, the care industry has very high levels of low pay. We champion paying carers well and supporting carers properly and we were delighted to receive the recognition.

2. Schedules: Seniors Helping Seniors schedules so the same carers visit clients. No one rushes a visit. Carers are available for work and they enjoy being helpful and earning. Having an abundance of carers enables Seniors Helping Seniors to match the carer to the client carefully which is a feature of care its clients love. While for other care companies client-carer matching is just marketing speak, for Seniors Helping Seniors it is a daily reality. And its client reviews are testimony to the amazing outcomes your expertise will provide in your area.

To help people find a secure future through franchising during the pandemic, Seniors Helping Seniors reduced the franchise fee, updated training for social distancing and produced COVID-19 business launch support. Three franchisees signed up during the pandemic and though the company has stood down the offer, it remains ready to go when face-to-face training is not convenient for the franchisee.

Did you know?

Seniors Helping Seniors has an expected revenue of £100,000 to £800,000 after 2 years!

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All the support you need comes from its very experienced and like-minded team.

The BBC has celebrated Seniors Helping Seniors on the radio and on TV and the company constantly earns editorial in newspapers, magazines and online because all the norms in care and ageing have been revolutionised.

Seniors Helping Seniors is an award-winning service and a strong franchise brand. With over 200 franchisees (franchisees have merged territories) worldwide and over 24 years in the sector globally, Seniors Helping Seniors UK launched in 2013 on very well established principles of fairness and respect.

Senior Helping Seniors Canterbury was named ‘Most Innovative Senior Care Initiative - UK’ at the Social Care Awards 2017. Seniors Helping Seniors was also a finalist in the Franchise of the Year category and the ‘People’s Champion’ awards 2017.

Seniors Helping Seniors was named one of the Top 10 Home Care Groups in 2017, in the Top 20 in 2018 and a Top 20 most recommended care group in 2019.

The franchise also won the ‘Customer Services Award’ at the Best Business Awards 2018 and was invited to Parliament in February 2020 to celebrate its unique employment policy.

The unique employment policies and the jobs delivered ensure zero problems employing outstanding carers, which, post-Brexit is absolutely critical to any care organisation.

Seniors Helping Seniors is a member of the British Franchise Association (bfa) and has launched a new website for its franchisees and a specific COVID-19 FAQ to keep potential franchisees up to date with the latest news, training, and events.

Who is behind the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise?

The Seniors Helping Seniors franchise was brought to the UK by the husband-and-wife team Sally and Christian Wilse.

Sally, who has a BSc in health care, worked in publishing and PR/marketing for over 25 years. Christian, a Norwegian-raised in Sweden, worked with media companies, technology and the Premier League and has lived in the UK since 1990.

The American company was founded by Kiran and Philip Yocom in 1998. Seniors Helping Seniors is privately owned which means decisions are made from a position of kindness and the good of customers and employees. Kiran worked with Mother Teresa for 14 years as chairperson and Philip was president-CEO. After meeting them, the Wilses realised the potential of the business in the UK.

The couple bought a master franchise for the UK, adapted it for the market and began replicating the success of the American operation in the country. The first office of the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise launched in East Kent in 2013.

What territories are available to the Seniors Helping Seniors franchisee?

Seniors Helping Seniors is expanding across the entire South East and East UK regions (excluding London). Anyone interested in more information on elderly care franchises should fill out the enquiry form on this page.

How much does a Seniors Helping Seniors franchise cost?

The minimum investment is £25,000 for your unique and protected territory for a 10-year renewable term. Investment in the region of £10,000 to £30,000 is recommended to sustain the initial growth period of the business.

ROI is usually 12 to 18 months. Earnings are uncapped. The company has all the processes in place to repeat £2m in turnovers (details on application).

What support and training does Seniors Helping Seniors offer franchisees?

Seniors Helping Seniors franchisees receive all the necessary training they require to start a successful business and has a refreshing 100 per cent transparency policy.

The franchise team ensures a franchisee is a good fit through Seniors Helping Seniors’ proprietary recruitment processes. Recruitment and training can go fast if the candidate requires it. In-person training happens over five days in Canterbury Kent, in two blocks. Support is unlimited thereafter, available 24/7 for the business owner.

The company has crisis management expertise which played a role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the pandemic brought unprecedented issues, the advice and guidance from the franchisors during COVID-19 was timely, relevant and ensured the clients and carers stayed well and business grew. Seniors Helping Seniors is renowned for its successful PR suite.

As of January 2022, Seniors Helping Seniors UK has received five-star reviews from all of its franchisees, according to Trustist, underlining the positivity felt towards the franchisor. One franchisee, Paul M, said: “We would be happy to (and have done so) recommend the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise to anyone looking for a rewarding business and making a difference to the lives of the elderly.”

What kind of franchisee is Seniors Helping Seniors looking for?

Seniors Helping Seniors helps solve two of the greatest social problems facing the UK today, namely elderly care and employment opportunities for people as they age. Communication skills and a positive outlook is key for the franchisee in this groundbreaking setting.

Franchisees demonstrate the strength of character, reliability and a desire to help the community. They will find that helping others adds meaning and fulfilment to their own lives.

What are Seniors Helping Seniors’ terms of agreement and renewal?

The initial Seniors Helping Seniors franchise term lasts a minimum of 10 years with an option to renew at a reduced rate.

How in demand are Seniors Helping Seniors franchises right now?

Some local authorities in southern regions of the UK already have a quarter of their population over the age of 65. It is estimated that by 2036, over half of local authorities will have 25 per cent of their local population aged 65 and over. Over 85s are also expected to grow even faster.

Every day Seniors Helping Seniors’ services are in greater demand because the population is ageing, people want to stay in their own homes and social services and charities are swamped. Its unique success in employing outstanding carers often sees the company assisting other care companies who don’t have staff.

Why is a Seniors Helping Seniors franchise a good investment?

Seniors Helping Seniors is a proven, sustainable business model that does good, feels good and will make you money and an opportunity to grow exponentially.

How can I get started on setting up my own Seniors Helping Seniors franchise?

To find out more, or to request further information on franchising with Seniors Helping Seniors, complete the form below and click on the ‘Request Free Information’ button now.