After a very frustrating series of experiences in 2013, I thought Norman Bates had the right approach to Senior Care. Sit your loved one in a chair for perpetuity and collect the social security checks. But based on my recent experiences, many things have changed over the last few years.

In 2013, my father, who was my best friend and mentor, was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Aside from the normal emotions my family and I went through we also had to determine how we take care of my dad. He was undergoing treatment that fortunately lasted almost 18 months before his passing.

My father lived 100 miles away from me and the rest of my family. His entire life he was proud and independent. He lived in a single-family home and did not want to move. My family and I committed to do whatever we needed to keep him in his house for his remaining time. Given the challenges of living 90 minutes away, owning two businesses, and having a family with a limited ability to assist, the burden fell on me to take the lead.

In addition to myself, my brother, my wife, my mom (yes, Dad’s ex-wife), my aunt, and my uncle, all pitched in to help care for my dad. Given our best efforts, we needed more assistance. We reached out to several in-home senior care services. Unfortunately, the help provided by these companies did not go well. While we had some wonderful caregivers during this time, it was clear that the industry was in desperate need of structure, organization, and maturation. The United States was seeing the tip of the iceberg of aging Baby Boomers, and the industry seemed unprepared.

While there were several issues, here’s one of the most troubling. Around 5 pm one afternoon, I received a call from the owner of the senior-care company informing me no one would be able to care for my father that evening. I received two-hours notice, was 100 miles away, and trying to run my businesses. After a call to the franchise headquarters, the local franchise owner decided he would personally take care of my father that night. Needless to say, my relationship with the franchise owner was strained. But why did it have to come to that extreme?

My dad passed away on December 20, 2015 around 3:30 am. I’m proud to say he was able to pass away in his bedroom at his house. Early in the day he had been surrounded by his loved ones, and we were laughing and sharing stories. We were able to give him what he wanted, as he did for my family and me so many times in our lives.

While I miss my dad every day, it gives me peace that he was able to stay in his house and not die alone, which he feared.

Well, that was 2013 and times have changed. As a franchise professional I have seen a surge of business-oriented individuals move into senior-care franchising. The industry has better business operators, more refined systems, better IT infrastructures, improved recruiting, and is doing a much better job serving their stakeholders.

While I’ve witnessed these changes as a franchise professional during the last several years, in 2019, I had an opportunity to test the industry as a customer. My mom was seeking a new place to live and wanted to be surrounded by peers in a social environment. Being much more familiar with the industry, I reached out to a company that specializes in matching seniors to Assisted Living Communities. I was pleasantly surprised that my observations of the industry’s improvement as a franchise professional was consistent with my customer experience.

If you’re considering senior home care and assisted living placement services as a business opportunity or for a loved one, I hope my personal observations of the changes in the industry have provided some insight. If you still decide to throw Momma from the train, aim for a grassy spot!