USA: Seniors Help Seniors Serve Old Americans Staying Home

READING & BERKS COUNTY, Pennsylvania, February 1, 2006: There is growing demand of older Americans who want to remain in their own homes and stay as self-sufficient as possible. The co-founders of Seniors Helping Seniors® In-Home Services® (SHS), a non-profit organization serving Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania, announced today they are launching a for-profit Seniors Helping Seniors franchise system. In the beginning they will grant five master licenses nationwide and offer franchise territories to qualified investors in eastern Pennsylvania. Kiran Yocom, co-founder and executive director of Seniors Helping Seniors, said the decision to expand is based on the ongoing success and growth of the center established in 1998 that today encompasses more than 250 senior providers helping more than 600 seniors. Her husband, Philip Yocom, will oversee the franchise system. Philip Yocom said, “What began as a heartfelt mission to fill a need that was not being served by our local community is now being recognized as a prime business opportunity being fueled by the fastest growing demographic in our society.” Seniors Helping Seniors matches providers who can offer services such as household assistance, companion care or 24-hour care with seniors who need services. Their mission is “to provide seniors with the ability to choose an independent lifestyle in their own homes for as long as possible with the dignity and respect they deserve by finding caring seniors to help each other.” “We want the existing Seniors Helping Seniors organization and any future franchises to be the first place seniors in need of non-medical services and those seeking extra income call,” said Philip Yocom. “We have had great success with our center in Reading and Berks County as a non-profit and we want to share that success with others. We have found that a for-profit business model is more attractive to business leaders to bring Seniors Helping Seniors in-home services to their communities. That’s why we are convinced that for-profit Seniors Helping Seniors franchises will be more effective as we grow SHS nationwide. We will continue to operate our Berks County organization as a non-profit venture.” Seniors Helping Seniors franchise system seeks to grant its first five franchises in Lancaster, Lebanon, York, Harrisburg and Main Line Philadelphia for an initial investment of approximately $25,000 per franchise territory. The long-term goal is to expand franchises nationally with the granting of one master license in the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast, the Midwest and the West. “We have gained expertise for thelast seven years in running Seniors Helping Seniors”, said Philip Yocom. Yocom has about 25 years of experience with domestic and international franchises. Kiran Yocom once worked for Mother Teresa in India. “Many seniors are simply finding themselves out there on their own, many are forced to move into nursing homes and other long-term care facilities." Website www.seniorshelpingseniors.com