April 22, 2009 // Franchising.com // Wyomissing Hills, Pa – To help meet the growing demand of older residents of the Pacific Northwest who want to remain in their own homes and stay as self-sufficient as possible, Seniors Helping Seniors® In-Home Services (SHS) has established a new franchise in Seattle, Washington, that will serve portions of the city in King County, including Queen Anne, Magnolia, Phinney, Ballard, Fremont, Greenlake, Wallingford, the University District and Montlake.
Seniors Helping Seniors--which has five regional owners and some 50 franchise partners in Washington, California, Georgia, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Michigan and Florida--is a national caregiver and companionship organization and the only one that matches seniors who need in-home care services with seniors who provide them.
The newest franchise is owned and operated by Luis and Marie Adan from Seattle, Washington.
"We define service as a relationship. Our goal as a Seniors Helping Seniors franchise is to listen and pay attention. We will never be too busy that we miss hearing the heart of the matter."
"We believe in battling isolation and loneliness, both for the senior provider who yearns to serve and the senior receiver who seeks companionship and assistance. We found a company made up of like-hearted souls. How cool is that?"
Both Luis and Marie have extensive business and senior care experience, having owned a housecleaning business called Great Maids; and operating two six-bed Residential Care Facilities for the elderly, called SummerLong, for eight years.
Marie C. Adan, with a BS degree in Fine Arts from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, was a Dementia Director for a national chain of assisted living facilities. Prior to moving to Seattle in September of 2008, she was a care consultant for the California Central Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. She also had a private geriatric care management practice and is a member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.
Luis Adan has a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of the Philippines and has 30 years experience in management and the construction industry. He currently works as a senior development manager for a Seattle investment developer. He has assisted and supported his wife with their previous housecleaning and senior care businesses.
"Our services are critical to the lives of the care receivers. Yes, we do assist with their physical needs, but, more importantly, we provide emotional and responsive interaction. People do need and thrive by relational social contact. Likewise, we also enrich the lives of our providers for the same reasons."
Luis and Marie chose a Seniors Helping Seniors franchise because they "are excited about the prospect of interacting with seniors who are seeking help, friendship, and companionship and want to share their kindness, compassion, time and experience. We welcome the chance to be able to continue serving the memory impaired."
Philip Yocom, who manages the national Seniors Helping Seniors franchise organization, said he is pleased to welcome Luis and Marie as franchise partners. "They come to our Seniors Helping Seniors community with truly relevant experience and a deeply personal knowledge about what it means to be caregivers for seniors. They will make an excellent addition to our franchise family, people who are dedicated to providing the Seniors Helping Seniors brand of loving, giving, caring and compassionate service and who will fulfill our mission in further expanding our care giving and companionship services in the Pacific Northwest," he said.
Philip Yocom, and his wife, Kiran Yocom, co-founded Seniors Helping Seniors In-Home Services (SHS), which began as a non-profit organization serving Reading and Berks County, Pennsylvania. That first non-profit organization today encompasses more than 250 senior providers helping more than 600 senior receivers. In 2007, the non-profit Seniors Helping Seniors provided nearly 17,000 hours of service.
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."
He said, "We want the existing Seniors Helping Seniors organization and any future franchises to be the first place that seniors in need of non-medical services and those seeking extra income call."
"We will support all our franchisees with all of the expertise we have gained in running our Seniors Helping Seniors office. We'll also provide marketing, sales, management, and technology support."
He added, "We believe we have found a practical, cost-effective way to help seniors remain independent and to continue contributing. As we grow nationwide, we remain committed to providing our brand of loving, giving, caring, compassionate service."
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