Seniors Helping Seniors Establishes Franchise to Serve Eastern Montgomery County, Pa

By: Seniors Helping Seniors | 4 Shares 178 Reads

October 25, 2007 // Franchising.com // - Wyomissing Hills, Pa.--To help meet the growing demand of older Pennsylvanians 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 to serve eastern Montgomery County in Pennsylvania including the communities of Hatboro, Lower Merion, Jenkintown, Abington, Huntington Valley and the Main Line.

Seniors Helping Seniors--which has four master license holders and some two dozen franchise partners in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia--is a national caregiver 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 Kimberly Dunne, Ivyland, Pa., who has nearly 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, paramedic and licensed practical nurse (LPN). She received a BS in nursing from Immaculata University, Immaculata, Pa.; an RN degree from Bucks County Community College, Newtown, Pa.; and an associate degree in emergency medicine from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia, Pa.

Dunne is an RN in the Critical Care Department of the St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne, Pa., where she also worked in the emergency room. Prior to that, she worked in the Critical Care Department of the Helene Fuld Medical Center, Trenton, N.J. She is also a spokesperson for the American Stroke Association and a certified instructor for several disciplines related to emergency medical care.

"Seniors Helping Seniors is a unique business that benefits everyone. Because we have seniors working with seniors, the recipients feel the care they receive from our providers is given by someone who truly knows and understands them. Providers enjoy lending a hand and being able to make a difference. In many cases, these relationships turn into lifelong friendships," said Dunne. "Seniors Helping Seniors is especially appealing to me because of its wonderful reputation and the positive impact it has on seniors' lives."

Dunne said that communities have a lot to offer one another and that we need to work together to improve healthcare and everyone's quality of life. "For me, I can help make a difference with my Seniors Helping Seniors franchise. I went into nursing to do that, and this will allow me to reach even more people who can use my support, especially seniors wanting to remain independent in their own home."

Sharon Santoni, Seniors Helping Seniors' regional owner for eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, said she is pleased to welcome Dunne as a franchise partner. "Kimberly comes to our Seniors Helping Seniors community with many years of nursing and healthcare experience and a deep personal knowledge about what it means to be a caregiver. She will make an excellent franchise partner, one who is dedicated to providing the Seniors Helping Seniors brand of loving, giving, caring and compassionate service. I am looking forward to working with Kimberly and I have no doubt that she will fulfill the Seniors Helping Seniors' mission in eastern Montgomery County."

Added Dunne, "That's why I love the concept of Seniors Helping Seniors. I feel so strongly about wanting to give back and this is exactly the opportunity I have been seeking."

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 2006, Seniors Helping Seniors provided nearly 13, 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 Kimberly and all of our master licensees and franchisees with all of the expertise we have gained in running Seniors Helping Seniors. 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."

For more information contact Kimberly Dunne at Seniors Helping Seniors at shsemontco@comcast.net, or call her at 215-322-4102. For franchise details, e-mail Philip Yocom at philip@seniorshelpingseniors.com .