assistance to seniors

Christina Divine was chosen from among several nominees systemwide for the non-medical care services company’s prestigious award

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a private-duty, non-medical home care services company, has named Brazoria County, Texas, Caring Senior Service employee Christina Divine as its 2023 Caregiver of the Year.

Divine was nominated by her employers, Mike and Adie Walls, owners of Caring Senior Service of Brazoria County.

“Christina consistently exceeds all expectations, and we’re thrilled that she was chosen as Caring Senior Service’s Caregiver of the Year,” said Adie Walls. “Her devotion to her clients is inspiring. She makes accommodations for special occasions, never complains when plans are changed and always maintains a positive attitude. We believe no one is more deserving of this award than Christina.”

In addition to receiving this honor, Divine will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the company’s annual conference in Cancun, Mexico, in April, where she will also be recognized on stage.

In their nomination of Divine, the Walls pointed to her devotion to her clients as one of the reasons she should receive the award. They said that she prepares a four-course meal from scratch daily for her clients and even makes them a meal in the slow cooker for the weekend so that they have healthy food to eat when she is not available. She also attends doctor’s visits with her clients and helps with hair and makeup.

Divine has worked with Caring Senior Service since 1997 and has been employed at three Caring Senior Service locations during her career, including Caring Senior Service of Phoenix and Caring Senior Service of Kerrville, Texas, before coming to Brazoria County in 2015. She worked at the Brazoria County location for a short time before leaving, only to return in 2023.

“When she reapplied to work here, we knew we had to have her back,” Walls said. “She’s a great asset and has made the most of her time with us.”

In late 2023, Divine received the educational requirements to become a GreatCare® Master Caregiver.

“Christina actively remains engaged in the wellbeing of her clients, overcoming daily caregiving challenges with a smile and a heart full of positivity,” said Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter. “Her care goes above and beyond to enhance the lives of those she serves. Christina is truly the embodiment of the spirit of Caring Senior Service, and we want to thank her for her dedication.”

For more information about Caring Senior Service, visit https://www.caringseniorservice.com/.

The Texas-based private-duty, non-medical home services company earns a spot on the prestigious list based on the recommendations of its franchise owners

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a private-duty, non-medical home care services company, was recently named a Top Franchise for 2024 by Franchise Business Review. This is the 19^th annual ranking of the 200 best franchise opportunities as rated by franchise business owners.

The list is available at https://franchisebusinessreview.com/lists/top-200-franchises/.

“It’s a wonderful honor to have made the Franchise Business Review’s Top 200 Franchises for the third year in a row,” said Caring Senior Service CEO and founder Jeff Salter. “Our placement is especially meaningful because it’s based on the feedback from our incredible franchise owners. Caring Senior Service is able to carry out its mission of providing our clients with the ability to stay healthy and happy at home because of the hard work of our franchise owners. We succeed because of their dedication.”

Franchise Business Review, a market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement, provides the only rankings and awards for franchise companies based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of the top 200 franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises.

Caring Senior Service was among more than 375 franchise brands, representing 35,000 franchise owners, who participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. Caring Senior Service’s franchise owners were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including training and support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity.

The company’s survey data showed that its franchise owners ranked Caring Senior Service as “very good” in training and support, leadership, core values, franchise community and self-evaluation.

“Franchisee satisfaction continues to be the leading indicator of franchise performance and system health, and we are pleased to report that our latest research shows satisfaction has remained at some of the highest levels in the past 19 years,” said Michelle Rowan, president and COO of Franchise Business Review. “In fact, our survey results show that three out of four franchise owners would recommend their brand to others. That’s extremely encouraging news for franchise owners and anyone considering investing in a franchise. As an independent research firm, Franchise Business Review is committed to helping prospective franchisees get an objective view of the best franchise opportunities available based on actual feedback from the people who own them. Each of the award winners on this year’s list of the 200 Top Franchises received stellar ratings from their franchisees in the areas crucial to success in operating a franchise, including training & support, leadership, innovation, culture, and financial opportunity.”

For more information about Caring Senior Service, visit https://www.caringseniorservice.com/.

The review’s independent survey shows that franchise owners of the San Antonio-based non-medical senior home care company are highly satisfied with its performance.

SAN ANTONIO — For the second year in a row, Caring Senior Service, a private-duty, non-medical senior home care services company, has been recognized as one of the 200 best franchise opportunities in the United States by Franchise Business Review, a market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement.

This is the 18^th annual ranking of the elite list of franchises. Companies are chosen by rankings provided by franchise business owners and the complete list is available at https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/top-franchises/.

“Not only are we thrilled to make Franchise Business Review’s list for the second year in a row, we are humbled by the fact that we earned this honor because our owners have demonstrated how satisfied they are with our collaborative efforts,” said Caring Senior Service CEO and founder Jeff Salter. “Caring Senior Service’s success relies on our franchise owners throughout the country. It speaks volumes that our franchisees feel that our corporate team is providing them with the types of support and engagement they need to remain successful.”

Caring Senior Service was among more than 360 franchise brands, representing more than 38,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. Caring Senior Service’s franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including training & support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity.

Caring Senior Service conducted their franchise review in July 2022 and collected feedback from 86% of their active franchisees. Highlights of the survey include:

• 87% of franchisees agree that Caring Senior Service cares about their success
• 87% of franchisees feel their franchise community is in support of the brand
• 93% of franchisees are likely to recommend the franchise to others

Franchise Business Review President and COO Michelle Rowan said that franchisee satisfaction levels hit an all-time high in 2022, despite the pandemic.

“We are pleased to report that our 2023 research shows satisfaction has remained sky high—a sure indicator that franchisee satisfaction is a top priority for franchise companies—and that’s good news for franchise owners and anyone thinking about investing in a franchise,” Rowan said. “As an independent research firm, Franchise Business Review is committed to helping prospective franchisees get an objective view of the best franchise opportunities available based on actual feedback from the people who own them. This year, nearly 38,000 franchisees completed our survey and from there we identified the franchise brands with the highest levels of satisfaction and performance to educate potential buyers about which franchise to invest in. Each of the 200 Franchisee Satisfaction Award winners on this year’s list achieved stellar ratings from their franchisees.”

For more information on Caring Senior Service, please visit https://www.caringseniorservice.com/ and to learn more about becoming a Caring Senior Service franchise owner, please visit https://caringfranchise.com/.

The non-medical home care company enters the exclusive annual ranking at No. 479, joining heavy hitters like McDonald’s and 7-Eleven.

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care company with more than 50 locations throughout the United States, today announced it has made its debut on the Franchise Times Top 500, an exclusive annual ranking of the largest franchise systems by global systemwide sales.

“Earning a spot on the Franchise Times list shows the achievements of our business model, our people, our technology and our best-in-class training and support,” said Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter. “Being named a top franchisor proves how successful our franchise model is in today’s ever-changing market. We are extremely proud of the commitment of both our corporate team and our franchise owners to set the high standards in the home care industry necessary to achieve this honor.”

The Franchise Times Top 500 is an annual ranking of the 500 largest U.S.-based franchise systems. The project is the result of a five-month research and reporting effort that leads to the most credible and objective franchise ranking available, said Franchise Times Editor-in-Chief Laura Michaels.

“The collection of systemwide sales data also provides useful insight into the franchise industry’s performance coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Michaels said. “Every segment gained ground in 2021, with some getting back to or even surpassing 2019 sales while others still have work to do.”

The 10 largest franchised brands gained $45.4 billion in sales in 2021, a 14% increase over the prior year. The top 10 now account for more than $368 billion in annual sales. No. 1 McDonald’s put more room between itself and No. 2 7-Eleven, growing sales by more than $19 billion to $112.5 billion. That marked the best dollar amount sales growth across the Top 500 franchises last year.

“Our GreatCare® method for delivering superior care means our owners can successfully operate a home care business at minimal cost while still maintaining a high level of service,” Salter said. “Our back-office support offers our franchise owners additional accounting, marketing and operational services that enable them to operate at their most efficient, making a Caring Senior Service franchise one of the best to own, and this is reflected in our appearance on this prestigious list.”

For more information about the Franchise Times Top 500, please visit https://www.franchisetimes.com/top-500-2022/.

The Franchise Times Top 500 is the only ranking by systemwide sales and units of the largest 500 U.S.-based franchise brands. Published in the October issue and available in a searchable database online, the Franchise Times Top 500 also analyzes industry sectors based on percentage change in sales growth, reports the 10 fastest-growing franchises by four different measures, and includes exclusive news stories about the biggest names in franchising. The rankings and full report, and the searchable online database, are available at www.franchisetimes.com/top-500-2022.

The non-medical home care franchise’s CEO, Jeff Salter, will discuss how innovation can improve the way home care workers care for seniors and the disabled.

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care franchise, announced today that CEO and founder Jeff Salter is scheduled to discuss how innovation can improve the home care industry at the Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice’s (TAHCH) 53^rd Annual Meeting later this month and at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice’s (NAHC) Annual Conference and Expo in October.

“While it seems that non-medical home care has changed very little over the past few years, the fact is that innovation in the industry is coming and should be met with open arms,” Salter said. “Technical advances in how we communicate with family members, how we physically care for clients, and how we interact with a client’s own medical devices are something our workforce and our care management teams need to be trained to manage.”

Salter is slated to share key methods on how Caring Senior Service has evolved to meet today’s challenges and what the industry will need to be competitive in the future. In his address titled, “The Home Care Industry Needs a Revolution,” Salter will discuss some of the technologies and advancements home care companies should expect to see in the coming years.

Caring Senior Service already uses a proprietary tablet-based software called Tendio® to assist franchisees in operating their locations. This software offers a family/caregiver portal, real-time video conferencing, caregiver tracking, electronic timesheets and a messaging center. The home care company credits Tendio® with improving workflows and enhancing service delivery.

Salter is scheduled to speak at 11:15 a.m. on Aug. 31 at the three-day TAHCH conference in Round Rock, Texas. For more information, visit https://www.tahchannualmeeting.com/.

The NAHC Annual Conference and Expo, which will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, will feature Salter’s session on Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit https://www.nahc.org/.

The home care company will work with the privately-owned veterans advocacy group to ensure qualified veterans receive the benefits they need to age in place.

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care services franchise, announced today it has entered into a national partnership with Veterans Care Coordination™ to raise awareness for veterans and their families who may be eligible for the Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Our mission is to allow all seniors to stay healthy, happy and at home, and the Aid and Attendance benefit is in keeping with that mission,” said Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter. “We owe a debt of gratitude to our nation’s veterans and are honored that we can repay their service by raising awareness about this benefit. Caring is an organization dedicated to assisting veterans and their surviving spouses, and we are looking forward to providing them with the home care services they need.”

The Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit provides an increased pension for home care or other medical expenses for Veterans and surviving spouses who meet eligibility requirements.  Conditions of eligibility include active duty during wartime, honorable discharge, non-service-related medical conditions, as well as income and asset limits.

The partnership will allow Caring Senior Service to connect eligible veterans and surviving spouses with VCC’s experienced team, who can assist with the application process and with monitoring and maintaining eligibility requirements once approved. VCC also assists in connecting veterans who are not eligible for Pension with Aid and Attendance with resources and care options which provides Caring Senior Service with opportunities to serve more veterans through this partnership.

“This partnership with Caring provides an opportunity for veterans who may not otherwise receive home care to benefit from home care services,” said VCC President Jeff Schweikert. “We appreciate the commitment of Caring Senior Service to helping veterans and their families.”

VCC was founded in 2011 by CEO Kyle Laramie after he discovered a little-known benefit called the Pension with Aid and Attendance. VCC’s mission is driven by the memory of Laramie’s late grandfather, Norbert Laramie, a World War II Veteran who unnecessarily missed out on essential VA benefits simply because his family wasn’t aware of the opportunities that were available to assist him in his golden years. For more information, visit https://vcchc.com/.

Caring Senior Service provides home care services which can include companionship, meal preparation, personal care, medication reminders, assistance with errands and appointments, light housekeeping, and respite care. For more information, visit www.caringseniorservice.com/.

About VCC

Veterans Care Coordination™, LLC., is a healthcare-based organization, not associated with any government agency, that assists eligible veterans and surviving spouses in application, monitoring and maintenance of the Pension with Aid & Attendance benefit to help cover medical expenses and home care services. VCC partners with home care agencies and referral sources nationwide to serve veterans and surviving spouses. For more information, visit https://vcchc.com/.

The home care company’s GreatCare® certification provides caregivers, staff and franchise owners with the tools they need to elevate their skills.

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a non-medical home care services franchise, is now offering caregivers, office staff and franchise owners an opportunity to advance their educational and professional development and delivery of services through the company’s GreatCare® certification program.

The GreatCare® certification program challenges owners and staff to achieve milestones that prepare them to address the three most important areas of concern in senior care: quality caregivers, care solutions and active involvement.

“Proper education and training creates the foundation for an employee’s understanding and performance of their job duties,” said Caring Senior Service founder and CEO Jeff Salter. “By developing this catalog of tools, training and processes that support our GreatCare® methodology, we hope to encourage owners and staff to better understand their roles, improve their leadership abilities and provide the GreatCare® that Caring Senior Service has developed over the past 30 years.”

Salter said the program is of particular value to the caregivers who make up the majority of Caring Senior Service’s team.

“Caregivers are often under-appreciated or taken for granted in the industry,” he said. “With our GreatCare® certification program, Caring hopes to show its commitment and loyalty to our caregivers by providing them the tools they need to succeed.”

The program has separate tracks for the franchise agency director, the care manager and the homecare consultant. To achieve the GreatCare® Master Certification, participants must complete a progressive program that starts at the certified level, moves to the advanced level and then culminates with the master level.

Team members who have more than two years’ experience can also achieve a master certification through an accelerated program path in their local office.

Caring Senior Service rolled out the initiative as part of the company’s overall GreatCare® mission to give franchise owners the tools to measure how well their teams understand their roles. Staff members who complete the program are given recognition that they are experts in their field, allowed to receive merit raises and are invited to attend the national GreatCare® Master conference.

“Ultimately, the goal is to provide our clients with the best care possible,” Salter said. “We could not achieve the success we’ve had in the home care industry without our clients’ support. It’s for them that we strive to create these best practices in home care.”

The San Antonio-based non-medical senior home care company makes the review’s 17th annual best franchise opportunities for 2022.

SAN ANTONIO — Caring Senior Service, a private-duty, non-medical senior home care services company, was recognized as one of the 200 best franchise opportunities in the United States by Franchise Business Review, a market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement.

The elite list of franchises was chosen by rankings provided by franchise business owners and is available at https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/top-franchises/.

“Being included on the Franchise Business Review’s list of the top 200 franchises would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of both our corporate team and, of course, our franchisees,” said Caring Senior Services CEO and founder Jeff Salter. “Certainly 2021 was a difficult year for business, especially for those companies whose employees deal directly with the public during events like a pandemic. My hat is off to our entire team who found the will and determination to power through the trials associated with COVID-19, supply chain shortages, and other challenges.”

Caring Senior Service was among more than 300 franchise brands, representing more than 30,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. Caring Senior Service’s franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including training & support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity.

“While the pandemic impacted various business sectors differently, the last 18 months have clearly demonstrated the inherent strengths of the franchise business model. The old franchise adage of ‘being in business for yourself, but not by yourself’ has never been more important,” said Franchise Business Review founder & CEO Eric Stites. “Thanks to fast innovations, significant support, and responsive crisis management, many franchise brands have emerged stronger from the pandemic, and that is reflected in high franchisee satisfaction.”