independent living

Baltimore’s Paula Sotir successfully advocates for regulated oversight to enhance the quality of care for seniors

TROY, Mich. — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions organization, recently announced a significant victory for the senior care industry as Maryland franchisee Paula Sotir worked with other senior referral companies, assisted living communities and clients that have placed loved ones to champion improved regulations for senior-care referral companies. Sotir, franchisee of CarePatrol of Baltimore, has been a pivotal advocate for ensuring safer and more reliable senior care services.

Over the past three years, Sotir has worked with Maryland Senator Shelly Hettleman and other placement companies to push for stricter oversight and higher standards in the senior care industry. Their efforts culminated last week with the signing of Senate Bill 952 into law, a landmark piece of legislation designed to enhance the quality and accountability of senior-care referral companies.

“Ensuring that our seniors receive the best possible care is not just a professional obligation, but a personal mission. The work to pass this bill is a major step toward protecting our most vulnerable citizens,” said Paula Sotir. “I am proud to be part of this significant change that will help elevate the standards of senior care across Maryland and aim to keep fighting for this initiative to spark positive change across the nation at large.”

Senate Bill 952 introduces stringent requirements for senior-care referral companies, including: mandating comprehensive criminal background checks for all personnel, requiring business insurance, conducting regular audits of care standards and using transparent payment practices. These measures aim to eliminate the previously unchecked practices that have infiltrated the industry and to ensure a greater level of trust and safety for seniors and their families.

“This new legislation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of Paula Sotir and other referral companies, assisted living communities, clients and the entire CarePatrol organization,” stated CarePatrol Brand President Becky Bongiovanni. “At CarePatrol, we are committed to ensuring that every senior is placed in a safe and nurturing environment. Senate Bill 952 sets a precedent for other states to follow, and we are honored to have been a part of this critical advocacy. Congratulations Paula and others for your dedication!”

To learn more about CarePatrol and its ongoing commitment to senior care, visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

Independent Survey Shows Franchise Owners are Highly Satisfied with CarePatrol’s Performance for 14th Year in a Row

TROY, Mich. — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions organization, entered the new year with prestigious recognition from Franchise Business Review as a Top Franchise for 2024, earning exceptionally high scores in leadership, core values and franchise community for the 14th year since the brand began franchising in 2009. This is the 19th annual ranking of the 200 best franchise opportunities as rated by franchise business owners. The full list is available at https://franchisebusinessreview.com/lists/top-200-franchises/.

“As a leader in the senior care industry, it’s important that our franchisees are backed by a solid support system, strong business model and positive culture in order for them to successfully provide the utmost care for clients navigating often difficult and stressful decisions regarding their aging loved ones, said Becky Bongiovanni, co-founder and brand president of CarePatrol. The continued recognition we receive from not only Franchise Business Review but our franchisees fuels our determination to never lose sight of our core values and continue to strive to provide support to those who are at the heart of our business. As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to continued growth and success as CarePatrol executes its mission to provide safer care options to seniors.”

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.

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

CarePatrol’s survey data boasts the following highlights:
91% of franchisees believe that their franchisor acts with a high level of honesty & integrity;
90% of franchisees agree that they enjoy being a part of this organization;
92% of franchisees agree that they respect their franchisor.

“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. 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,” said Michelle Rowan, president and COO of Franchise Business Review. “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.”

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full description of the 2024 Top Franchises.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

Leading senior care solutions organization celebrates 30th anniversary reaching 30 podcast episodes providing valuable information for aging population. 

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions agency, celebrates one year of its podcast, “My Care Advisors” with its 30th episode airing June 15th to coincide with the brand’s 30th anniversary.

The free, informational podcast, which now has over 30,000 downloads, aims to provide listeners with leading experts who will shine a light on need-to-know topics for an aging population, such as health concerns, financial planning, care options, and more.

“Our goal is to always help our clients live a vibrant and healthy life and this podcast and the experts that we bring on help them do just that,” said Becky Bongiovanni, president of CarePatrol. “It is wonderful to celebrate one-year of the podcast with the milestone of reaching 30 years in business helping families decipher the best care solution for themself or a loved one with less stress.”

The 30th episode, which is titled “Three Decades of Family Caregiving Support” celebrates CarePatrol’s 30th year of supporting older adults and their family members to navigate care solutions. This episode highlights:

• How the mission and unique approach of CarePatrol has helped build a strong foundation of ‘giving seniors and their families a less stressful and easier way to find safer senior care choices’ for more than 30 years.
• The important roles of local Senior Care Advisors and Certified Senior Advisors (CSA)® in supporting older adults navigate senior care options.
• Considerations when selecting the right support to navigate senior care options.
• How CarePatrol’s systems, tools and process improvements and people help support older adults and their caregivers.
• Insight into the future for senior care options and the support needed to help navigate the complexities of care.

“This podcast has been enthusiastically embraced by listeners worldwide that are thirsty for valuable information on the myriad of issues that come with aging,” said Jennifer LoBianco, chief marketing officer at Best Life Brands, parent company to CarePatrol. “The content we put out on this podcast helps to show our organization’s commitment to ensuring our clients can live their best life along the continuum of care and that their caregiver has all the information they need to make that a possibility.”

Founded in 1993 by a social worker after observing the personal trauma experienced by a family whose loved one had been placed in the wrong type of facility, CarePatrol became the pioneer organization whose core values are dedicated to being a comprehensive personal service and valuable resource for families during the placement of a loved one. The franchise assesses each client’s care level and financial needs, as well as general preferred locations to recommend the best independent living, assisted living, memory care and in-home care options. Services are available at no cost to their clients, as they are paid by tens of thousands of quality pre-vetted providers across the nation.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit https://www.carepatrol.com/.

To learn more about “My Care Advisors,” visit https://www.carepatrol.com/podcast.html.

Independent Survey Shows Female Franchise Owners Are Highly Satisfied with CarePatrol’s Performance.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions organization, was identified by Franchise Business Review as being one of only 50 franchises to qualify as a 2023 Top Franchise for Women.

“Being acknowledged as a leading franchise for women and knowing that franchisees have a high level of satisfaction within the system is extremely satisfying,” said Becky Bongiovanni, co-founder and brand president of CarePatrol.  “Our team is dedicated to equipping our franchise partners with the necessary tools and resources to excel in their respective markets and to ensure the well-being and care of their clients.”

Franchise Business Review (FBR), a franchise research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of top franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises, as well as in quarterly reports throughout the year that rank the top franchises in specific sectors.

CarePatrol was among 322 franchise brands, representing over 8,100 female franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research on the Top Franchises for Women. CarePatrol’s franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including leadership, training & support, financial opportunity, and work/life balance.

CarePatrol’s survey data showed:

88% of franchisees “strongly agree” or “agree” that senior management encourages a strong team culture;
94% of franchisees enjoy operating their business;
97% of franchisees would recommend the franchise to others.

“Franchising is a terrific option for women seeking business ownership on a full- or part-time basis,” said Michelle Rowan, president and COO of Franchise Business Review. “There are thousands of different franchise opportunities available, so before making the decision to invest in a particular franchise, it’s important to research feedback from current female franchise owners on how well the franchise meets their expectations in terms of support, work/life balance, financial opportunity, culture, and other key areas of business ownership. When you look at the brands on this year’s list of the Top Franchises for Women, 87% of women said they enjoy owning and operating the business, making them all excellent options for women looking to make the transition to business ownership.”

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of the 2023 Top Franchises.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and franchise employees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,200 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.

Independent Research Data Shows Franchisees Are Highly Satisfied with Their Investment in CarePatrol.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions organization, was recently named a top franchise by Franchise Business Review in its report on the Top Recession-Proof Franchises for 2023.

“It is highly gratifying to be recognized as a top recession-proof business and to know that franchisee satisfaction is high,” said Becky Bongiovanni, co-founder and brand president of CarePatrol. “Regardless of the economy, franchising in general and especially in the senior care space is very well-positioned for growth. Our team is committed to making sure our existing franchisees are successful by providing them with the resources they need to serve their communities.”

Franchise Business Review (FBR) provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. FBR publishes its rankings of top franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises, as well as in quarterly reports throughout the year that rank the top franchises in specific sectors.

More than 36,000 franchisees representing over 365 franchise brands participated in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction survey. From the research, CarePatrol was one of just 100 franchise brands to be identified as a Top Recession-Proof Franchise award winner and be featured on the list of the best recession-proof franchises.

CarePatrol’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, culture, and financial opportunity.

“While no business is 100% recession-proof, these franchise businesses have demonstrated that they are highly recession-resistant based on historical performance,” said Eric Stites, CEO of Franchise Business Review. “For people seeking to be their own boss, the Top 100 Recession-Proof businesses we identified this year not only have outstanding satisfaction among their owners—one of the most important factors to consider before investing in any franchise opportunity—but they have performed well in good times and bad and we feel they hold a strong advantage to outperform their competitors in the years ahead.”

CarePatrol’s survey data showed:

• 88% of franchisees “strongly agree” or “agree” that senior management encourages a strong team culture;
• 94% of franchisees enjoy operating their business;
• 97% of franchisees would recommend the franchise to others.

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of the Top Franchises of 2023.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and franchise employees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,200 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.

Leading senior care solutions organization launches new podcast series to provide expert commentary on need-to-know topics about aging and care options.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions agency, recently launched a new podcast, “My Care Advisors.”

The free podcast aims to provide listeners with leading experts who will shine a light on need-to-know topics for an aging population, such as health concerns, financial planning, care options, and more.

“This podcast is a great opportunity to share precious information on the myriad of issues that come with aging,” said Becky Bongiovanni, president of CarePatrol. “Our goal is to always help our clients live their best life possible and this podcast and the experts that we will bring on will help them do just that.”

The pilot episode, which is titled “It’s Never Too Late to Start! The Importance of Movement and Older Adults,” features CarePatrol’s Director of Operation Colleen Sieber with tips on fitness and maintaining an active lifestyle. On upcoming episodes, CarePatrol’s Brand President Becky Bongiovanni and Co-founder Chuck Bongiovanni will discuss mental health and the impact of eye conditions on independence. Looking further, “My Care Advisors” is planning to do a series on Alzheimers and how to support those impacted by the disease.

“As our business continues to grow, our focus is on new, innovative methods to develop our marketing strategies and our methods of business operation,” said Jennifer LoBianco, SVP Marketing of Best Life Brands. “The content we can share using this podcast will help to show our organization’s commitment to ensuring our clients can live their best life and that their caregiver has all the information they need to make that a possibility.”

As the nation’s largest and most trusted senior care solutions agency, CarePatrol’s mission is to give seniors and their families a less stressful and easier way to find safer senior care choices. The franchise assesses each client’s care level needs, financial needs and general preferred locations to recommend the best independent living, assisted living, memory care and in-home care options. Their services are available at no cost to their clients, as they are paid by tens of thousands of quality pre-vetted providers across the nation.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit https://www.carepatrol.com/.

To learn more about “My Care Advisors,” visit https://www.carepatrol.com/podcast.html.

Independent Survey Shows CarePatrol Ranks High in Franchisee Satisfaction in the Senior Care Category Within the Top 200 Franchise Brands.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior care solutions organization, was recently named a Top Franchise for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review, earning high scores in leadership, core values, and a supportive franchisee community. This is the 17th annual ranking of the 200 best franchise opportunities as rated by franchise business owners based on the highest level of overall franchisee satisfaction by participating companies.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to be a top 200 franchise for 2022 and to know that franchisee satisfaction in the system is high,” said Becky Bongiovanni, president of CarePatrol. “Our franchisees work tirelessly every day to ensure the well-being and care of our clients. We are committed to ensuring each and every one of our franchisees has the tools and resources they need to succeed in their market.”

To continue improving the satisfaction of its franchisees, CarePatrol has recently implemented a brand refresh to make the franchise more appealing to potential clients. The goal of this refresh was for CarePatrol to develop a more welcoming, caring exterior that reflects the relationships between CarePatrol franchisees and their clients. Additionally, through this refresh, CarePatrol offers its franchisees better support by providing the tools they need to better help their clients.

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.

CarePatrol was among over 300 franchise brands, representing more than 30,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. CarePatrol’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.

CarePatrol’s survey data showed the following:

I enjoy being part of this organization: 4.3/5.0
Senior Management promotes a clear vision for the company: 4.0/5.0
I respect my Franchisor: 4.3/5.0
My Franchisor cares about my success: 4.3/5.0
I feel supported by other CarePatrol franchisees in the network: 4.3/5.0
Would you recommend this franchise to others? 4.2/5.0

“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.”

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full description of the 2022 Top Franchises.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at http://www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.

Largest senior placement organization sees exponential revenue growth from 2020 to 2021.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol has announced plans to expand its presence in New Jersey by opening multiple locations within the next few years. The nation’s largest senior placement organization saw 133% revenue growth between April 2020 and April 2021, underscoring the continued and growing needs of seniors.

“By 2030, the over-60 population in New Jersey is projected to number 2.5 million and represent a quarter of the state’s population. This wave of seniors (the “silver tsunami”) is creating an increased demand for senior living communities and CarePatrol’s guidance and services for these families are needed now more than ever,” said Becky Bongiovanni, Certified Senior Advisor and Brand President of CarePatrol. “Despite the setbacks we experienced during the pandemic, we see the silver lining. As a brand, we have experienced two all-time record-breaking months. Our work never stops, as families and their loved ones will need our help in the years to come. Our franchisees positively impact the lives of those we work with because we love what we do.”

CarePatrol’s local senior care advisors work with families free of charge to find quality, top-rated assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes and in-home care. The senior advisors meet with families  to assess a client’s care level, financial needs and general preferred locations before recommending the best care options.

The total initial investment to open a new CarePatrol franchise ranges from $72,220 to $89,145.  Interested prospects should visit www.CarePatrol.com/franchising.

As demand for COVID-19 beds grows, CarePatrol partners to provide placement services to families in need.

PHOENIX — CarePatrol, the nation’s largest senior placement organization, is partnering with healthcare providers to counsel families on options for moving loved ones to safer environments in order to make room for COVID-19 patients.

“When it comes to our vulnerable senior population, being discharged from a hospital or healthcare facility and going somewhere safe comes with incredible responsibilities,” said Becky Bongiovanni, Certified Senior Advisor and Brand President of CarePatrol. “There are important added measures we are taking to still get care for loved ones while our population at-large is also being told to shelter-in-place.”

The franchise network has introduced virtual consultations with families, offering online tours of senior communities at the same time that those facilities are taking added precautionary measures to keep their residents safe.

“During this time of uncertainty, our locations are continuing to work closely with our network of over 32,000 senior living communities across the nation and we are supporting families making difficult care decisions in order to prevent a worse situation for a loved one,” said Bongiovanni. “It is also our desire to support our healthcare workers who are the heroes on the front line.  Recently, CarePatrol locations have started donating hand sanitizers, face masks and meals to local healthcare workers. We will continue to support case managers with timely and safer discharges. We want to do what we can to relieve their burden by counseling families to find safer care options expeditiously.”

And for families hesitant to move a loved one into a community during the pandemic, CarePatrol owners are working closely with ComForCare franchisees across the country to arrange for in-home care as an alternative.

CarePatrol’s local senior care advisors work with families free of charge to find quality, top-rated assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes and in-home care. The senior advisors meet with families, now virtually, to assess a client’s care level, financial needs and general preferred locations before recommending the best care options. CarePatrol has the largest network of senior living communities nationwide.

To learn more about CarePatrol, visit www.carepatrol.com.

About Best Life Brands, LLC

Based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Best Life Brands, LLC is a holding company that includes CarePatrol, the nation’s largest franchised senior placement organization, ComForCare and At Your Side, premier franchised providers of in-home care, and Blue Moon Estate Sales, the leading estate sale franchise in the U.S., which together include more than 375 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. With a private equity investment from The Riverside Company, Best Life Brands is a platform of award-winning complementary businesses that serve people along the continuum of care.

Kevin and Cilla Buck honored with prestigious award at CarePatrol’s annual franchise conference.

PHOENIX— Northeast Ohio CarePatrol franchise owners, Kevin and Cilla Buck, were awarded the 2019 Franchisee of the Year award at CarePatrol’s annual convention in Phoenix, Arizona on January 11.

The Bucks were recognized out of 150 locations for being high-level producers in the franchise system, providing a top of the line service for their clients, and displaying excellence in leadership, performance and compliance.

“Kevin and Cilla are the kind of franchise owners you want serving in your network every day,” said Becky Bongiovanni, president of CarePatrol. “They truly enjoy helping people and treat every family as if they are assisting their own parents. Every day they strive to go above and beyond to make sure everyone is placed where they need to be.”

Cilla was working as a teacher and Kevin was in operations management before they were ready to do something different. CarePatrol seemed to be that right fit where they could help people with a need and be compensated while doing so. They opened their first location in 2013 and added a second CarePatrol franchise in 2016.

“Having gone through this with our own parents, we both find great joy in being an expert resource for people navigating the confusing landscape of senior care,” said Kevin. “Being recognized as Franchisee of the Year is extremely gratifying, and with CarePatrol’s support, we will continue to work hard to assess our client’s needs, concerns and preferences before recommending appropriate levels of care.”

CarePatrol’s local senior care advisors work with families free of charge to find quality, top-rated assisted living, independent living, memory care, nursing homes and in-home care. The senior advisors meet with families in person to assess a client’s care level, financial needs and general preferred locations before recommending the best care options.

To learn more about the CarePatrol franchise opportunity, visit www.carepatrolfranchise.com.

About Best Life Brands, LLC
Based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Best Life Brands, LLC is a holding company that includes CarePatrol, the nation’s largest franchised senior placement organization, ComForCare and At Your Side, premier franchised providers of in-home care, and Blue Moon Estate Sales, the leading estate sale franchise in the U.S., which together include more than 375 franchise locations across the U.S. and Canada. With a private equity investment from The Riverside Company, Best Life Brands is a platform of award-winning complementary businesses that serve people along the continuum of care.