ON THE COVER

Seniors Come Alive at Town Square

Senior Helpers

by Rose Mango

Senior Helpers, a well-known franchisor, has opened a reminiscence therapy adult day care center built to look and feel like the 1950s. The new franchising model – Senior Helpers Town Square Franchising – is officially an affiliate of Senior Helpers, the Baltimore-based home care company. The Chula Vista, California-based George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Center, which created the original Town Square prototype, will share operational expertise, along with other resources.

“Town Square franchises will help provide much needed reminiscence therapy and adult day enrichment services to the millions of Americans who have Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I love the concept,” said Senior Helpers CEO Peter Ross.

Founded in 2001, Senior Helpers provides personal and companion care services to families in their homes. They pride themselves in offering specialized care for individuals with dementia as well as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other diseases. Senior Helpers started franchising in 2005 and currently has more than 300 locations in its network.

Each Town Square location is comprised of an indoor, simulated urban environment with more than a dozen distinct 1950’s type vignettes. That includes a 50’s diner, movie theater and additional storefronts. It is designed to be an immersive,
interactive environment, helping to preserve cognitive function and is carefully crafted to transport seniors to the past.

What is exciting is the cost for seniors to spend the day in Town Square. It is a very affordable $95 a day, an expense that includes specialized care from Senior Helpers staff, who are contracted to serve as program aides.

Senior Helpers Town Square Franchising may be an attractive investment opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to enter the booming senior care industry – but it’s one that comes with a higher price tag. The investment to start a Town Square location will likely be between $1.2 million and $1.7 million, depending on location, according to Ross.

Investors interested in opening a Town Square can either do so through a hands-on ownership model or an absentee ownership model. Allowing for absentee ownership means casting a wider net for investors with the necessary financials in place. It’s a different type of investment model, and it is desirable for a different kind of investor.

Senior Helpers Town Square Franchising will work with local real estate partners to identify Town Square sites. Investors will pick a final location, and then a preferred contractor will build it out. A local Senior Helpers home care franchisee comes along and staffs the entire franchise with care staff of 10 to 15 aides once opened.

“The plans to expand are plentiful. We have already sold 11 franchises and have more than 200 investors that have already reached out,” Ross said. The Senior Helpers affiliate franchisor is targeting 100 U.S. Town Square locations within the next three years.

“It’s a huge win for Senior Helpers,” Ross said. “You can imagine 100 Town Squares, or 100 staffing contracts with Senior Helpers franchisees around the country, so that’s significant revenue to Senior Helpers and a way to provide resources to franchisees of Town Square. We have many candidates ready to buy a franchise,” Ross said.

Due to the nature of this being a terrific solution for all types of elder care that are not being served presently, Senior Helpers Town Square franchise is being positioned to provide Town Square care in nearly every state. “There is just nothing like it!” Ross said.

For more information on franchising opportunities visit https://shtownsquarefranchise.com/