Homewatch CareGivers is rising, each by way of service providing and variety of areas.

The Denver-based dwelling care franchise has expanded its community of 427 areas to 33 states and 7 international locations, using greater than 4,500 caregivers. CEO Todd Houghton says the corporate is on observe to open 22 workplaces within the U.S. this yr, together with eight to 10 areas in Central and South America.

“We will at all times fill extra white house,” Houghton mentioned. “My mission is to have higher entry to care throughout the nation. We take a look at individuals who stay in rural communities. How will we get them entry to care to allow them to age in place?”

Homewatch CareGivers goals to supply higher entry to care by way of its Complete Care Options initiative, in addition to its Homewatch Join expertise. Homewatch Join is a house monitoring system that the corporate unveiled earlier this yr.

Houghton calls Homewatch Join the corporate’s “key differentiator,” giving shoppers the power to simply entry care at dwelling by way of their tv and a distant management.

“This can be a very age-friendly distant management that permits them to attach by way of video hyperlink with their household, their docs and their Homewatch CareGivers caregiver,” Houghton mentioned.

The Homewatch Join expertise has many extra capabilities, together with the power to show reminders for remedy, appointments and hydration straight on the house care recipient's tv display.

The corporate can be testing AI options that “test in” with dwelling care recipients, analyze the shopper’s wants and assist them determine whether or not or to not schedule a caregiver go to.

“We’re now utilizing AI to develop personalised care plans,” Houghton mentioned. “It actually helps us concentrate on the person and their wants, fairly than only a generic care plan like most firms within the dwelling care house do.”

Residence care recipients in any respect phases of life can use Homewatch Join expertise for private care, transitional care and basic wellness care.

“We actually need that full continuum of care for somebody who wants it,” Houghton mentioned. “Homewatch Join will permit them to stay in their very own dwelling, the place almost 77% of individuals over 55 wish to spend their retirement.”

Houghton admits there’s a “worry of expertise” that the corporate is making an attempt to beat. It does this by instructing dwelling care recipients tips on how to use the expertise whereas additionally guaranteeing that, in contrast to their smartphone, the expertise is secure and safe.

The corporate quickly analyzes information from a choose group of dwelling care recipients utilizing Homewatch Join expertise. Houghton stories that the corporate has decreased hospital visits by 33% amongst these presently being monitored.

“That's clearly nice for the particular person receiving care,” Houghton mentioned. “It's additionally an excellent financial savings for the insurer and insurance coverage firms that we might help cut back these prices.”

Houghton sees healthcare prices as the following alternative for the house care business to handle. He believes Medicare Benefit (MA) needs to be expanded to supply extra assets for the getting older inhabitants. He plans to work with different leaders within the business to push for entry to extra cost sources.

“Proper now, a lot of the business is pushed by a private-pay side,” Houghton mentioned. “As an business, we’re actually making an attempt to get the information to have the ability to go to insurance coverage firms and assist them perceive the advantages of providing dwelling care as a part of an insurance coverage providing.”

Homewatch CareGivers’ business strides haven’t gone unnoticed. The corporate lately gained the Most Progressive Service Introduction Award for Homewatch Join and was named Operations and Know-how General Winner on the Worldwide Franchise Affiliation’s 2024 Franchise Buyer Expertise Convention.

Seeking to the longer term, Houghton says the corporate's expertise will proceed to evolve as Homewatch CareGivers stays dedicated to offering dwelling care recipients with a “safer, safer place” to age in.

“It’s at all times been my philosophy that our getting older inhabitants deserves to be the place they really feel most snug,” Houghton mentioned. “And that’s dwelling.”

This story was written by Elizabeth Gregerson, a freelancer for HHCN.