An aging population with more and more seniors choosing to grow old in their own home equals many opportunities for entrepreneurs. This means there are so many different senior service business choices with at least five of them being your best bet. Let me introduce you to the five best senior service businesses you can start up quickly and without a lot of upfront costs. My criteria also includes senior services business opportunities that require little or no formal training, can be run as either a part-time or full-time home-based business and actually fills a need in our senior population.
1 – Senior Transportation Service
This is a business opportunity where you would provide essentially a taxi service for seniors. The difference being that you would be a private contractor rather than a member of a driving fleet. Your tasks would vary from client to client but would include taking someone to meet appointments such as hairdresser, medical/dental appointments and social engagements. National rates are currently $35 to $60 per hour.
As you would be seeing many of the same customers over time you would build a relationship and be able to be more flexible on travel destinations. You may even be able to branch this service out to another popular choice which could be a senior errand service or maybe even senior home care where you would provide transportation to clients who require time away from their home setting.
The possibilities are virtually endless on what you can do with a senior transportation service. As long as you have access to a reliable vehicle and have room in that vehicle for your client, a wheelchair and for groceries or other shopping items, you will be able to turn this into a very successful career or part-time income earner.
2 – Senior Home Care Service
With seniors opting to live in their homes longer and the pressure being experienced on the health care system, providing a senior home care service is not only timely – it will fit a valuable need. Plus, as many seniors do not have family members nearby or those family members have busy lives, a home care service would be ideal.
The main purpose of this kind of business is to provide assistance in the home on chores and duties that would normally be taken care of by a live-in assistant. Examples would include insuring that meals are prepared, that those meals are nutritious and consumed, proper medications are taken when required and all personal hygiene routines are being followed.
The specifics will depend on the exact needs of each client but services such as this can be very profitable and still save families a great deal from extended care placement. Also, a senior home care service can be partnered with other senior service businesses aimed at an aging population such as a senior concierge service which increases the value of your service. National rates for home care average $26 per hour.
3 – Senior Concierge Service
The need for a senior concierge service comes from the volume of seniors who are staying in-home but experience reduced mobility as they get older. Several have either surrendered their driver’s licenses or have been pushed to do so by family members or law enforcement. While this prevents some incidents from happening, it also harms many seniors.
Without access to a vehicle, many seniors end up ‘trapped’ in their homes or neighborhoods and are restricted in the kinds of errands they can handle alone. A senior concierge service can fill the need by providing reliable and affordable means for seniors to make appointments, shop for items and even check their mail, pick up prescriptions or attend functions.
The senior concierge business will put you in the driver’s seat for the majority of these errands, where some of the tasks would also partner well with a senior transportation service. When you are able to bundle your services you are adding to the options available to your clients as well as the earning potential of your business opportunities. National rates average $30 per hour.
4 – Senior Move Manager
The value that comes from a senior move manager service is directly related to what you are able to provide the families of your clients. The decision to move from a large home to a shared living arrangement with other family members or into a senior’s complex is complicated. There’s a lot of downsizing required to begin with.
As a senior move manager your job is challenging and rewarding as you help with the downsizing, the hiring of the movers who pack and unpack belongings, arrange the repair or renovations to the existing or new home, connect with real estate agents and follow the process through to the sale of the home being moved out of.
All of these things are conducted by you as you would be the senior move manager – in other words – you are the move arranger. You are in charge of all the planning and organizing helping families in ways they can’t as you are not emotionally connected to the people or belongings, although you will likely make a number of new friends with this business. This can be a very profitable full or part-time business, as national rates are currently $52 per hour.
5 – Senior Home Safety Advisor
Another vitally important senior service that protects people and property is the senior home safety advisor. This is a position where you would provide inspections of both interiors and exteriors of homes occupied by seniors. As seniors are living in-home longer and have had their homes for several years, they need to be made as safe as possible.
In the case of the senior home safety advisor, safe means free from tripping and falling hazards. Seniors lose mobility, balance and vision as they age and a serious fall can lead to much more severe consequences. The interesting fact is that most – if not all – falls taken by seniors in and around their home that cause injuries are preventable.
The senior home safety advisor identifies potential hazards in and around the home and provides solutions through referrals or product recommendations. There are many different ways to prevent trips and falls that we take for granted until someone gets hurt. As a senior home safety advisor you will be able to put many minds at ease knowing dangerous situations have been removed. or corrected. Rates run from $60 to $200 per safety survey, or an average of $40 per hour.
That is my list of the five best senior service businesses you can start right now and turn into a profitable venture. Remember, as there are increasing numbers of seniors entering their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s there will be no shortage of potential customers to service. Also, they will gladly have someone else helping with chores or tasks they can no longer take on themselves due to mobility and health issues. You have chosen the perfect time to turn a desire to help others into a busy little business. To learn more about these fast-growing businesses, visit seniorservicebusiness.com