Starting your own non-medical home health care business – A complete guide

Non-medical home care is a great business opportunity for anyone who is caring, trustworthy, and empathetic. Over the next few years, the need for at-home care is predicted to rise dramatically. This is due to the aging population of Baby Boomers (who will all be aged 65 and over by the year 2030) and an overwhelming preference for elderly individuals to age in place, as opposed to moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility.

Find out how to get started in this rewarding and sustainable field in our blog below.

What is a home care agency?

A home care agency is any business that takes care of older adults, or people living with disabilites or special needs in a non-medical capacity. A home care aide, also known as a personal care aide, helps with practical tasks such as cleaning, preparing meals and personal hygiene.

Is home care aide a good career choice?

If you have an empathetic and patient nature and enjoy helping others, then becoming a home care aide could be a great career choice. Not only can this be very gratifying work, but this is one job market that will be growing exponentially in the next few years. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that this job sector will grow at around 22% over the next few years, which is much faster than average compared to other jobs. Your skills will likely be in high demand, providing you with a reliable stream of income.

Home health vs. home care services

Home health and home care services cater to different needs for older adults or people living with disabilities who wish to remain in their own homes rather than an assisted living facility or nursing home. The major difference here is the types of services provided to individuals.

Home health services involve medical care provided by licensed professionals such as nurses and therapists. These services include wound care, medication administration, and physical therapy, often prescribed by a doctor. On the other hand, home care services assist with daily living activities like personal hygiene, meal preparation, housekeeping, and companionship.

While they are both different types of home care services, both aim to support individuals in the comfort of their homes and enhance their quality of life.

Different home care business ideas

Need some home care business ideas? Wondering what options you have for your services? Here are a few examples of common home care agency businesses.

In-home care

This type of care usually involves helping an older adult with their day-to-day needs and providing companionship and care. This could include tasks such as helping them get groceries, driving them to doctor’s appointments, preparing meals for them and helping them with the housework. You may choose to offer in-home care to a number of different clients or to just focus on the needs of one or two primary clients.

24-hour home care

This usually involves at least two personal care aides who both work 12-hour shifts and look after the basic necessities of an older adult or person living with a disability. This 24-hour at-home care ensures that the client has all their needs met while enabling them to live in their own home.

Transportation services

Another home care business idea could see you specializing in providing transportation for older adults and people living with mobility impairments. This may require you to invest in a van or a large vehicle with support for wheelchair lifts, and other specialized equipment.

Specialized equipment supplies

You could also start a business that supplies equipment for older adults and people living with a disability. This could include items such as shower rails, walk-in showers, non-slip mats, stairlifts, and other such equipment. If you’re handy and love working on home improvement projects, this may be a viable business model for you.

Technical support and assistance

At the rate that technology advances, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest advancements in smartphones, computers and other gadgets – and older adults may need a little extra help with modern technology. If you’re a tech-savvy individual who is always up to date with the latest hardware and software, you could offer IT, tech support, and technical assistance to older folks.

Starting a non-medical home care agency

If you believe that starting a home care agency is the right decision for you, then here are five steps you can follow to help kickstart your business.

1. Business plan

Firstly, draft a detailed business plan outlining your services, target market, budget, and revenue projections. Having a comprehensive plan will enable you to later create an effective marketing strategy and forecast any staffing needs.

Your business plan should outline:

• The rate you’ll charge for your services
• Your target demographic
• Costs associated with licensing and certification
• Your monthly budget and break-even rate
• Your business objectives and goals
• Your corporate values
• Future expansion plans.

If you’ve never created a budget plan before, here is a list of starting points for your home care business. Your budget may vary depending on the services you’re offering. However, expect to budget for the following:

• A professional website
• The cost of incorporating your business
• Cost of software (billing, scheduling, marketing, communication, etc.)
• Marketing (flyers, posters, billboards, online advertisements, etc.)
• Licensing and certification materials and test costs
• Payroll (if you are hiring additional staff)
• Office equipment and supplies
• Office costs (not applicable if you are working out of your own home)
• Insurance (liability, automotive, etc.)
• Nursing supplies.

2. Market research and competition

Conduct extensive market research to identify the demand for non-medical home care services in your area. Analyze your competition by identifying their services, pricing, and market presence. This information helps you position your agency uniquely and set competitive pricing.

3. Licenses, permits, and certificates

Research and acquire all necessary licenses, permits, and certificates required by your state and local government. Keep in mind that different states and cities have different requirements for home care aides, so make sure you keep up to date with all regulations to ensure your business is operating within the law.

4. Insurance

By doing your research and obtaining the right insurance coverage, you can help to protect your business from potential lawsuits. Insurance can not only help to protect your business against claims, but will also provide your clients with peace of mind knowing that their health care aide is insured should the worst come to pass.

At a minimum, you may wish to consider Professional Liability insurance, which protects you from claims of malpractice, incompetence, or negligence. This is also known as “errors and omissions” insurance.

Depending on what you do, you may also want to think about General Liability insurance to protect you from claims involving third party bodily injuries and property damage resulting from from your product or operation.

BizInsure makes it easy to compare A+ rated insurers online. Find out more about insurance for home care providers and agencies and what kind of insurance you may wish to consider.

5. Caregiver training

Develop a caregiver training plan for yourself or (if you have a team of employees) your staff. Regular caregiver training updates help to keep health care aides informed on the newest techniques and best practices. This will help to ensure that your business is able to deliver high-quality care your clients can trust.

6. Marketing

As a home care aide, your marketing will most likely be aimed at three primary demographics:

• Older adults living in their own home.
• People living with a disability who are living in their own home.
• Adult children with parents who require additional at-home support.

Your marketing plan should focus primarily on these three market segments. One great place to start is by contacting doctors and asking for referrals, or if you can put literature or advertisements about your services in their offices.

Your home care marketing plan should also include:

• A modern website optimized for high search engine results.
• Blogging and content creation, to bring in more customers and to educate them on the topics relevant to your business.
• Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, or LinkedIn.

Thinking of starting your own home care business?

Working with older people and folks living with a disability can be a hugely rewarding career move with plenty of job satisfaction. While there will be challenges, just in all jobs, the right person will find home care a positive and gratifying experience.

If you’re thinking of starting your own home care agency, then don’t forget to look into the types of insurance you may need. BizInsure can help you find the right insurance to suit your needs. Jump online and compare quotes from A+ insurers in moments.