As part of Aurora’s portfolio, Senior Helpers senior care franchise is poised to enhance its suite of services
Advocate Aurora Enterprises has acquired the home-care company Senior Helpers, which has more than 320 franchise and corporate locations in 44 states, plus sites in Canada and Australia. Senior Helpers employs 15,000-plus caregivers who provide in-home non-medical and wellness services to clients.
Advocate Aurora Enterprises – the recently-created subsidiary of Midwest-based, not-for-profit Advocate Aurora Health system – aims to invest in businesses that enable people to upgrade their health outside medical facilities. Areas of primary focus are independent aging, parenthood and personal performance.
Founded in 2002, Senior Helpers’ services dovetail with those goals, offering in-home elder care such as meal planning, grocery shopping, medication reminders, transportation, companionship, assistance with personal hygiene and more. Senior Helpers assists patients with chronic neurological disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and cares for people with other chronic conditions, like arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis. The company’s caregivers help clients retain their independence, stay in their homes, and delay or avoid moving into nursing homes. Senior Helpers also provides respite care so that primary caregivers can take a break from their responsibilities.
“The need for high-quality, in-home senior care has never been greater,” Senior Helpers CEO and co-founder Peter Ross said in response to the acquisition. (The U.S. Census Bureau confirms his assertion: By 2030, one of every five U.S. citizens will have reached retirement age, according to agency figures.) “We see all sorts of opportunities to enhance our suite of senior services as part of Advocate Aurora Enterprises’ portfolio,” he adds, “because we share many of the same core values.”
A commitment to senior care
Advocate Aurora Enterprises President Scott Powder praised Senior Helpers’ “proven commitment to delivering compassionate care. One of our top priorities is to invest in companies that help people age well, and Senior Helpers fits that strategy perfectly.”
Jim Skogsbergh, president and CEO of Advocate Aurora Health, affirms that “the ultimate goal is to give people more healthy days within the comfort of their homes doing the activities they enjoy. This aligns with our purpose of helping people live well.”
The leadership team of Senior Helpers will continue in current roles. The franchisor’s VP of Franchise Development, Rob Cantrell, is excited for the possibilities. “Advocate Aurora is one of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S. and the synergy opportunities are endless. We now will have access into a clinical network and a strategic partner that is poised for growth,“ he said.
Advocate Aurora Enterprises is a subsidiary of Advocate Aurora Health, whose three focus areas are: 1) aging independently, enabling aging seniors to thrive safely and comfortably in their homes; 2) parenthood, helping people raise healthy and happy kids while reducing their stress and increasing their confidence; and 3) personal performance, assisting people in reaching their mind, body and nutrition goals.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.