A Caring Corporate Culture and a Growing Industry Attracted Franchisee Robert Ybarra to the Senior Care Franchise
Robert Ybarra says he and other AmeriCARE franchisees — multi-generational men and women from wide-ranging work and educational backgrounds — share one crucial trait: heart. “The common theme from owners to the franchisor team and to our owner and CEO Richard Houden is heart. This business is all about heart,” Ybarra says. AmeriCARE, which offers an array of nonmedical services, has a client base as varied as its franchisees. “There’s a diverse mix of clients from all ethnicities and backgrounds.”
Although Atlanta-based AmeriCARE Corp. provides a sweeping spectrum of services including shopping and errands and post-surgery care, one key focus has been assisting seniors. And the United States clearly has a booming senior care market. There are more than 70 million baby boomers (people born from 1946 to 1964). The Pew Research Center says that in 2022, the market for senior care was valued at $872.1 billion. It’s projected to grow at a rate of 8.2% per year, and by 2032, it’s expected to reach $1.9 trillion.
AmeriCARE’s financial opportunities are important, but Ybarra says it was the company’s compassionate culture that convinced him to invest. “I was impressed with the validation interviews I was on with other franchise owners. The heart is there. They are not just in it for the numbers.”
Ybarra, whose career includes a stint in the military and an engineering/industrial background, says, “I had wanted to get out on my own but hadn’t found the right opportunity. With AmeriCARE, everything seemed to fall in line. I wanted to help others. It was a great fit. I saw my own family go through stress from caregivers and care that didn’t go well, and that always stuck in the back of my mind. Could I do better and make a difference?”
Running the Business
In September 2022, Ybarra opened his AmeriCARE franchise, located in the Weatherford, Texas, area right outside Fort Worth. He has five people on his administrative team and 50-plus caregivers. “The biggest challenge has been recruiting good caregivers. Finding bodies is easy, but we want the ones who are in it for the right reasons. I am constantly hiring and interviewing. Finding quality caregivers with heart and in it for the right reasons is an everyday search. Some clients are 24/7, and someone always needs support.”
Learning a new industry has kept Ybarra on his toes, too. He logs some long workdays, and his work-life balance tilts toward work right now, he admits. “I thank my Lord every day for the opportunity and for getting me through the tough days. Plus, I have a loving, supportive wife who understands that the long hours are a short-term sacrifice. I am blessed to have a hardworking, dedicated staff with giant hearts who go the extra mile for our clients,” Ybarra says. “I hope to double my total number of clients and billable hours by early 2025.”
His day-to-day activities include engaging with families during assessment, scheduling, familiarizing himself with all clients and their needs, supporting his caregivers, and generally ensuring the business runs smoothly. Ybarra also spends significant time “creating relationships with facilities and senior centers as well as being involved in the community.”
Rewarding Work
The upside for the busy business owner is providing a valued, vital service to his community. “Families appreciate and thank me,” he says. “It’s very rewarding.”
For more information about the AmeriCARE franchise, visit https://americareinfo.com/franchise-opportunities/.
AmeriCARE Services
AmeriCARE franchises and caregivers follow individualized plans to help senior citizens, new moms, people recovering from surgery and injuries, patients with chronic medical conditions, and others. Services include:
- Meal and hygiene assistance
- Running errands such as picking up medication, groceries, mail and laundry
- Transportation
- Housekeeping tasks
- Companionship, including staying with a patient in his or her hospital room and assisting as needed
- Injury prevention
- Respite care, when the primary caregiver such as a client’s spouse or adult child needs a break
- Pet care
