Is Senior Helpers right for you?
Established Scale
346 franchised locations reported 2025 performance, providing a mature peer group for benchmarking.
Recurring Revenue
Care services generate repeat billings from private-pay, long-term care insurance, and select payer sources.
Demographic Tailwind
Aging population drives sustained demand for non-medical home care across most U.S. markets.
About Senior Helpers
Senior Helpers is a national franchisor of non-medical in-home care agencies founded in 2005 and headquartered in Towson, Maryland. The company provides franchisees with a system to deliver companionship, personal care assistance, dementia care, respite, and related services primarily to seniors. Senior Support Holdings (Franchise) Acquisition, Inc., backed by Waud Capital Partners, owns the franchisor following the 2024 transaction.
Franchisees operate local agencies that recruit, train, and deploy caregivers to deliver non-clinical home care. Services include assistance with activities of daily living, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, transportation, medication reminders, and specialized Alzheimer's and dementia support. The model emphasizes caregiver retention, structured client assessments via the proprietary LIFE Profile tool, and relationships with referral sources such as hospitals, physicians, and discharge planners.
Senior Support Holdings (Franchise) Acquisition, Inc. is a Delaware corporation that is 100% owned by Senior Support Holdings, L.P. Senior Support is owned by a group of investors and an investment fund managed by Waud Capital Partners. It acquired 100% of the equity of SHF Acquisition (immediate parent of the franchisor) on March 20, 2024 in the Waud Capital Transaction.
The business model
How a Senior Helpers territory actually makes money at the unit level.
Initial Franchise Fee
Franchisees pay $55,000 for a standard territory of 25,000-35,000 seniors age 65 and older. Fee increases by $10,000-$20,000 for larger senior populations up to 50,000. Veterans receive a 15 percent discount.
Ongoing Fees
Royalty is 5 percent of gross sales after the first six months (2.5 percent during the initial six months). Marketing fund contribution is currently 1.5 percent of the first $2 million in gross sales and 0.75 percent thereafter, subject to a $75 bi-weekly minimum. Monthly technology fee ranges from $465 to $535 depending on employee count.
Investment Range
Estimated initial investment for a new franchise ranges from $176,500 to $231,500. This includes the franchise fee, lease deposits, leasehold improvements, vehicles, equipment, insurance, recruitment, initial marketing, and three months of working capital.
Revenue Performance
In 2025, 346 franchised businesses operating at least twelve months produced average annual gross revenue of $1,839,518. Thirty-six percent of locations exceeded the cohort average.
Territory Structure
Franchisees receive a non-exclusive territory defined primarily by zip codes. The franchisor will not open or franchise another Senior Helpers office within the territory provided the franchisee remains in compliance.
Caregiver-Centric Operations
Success depends on local recruitment, training, and retention of caregivers. The model supplies tools for screening, orientation, scheduling, and retention but requires franchisees to manage payroll, insurance, and compliance.
Quick facts
Initial franchise fee
$55,000
Total investment range
$176,500 to $231,500
Royalty
5.00% of gross revenue
Marketing fund
2.00% of gross revenue
Founded
2005
Headquarters
Towson, MD
Active US franchisees
106
Total US units
110
Training & support
What the franchisor + parent platform provide. And what they don't.
What's provided
- +43 hours of initial classroom training delivered remotely and at the Towson, Maryland headquarters covering pre- and post-opening procedures, sales, marketing, accounting, caregiver recruitment and retention, LIFE Profile assessment, referral source strategies, care plan development, and objection handling.
- +Training for the Operating Principal and initial Key Manager.
- +Access to proprietary LIFE Profile assessment tool, Hireology, Relias, and the Learning Management System.
- +Local marketing plan development support and initial marketing kit.
- +Up to two days of on-site operations support within the first six months of opening.
- +Ongoing operational, marketing, and administrative guidance via reports, observations, and the Operations Manual.
Honest disclosure: what's NOT provided
The franchisor does not provide state or local government-required training and licensing, technical clinical caregiver training, or equipment delivery and installation. Franchisees and their personnel must obtain these independently.
Multi-unit growth path
The the filed disclosures does not disclose a formal multi-unit development schedule. Experienced operators may add territories after demonstrating compliance and performance in their initial unit. Larger senior-population territories and adjacent zip-code areas are available subject to franchisor approval. Multi-unit ownership requires scaled infrastructure for recruitment, scheduling, and administrative oversight across locations.
Capital + financing paths
Most operators use one of these four paths to fund the initial investment.
SBA 7(a) Loans
Many Senior Helpers franchisees utilize SBA-guaranteed loans to finance a significant portion of the initial investment. The business qualifies under standard SBA franchise eligibility criteria.
Veterans Advantage
Qualified veterans receive a 15 percent discount on the initial franchise fee. Additional veteran-specific financing programs may be available through SBA or third-party lenders.
Equipment & Vehicle Leasing
Vehicles, furniture, fixtures, and certain equipment can often be leased, reducing upfront cash requirements.
Traditional Bank & Alternative Lenders
Franchisees with strong personal credit and liquidity may secure conventional commercial loans or lines of credit. Franchisor does not offer direct financing.
Process timeline: inquiry → grand opening
Typical 12-16 week path from first call to launching your first customer route.
Discovery & Validation
Review the filed disclosures, speak with franchisor leadership, conduct territory research, and validate local market opportunity.
Franchise Agreement Signing
Pay initial franchise fee of $55,000 (or adjusted amount) and execute the Franchise Agreement.
Pre-Opening Training (Weeks 1-6)
Complete 43 hours of remote and in-person training on sales, marketing, operations, caregiver recruitment, LIFE Profile, and administrative systems.
Site Setup & Launch Preparation (Weeks 7-16)
Secure office lease, complete leasehold improvements, purchase equipment and vehicles, obtain licenses and insurance, recruit initial caregivers, and build local marketing plan.
Grand Opening (Week 17-24)
Launch operations, begin client assessments and caregiver placements, receive up to two days of on-site support.
Stabilization (Months 4-12)
Focus on caregiver retention, referral source development, revenue ramp, and compliance with brand standards.
Ongoing Optimization
Attend annual national conference, utilize continuing support, and evaluate multi-unit expansion.
Match assessment
Are you a Senior Helpers match?
12 questions. Math-first. No high-pressure sales call afterwards. Just your match assessment and the reasoning behind it.
Start nowCommon questions
How much does a Senior Helpers franchise cost?
Estimated initial investment ranges from $176,500 to $231,500 for a standard territory, including a $55,000 franchise fee. Larger territories incur a higher franchise fee up to $75,000.
What is the average revenue of a Senior Helpers franchise?
In 2025, 346 franchised businesses operating at least twelve months reported average annual gross revenue of $1,839,518. Individual results vary and there is no assurance a new franchisee will achieve this level.
Does Senior Helpers provide financial performance representations?
Yes. the financial-performance disclosure of the the filed disclosures contains historical 2025 gross revenue data for 346 franchised locations broken into cohorts by years of operation, plus a combined P&L for two company-owned locations.
What are the ongoing royalty and marketing fees for Senior Helpers?
Royalty is 5 percent of gross sales (2.5 percent for the first six months). Marketing fund contribution is currently 1.5 percent of the first $2 million in gross sales and 0.75 percent thereafter, subject to a minimum.
How long does it take to open a Senior Helpers franchise?
Most franchisees complete training, secure an office, hire caregivers, and open within four to six months of signing the Franchise Agreement.
Is Senior Helpers a good franchise for multi-unit operators?
Multi-unit ownership is possible after successful operation of an initial unit. It requires additional capital and operational infrastructure to manage multiple territories and caregiver workforces.
What training and support does Senior Helpers provide?
Franchisees receive 43 hours of initial training plus ongoing operational support, access to proprietary tools, marketing assistance, and up to two days of on-site opening support. Clinical caregiver training and state licensing are the franchisee's responsibility.
How does Senior Helpers compare to Home Instead or Visiting Angels?
Senior Helpers emphasizes non-medical care with a proprietary LIFE Profile assessment tool and strong dementia care positioning. Investment, fee structure, and revenue outcomes differ; prospective franchisees should compare current FDDs of each brand.
Are Senior Helpers territories exclusive?
Franchisees receive a non-exclusive territory defined by zip codes. The franchisor will not open or franchise another Senior Helpers office with a principal location inside the territory if the franchisee remains compliant.
Does Senior Helpers offer veteran discounts?
Yes. Qualified veterans receive a 15 percent discount on the initial franchise fee.
What working capital is required for a Senior Helpers franchise?
The investment estimate includes $36,200 to $39,800 in working capital to cover three months of initial operating expenses.
What are typical Senior Helpers franchisee reviews?
Prospective buyers should speak directly with current and former franchisees listed in the the filed disclosures. Performance varies by market, operator experience, and execution of caregiver recruitment and sales processes.
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