Care home related business idea

[Andrew[MG]]

I'm looking at a potential opportunity for my wife who is currently an A&E nurse and used to work in care homes, but grew up around the world in an oil family expat life and went to an expensive boarding school in the home counties.

I feel like there's an opportunity to help wealthy people who live abroad (or at the wrong side of the UK from their family) when their parents get older and need to move into a care home. Which ones are right for their needs, how to asses them, how to interview them when you are not there, how to liaise with the local authority for the bits they are involved with, what legal help do you need. There are a lot of questions and stress and ultimately you might want your family member to be looked after as well as possible through this process.

It's a very niche business, but I feel like her combination of skills and knowledge would allow her to really help people here, while also creating an income stream.

Has anyone on here engaged with such a service or felt like you needed one?

I realise that some of the big companies you find on Google will likely provide this service, but I'm not sure it'll be as personal from an employee of a large business.

[Mezger]

Andrew[MG] said:

I'm looking at a potential opportunity for my wife who is currently an A&E nurse and used to work in care homes, but grew up around the world in an oil family expat life and went to an expensive boarding school in the home counties.

I feel like there's an opportunity to help wealthy people who live abroad (or at the wrong side of the UK from their family) when their parents get older and need to move into a care home. Which ones are right for their needs, how to asses them, how to interview them when you are not there, how to liaise with the local authority for the bits they are involved with, what legal help do you need. There are a lot of questions and stress and ultimately you might want your family member to be looked after as well as possible through this process.

It's a very niche business, but I feel like her combination of skills and knowledge would allow her to really help people here, while also creating an income stream.

Has anyone on here engaged with such a service or felt like you needed one?

I realise that some of the big companies you find on Google will likely provide this service, but I'm not sure it'll be as personal from an employee of a large business.

A niche, but real service/need. I've been an expat for 11 years, I can see the value in this type of service.

[cliffords]

Some big care homes have the service to but at that point you have effectively chosen the care home .
I have been there with my mum who is now in care. I think it's an interesting idea .
Many care home admissions are from hospital. Hospital discharge into care or normally nursing home after hospital stay due to accident or falling over , or stroke etc. So timing is tight .

As an addition thought . My mum and I visited care and nursing homes about 1 year before she became a resident. It was quite painful but she had part of the choice in where she finally went in earlier this year .

I think you either have the emergency type admission from hospital or a run up type situation. In the second situation I can see the value .

[22s]

https://lottie.org/

Sounds similar to this?

[Tagteam]

The problem is people don’t generally plan care / it tends to be very last minute . I now need care for family members because of xxx. And then it’s trying to find a bed available . We get so many calls from people who are a bit shocked when you say we are full. They often think it’s like a hotel - and ask when are beds available .

[g35x]

These kinds of services exist today, for example in America there is a service called ‘’A Place For Mom”, you can see it on the internet. The key thing is the payment structure, the care homes pay the agency for the referral, not the family seeking the service.

[Hoofy]

It's a good idea if you can get the business (I see others have mentioned the service already exists). On the flip side, I worked for a short time in a care home and noticed that the manager was also a qualified nurse, and would go to hospitals to evaluate a patient if the hospital was considering moving them into a care home.

Maybe it's an idea for your wife to work for a business that already exists and see if she wants to eventually run her own business.

[QuartzDad]

Attended a presentation by the MD of this lot when my Mum moved into a new build care home earlier this year, seems to be exactly what you’re describing.

https://timefindersuk.com/

[Andrew[MG]]

Thanks everyone - good to know there's at least a kernel of an idea.

I knew there would be a few large websites offering some or all of this service, but I do think there will be a lot of this that's personal and therefore the right person might be able to succeed in winning business. Thankfully, Google isn't the only route to market.

There are of course a few ways to charge:

• commission from homes (not keen on this one)
• charge a per-hour rate
• create packages that will suit different customers

Lots to think about!

[Hoofy]

Andrew[MG] said:

Thanks everyone - good to know there's at least a kernel of an idea.

I knew there would be a few large websites offering some or all of this service, but I do think there will be a lot of this that's personal and therefore the right person might be able to succeed in winning business. Thankfully, Google isn't the only route to market.

There are of course a few ways to charge:

• commission from homes (not keen on this one)
• charge a per-hour rate
• create packages that will suit different customers

Lots to think about!

A commission basis would make a customer feel like they're not running up a bill by talking to you. If you can make it free of any pressure that would make a change from all the other sales people targeting old people. (See the comment about British Gas in today's boiler replacement thread.)

[Andrew[MG]]

The target customers are the children who are abroad or too busy due to other life commitments and can afford to pay to get the best care of their parents.

[Hoofy]

Andrew[MG] said:

The target customers are the children who are abroad or too busy due to other life commitments and can afford to pay to get the best care of their parents.

Ah right, I wonder if maybe a fixed fee would work better, then, rather than an hourly.

[Andrew[MG]]

Hoofy said:

Andrew[MG] said:

The target customers are the children who are abroad or too busy due to other life commitments and can afford to pay to get the best care of their parents.

Ah right, I wonder if maybe a fixed fee would work better, then, rather than an hourly.

I think you are right + it gives a bit more clarity on what you'll actually pay.

[Hoofy]

Andrew[MG] said:

Hoofy said:

Andrew[MG] said:

The target customers are the children who are abroad or too busy due to other life commitments and can afford to pay to get the best care of their parents.

Ah right, I wonder if maybe a fixed fee would work better, then, rather than an hourly.

I think you are right + it gives a bit more clarity on what you'll actually pay.

Your wife needs to think about what they'll get for the money, so even if they're paying £500 or £2000, it feels like value for money.

Happy to have a chat with you both about the general approach/pricing strategy. It's something I've helped business owners with who also offer premium services (rather than selling products, premium or otherwise).

[cliffords]

Knowledge of care homes only comes from experience of them, and the local area. Knowing the local authorities, having experience of the area and evidence of how they work.

If your in Hull (an example) and I am in HK but my mum who needs help lives in Surrey, how will you be able to help me .

[Herbs]

Interesting concept.

We operate a care home finder service for UK based people, but we don't have a service for the expat community.

May be worth a chat to see if a symbiotic relationship could be a mutually beneficial.