An aging population was cited as the reason that “health care was the largest contributor to employment growth in the past two years”—surpassing manufacturing jobs, according to a recent Bloomberg report.
Senior home care and elder caregivers such as home health aides and Certified Nursing Aides certainly make up a bulk of those burgeoning jobs, but there are many services that would benefit the senior citizen community. For those who are especially entrepreneurial and motivated, many of these services can be established as home-based businesses.
Dual-income households are increasing, so many services for an older population will continue to be outsourced. The aging populace will provide great small business opportunities.
Consierge Services can be bundled into the category of Assisting with Daily Needs:
Personal chef services. Prepare and deliver healthy meals. You can arrange to cook onsite or off. With training, you could learn to customize menus based on personal dietary needs.
Transporation. Drive clients to and from appointments.
Pet services. Help care for a senior’s beloved companion. Groom, transport, exercise or pet-sit.
Money management. Assist with the day-to-day tasks of paying bills, balancing checkbooks, filing medical claims and reconciling bank and credit card statements.
Special Services are not needed every day, but still provide much-needed assistance:
Downsizing and relocation services. These include but are not limited to packing and unpacking, setting up a new living space and, according to the National Association of Senior Move Managers, “to facilitate the physical and emotional aspects of relocation for older adults.”
Personal Trainer. The baby-boomer generation knows that the key to longevity is in part fitness. As a personal trainer, you can visit a client’s home, bypassing the need for any kind of studio. The National Federation of Professional Trainers is a good place to start to get information on certification. By that same token, massage therapy and yoga targeted especially to seniors are growing services.
In-Home Caregiver. As always, Caregiverlist is here to help you on your way to a rewarding career in home health care. Find answers to your home care questions in our Career Center.
Successful home-based businesses are built on passion and if your passion is helping a growing senior population, your choices are expanding. The Administration on Aging’s statistics show that the +65 segment of society is growing and this makes it an important future consumer sector.
