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The Company
A series of personal tragedies led Joel Markel to try to find a way to provide the highest degree of care and service to other families…
Between 1989 and 1990, my family experienced a desperate need for home health care. With my recently widowed sister suddenly diagnosed with terminal cancer at age 39, my wife and I took her and her two sons into our home. At about the same time, our own son, Ryan, was born with serious health problems. Through this heart-wrenching time, we were constantly looking for consistent home health care for both my sister and our son. We found it difficult to find qualified and committed caregivers who could tend to our family’s needs.
Our personal story did not have a happy ending; my sister and son passed away within months of each other. But it was this experience that made me realize the importance of obtaining quality home health care.
In 1993, I put my other business interests aside and focused my energy on a home health care agency that provided both skilled and unskilled care in my home state of
In over 20 years of operation, we have formed long-standing relationships with families, hospitals, and nursing homes in the region. We are accredited by our local County Health Assistance Program (CHAP), and are proud members of the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) and the International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP). Each year, Preferred Healthmate, Inc. cares for several hundred clients and continues to grow due to our philosophy and our carefully screened, compassionate caregivers.
Now, the Home Health Mates franchise program, based on the foundation laid by Preferred Healthmate, Inc., offers an independent business ownership opportunity supported by our years of experience. But perhaps more importantly, the program gives people a chance to provide greatly needed care to families in their communities.
Following is additional information on the company:
- Jonathan Herman, the Chief Executive Officer of Home Health Mates, is one of Joel Markel’s nephews referenced in his story. In addition, at age 23, Jonathan was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, which was caught and treated at an early stage. Jonathan’s personal and family history of health issues has led to his strong and passionate interest in health care.
- The company has an Advisory Board that includes a General Counsel, a CPA, an RN and an MD.
The Industry
As the
In the years ahead, the projected number of seniors in the
Projected Senior Population Growth in the
In fact, population projections indicate that by 2025, there will be an estimated 61.9 million seniors who are 65+. 2
In addition, more and more people will suffer from debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
• Alzheimer’s Disease – Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia among people 65+ 3, and 50% of people 85+ are thought to have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia 4. An estimated 10 percent of Americans over the age of 65 will be affected with Alzheimer’s 5, and by 2010, there will be more than 400,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosed each year 6.
• Parkinson’s Disease – In the United States, 3% of people aged 60+ are diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease7. It is estimated that 60,000 new cases of the disease are diagnosed each year, joining the 1.5 million Americans who currently have Parkinson’s 8.
Therefore, there will be a growing demand for home health care services. Currently, more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled, or elderly family member or friend during any given year 9. They will undoubtedly require help and/or seek respite from their responsibilities. Furthermore, 82% of surveyed Americans age 45 and over indicate they would prefer to stay in their own homes instead of moving to a relative’s house or care facility should the need for care arise 10. It is clear, then, that home health care needs can only be expected to increase.
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1 U.S. Census Bureau, March 18, 2004; 2 SeniorJournal.com; 3 National Institute of Aging; 4 American Association of Geriatric Society; 5 Alzforum.org; 6 National Institute of Aging; 7 The Cleveland Clinic Neuroscience Center; 8 National Parkinson Foundation, www.parkinson.org; 9 “Informal Caregiving: Compassion in Action,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
1998, and National Family Caregivers Association, Random Sample Survey of Family Caregivers, Summer 2000.; 10 “Fixing to Stay: A National Survey on Housing and Home Modification Issues,” AARP Research Report, Ada-Helen Bayer & Leon Harper, May 2000.
Topics Jonathan can speak on:
- How to become a franchisor
- Running a company in your 30s
- How to set up an Advisory Board that will help you grow your business
- Ways to create a healthy work environment
