Home Instead

Home Instead is the world's largest franchise network focused on in home senior care. Its services include companion care, personal care, Alzheimer's and dementia care, and other aging in place services. More than 1,200 independently owned and operated offices serve clients across 13 countries. Paul and Lori Hogan founded the company in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1994 after helping Paul's grandmother, Eleanor Manhart, remain at home. Today, more than 100,000 Care Professionals provide over 60 million hours of care each year. Honor Technology acquired Home Instead in August 2021, creating a combined $2.1 billion home care services company.

Eleanor Manhart was approaching 90 when the Hogan family promised she would not enter a care home. Paul and Lori built a professional service intended to offer the attention and respect of family care. Eleanor helped shape hiring practices by observing which prospective caregivers noticed her and greeted her warmly. This approach became the Eleanor Test. She lived past 100. Paul also brought nine years of franchising experience from Merry Maids and applied it to building a home care model that could expand across communities.

Home Instead began franchising in June 1995. By 1998, it had 99 offices and appeared among Entrepreneur magazine's 100 fastest growing franchise companies in America. International growth began in 2000 through a partner relationship with Duskin Corporation in Osaka, Japan. The company opened its 1,000th franchise location and entered China in 2013. It also established master franchise operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Austria, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Paul Hogan received the International Franchise Association Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007. In 2008, Home Instead created the Home Instead Center for Successful Aging with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The brand dropped Senior Care from its name in February 2021.

Honor Technology, founded in San Francisco in 2014, developed a machine learning technology platform for home care operations and was backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Prosus Ventures, and Thrive Capital. It had raised $255 million in venture funding before acquiring Home Instead. The transaction created a $2.1 billion company in the projected $500 billion home care industry. Honor supplied technology for scheduling, billing, care matching, and operational analytics, while Home Instead contributed 27 years of franchise operations, caregiver training, and brand trust. In October 2021, Honor raised $70 million in Series E funding and $300 million in debt financing. The combined company was valued at over $1.25 billion. Marc Andreessen said the transaction would move senior care from analog to digital.

Home Instead has approximately 1,200 franchise offices worldwide, including roughly 613 franchised locations and 3 company owned locations in the United States. The network covers 13 countries. More than 240 franchise territories operated in the United Kingdom as of 2025, while Germany had over 110 franchises. Operations are also growing in Japan, Australia, and other international markets. In 2024, more than 100,000 Care Professionals delivered over 60 million hours of care to hundreds of thousands of families. Home Instead ranked 43 on the Franchise Times Top 400 with 1,225 units and ranked 153 in the 2025 Entrepreneur Franchise 500.

The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document lists a total initial investment of $91,040 to $269,750. The initial franchise fee is $54,000, with a 20 percent discount for honorably discharged military veterans. Royalties range from 7 percent to 4 percent as revenue increases.

Home Instead provides non medical in home care for the physical, emotional, and social needs of older adults. Companion care includes conversation, recreation, walks, and social engagement. Personal care covers bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, and mobility support. Its Alzheimer's and dementia services use a Person Centered Care Training program recognized by the Alzheimer's Association for incorporating evidence based Dementia Care Practice Recommendations. Gerontologist Lakelyn Hogan Eichenberger leads this work. Other services include meal preparation, nutrition planning, light housekeeping, transportation, medication reminders, 24 hour home care, hospital to home transition support, chronic condition management for heart disease, stroke, Parkinson's, cancer, and diabetes, respite care, veterans care, and hospice support coordination.

About 11,200 Americans turn 65 each day through 2027. In 2024, a record 4.1 million Americans reached age 65, with 4.18 million expected in 2026. The first Baby Boomers turned 80 in 2026, beginning a period expected to bring the highest acuity and greatest care needs over the next 15 years. About 90 percent of seniors want to age in place, and 93 percent of adults 65 and older have at least one chronic condition. The United States senior living market is valued at $943.9 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $1.33 trillion by 2033. The home care segment is projected to reach $176.3 billion by 2032.

The Honor Care Platform uses 22 AI algorithms across the franchise network. Its care matching system considers Care Professional preferences and client needs, while a mobile app lets caregivers select clients based on placement length and care requirements. Real time performance feedback, Salesforce integrated dashboards, and centralized billing, scheduling, and staffing support help owners focus on client relationships and business growth. The Honor Expert tool gives older adults and families support with aging and health decisions and provides another point for lead generation and client engagement.

New owners complete a week long initial training program at global headquarters in Omaha, taught by industry experts. They receive support from a dedicated business advisory team and access to web based training for owners, staff, and Care Professionals. Caregivers complete onboarding before serving clients. Eight online modules powered by Relias cover caregiving values, personal care skills, Alzheimer's disease, caregiver responsibilities, nutrition, and diseases common in older adults. In person training with a registered nurse takes place in a fully equipped training center. Home Instead invests over $1,000 in paid training time per caregiver, and graduates earn certification as Personal Care Homemakers. Monthly webinars led by Lakelyn Hogan Eichenberger provide Continuing Education credits.

Franchisee satisfaction scores exceed 85 percent. The company has received recognition as a Fast Company Brand That Matter and operates with the support of Honor Technology's $1.25 billion platform. PeerSense is not a lender.