Year Business Began: 2002
Franchising Since: 2004
Headquarters: Towson, Maryland
Estimated Number of Units: 345
Franchise Description: SH Franchising, LLC is the franchisor. Franchisees operate in-home care agencies that provide various in-home non-medical care and personal assistance services, primarily for elderly individuals, including care and companionship services, bathing, dressing, grooming, and personal hygiene assistance, light housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, running errands, transportation, medication reminders, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
Training Overview: The franchisor will conduct an initial training program for franchisees (or, if they are an entity, their operating principal), and their initial key manager, which will address the material aspects of operating a Senior Helpers Home Care business. Training for franchisees and/or their manager may be conducted at the franchisor’s discretion within six months before opening the franchised business. The franchisor will provide the initial training program at its headquarters or at a designated training facility of its choice. All management personnel, including operating principal and key manager(s), and any other personnel that the franchisor designates, must receive its certification, before managing the franchised business or training other personnel. If franchisees request, and the franchisor agrees to provide, additional or special guidance, assistance, or training during this opening phase, they must pay the then applicable charges, including the franchisor’s personnel’s per diem charges and travel and living expenses. Franchisees (or their operating principal), and/or other previously trained and experienced key managers and employees, must attend and complete satisfactorily various training courses that the franchisor periodically chooses to provide at the times and locations that it designates, as well as periodic conventions, regional meetings, and conferences that it specifies. The franchisor requires at least one person from the franchised business which may be the franchisee (or operating principal), the key manager, and/or other previously trained and experienced managers and employees to attend and complete Senior Gems training within six months of the opening date.
Territory Granted: Before franchisees sign the Franchise Agreement, the franchisor will designate a territory and describe it in the Franchise Agreement. The territory will also be drawn on a map and the map will be attached to the Franchise Agreement. The territory will be defined by zip codes and will be included as part of the Franchise Agreement before franchisees sign the Franchise Agreement. However, the franchisor reserves the right to define the territory by other boundaries (e.g., natural boundaries). The franchisor will determine the territory on a case-by-case basis based on economic, demographic and geographic information, including number of residents who are 75 years and older. Except for the “Rights [the Franchisor] Reserves Under the Franchise Agreement,” neither the franchisor nor its affiliates will operate or grant a franchise for the operation of another Senior Helpers Home Care business or a similar home care business that operates under a different mark or trade name that has its principal office at a location within the territory, or that is granted a territory, or territorial rights similar to those under the Franchise Agreement in the territory, during the term of the Franchise Agreement.
Obligations and Restrictions: Franchisees or their operating principal must manage and provide general oversight of the franchised business on a full-time basis. The key manager will be charged with responsibility for direct supervision of the franchised business. Franchisees must keep the franchisor informed at all times of the identity of any supervisory employee(s) or acting key managers. The key manager must devote full time and efforts to the management and supervision of the franchised business. All management personnel and other personnel working at the franchised business must satisfactorily complete all state and local government required training and must meet all required licensing requirements. Franchisees must provide all client care, companion services and personal assistance services, and other services and products that the franchisor specifies from time to time. Franchisees must offer and sell approved services and products only in the manner the franchisor has required. Franchisees must not offer for sale or sell at or from the franchised business, a client’s home, or any other location any services or products the franchisor has not approved.
Term of Agreement and Renewal: The length of the initial franchise term is 10 years from the opening date of the franchised business. Four additional five-year successor terms are available, if requirements are met.
Financial Assistance: The franchisor may offer and provide financing of the initial franchise fee to certain exceptionally performing franchisees for the purchase of an additional franchised business. Other than the financing described, the franchisor does not offer direct or indirect financing. The franchisor does not guarantee a franchisee’s note, lease or obligation.
| Name of Fee | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $55,000 | $55,000 |
| Travel and Living Expenses while Training | $1,500 | $3,000 |
| Lease, Utility and Security Deposits | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $2,500 | $6,500 |
| Promotional Items | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Additional Staffing | $22,000 | $25,000 |
| Furniture & Fixtures and Equipment (including Computer System) | $5,000 | $7,000 |
| Supplies | $700 | $1,500 |
| Initial Advertising | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Business License & Permits | $0 | $12,500 |
| Legal/ Professional Fees | $100 | $1,300 |
| Insurance | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Recruitment | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $26,500 | $37,000 |
| ESTIMATED TOTAL | $125,800 | $169,800 |
| Type of Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | During the first year of operation, 5% of the gross sales from the preceding two-week period. Thereafter, the greater of 5% of the gross sales from the preceding two-week period, or the minimum periodic royalty payment. |
| Marketing Fund | An amount up to 2% of the gross sales. Currently the greater of 1% of gross sales or $75 per billing period per territory. |
| Brand Management Fee | Currently $150 per two-week period per territory, but the franchisor may increase upon 30 days advance written notice. |
| On-Going Training | Reasonable registration or similar fees. Currently, the attendance fee for the national conference is approximately $699 per attendee. There is currently no fee charged by the franchisor for the Senior Gems training. |
| Transfer Fee | 50% of the then-current initial franchise fee or such greater amount as is required to reimburse the franchisor for reasonable expenses associated with reviewing the transfer. |
| Offering Fee | $7,500 or such greater amount as is necessary to cover the franchisor’s costs and expenses for reviewing the proposed offering. |
| Interest on Overdue Amounts | 1.5% per month or the highest commercial contract interest rate that the law allows on amounts owed to the franchisor. |
| Cross-Territorial Policy Payment | Varies. |
| Audit Costs | Costs of the examination. |
| Indemnification | Varies. |
| Costs and Attorneys' Fees | Varies. |
| Insurance Costs | Varies. |
| IT Fee | Currently $275 per month, but the franchisor may increase or decrease upon 30 days advance written notice. |
| LIFE Profile License Fee and Initial Training Fee | Currently $350 per month. |
The above information has been compiled from the FDD of Senior Helpers. Year of FDD: 2022.
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