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Comfort Keepers Company Fact Sheet
CK Franchising, Inc.
6640 Poe Ave.
Dayton, OH 45414
800-387-2415
www.comfortkeepers.com
Key Personnel:
Jim Booth - President, CEO CK Franchising, Inc.
Tim Purcey - Chief Operating Officer
David Simic - Vice President, Business Development
Lisa Ripley - Vice President, Strategic Relations
Mary Bowman - Executive Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Jim Brown - Vice President, Franchise Development
Thierry Deleger – Vice President, Finance
Concept:
Comfort Keepers is an international franchise concept that provides, in-home care on an hourly, daily, weekly, or live-in basis for seniors, new mothers or other adults needing assistance with activities of daily living. Services are tailored to the individual needs of each client, and in the case of seniors, allow the seniors to continue living safely and in the privacy of their own home. Care includes companionship, meal preparation, light housekeeping, grocery shopping, transportation for errands and appointments, laundry, recreational activities and more.
Many Comfort Keepers franchisees can also provide personal care services including bathing, transferring and positioning, toileting and incontinence care, oral hygiene, dementia care and many other services. Services may vary by state and location.
Market Position:
The Comfort Keepers system ranks among the top three franchised providers of in-home care in a market with tremendous growth potential. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans turning 65 is expected to nearly double to 70 million in the next two decades. Research has also found that nearly one out of every four U.S. households provides care to a relative or friend aged 50 or older.
However, many adult children do not live near their aging parents and the difficulties associated with long-distance caregiving present an unprecedented need for senior care services. National studies have consistently shown that seniors prefer to remain in the privacy and comfort of their own homes rather than prematurely move to a nursing home or assisted living center. What makes Comfort Keepers different is its method of care: Every Comfort Keeper® (what the company calls its caregivers) is background checked, bonded, insured, and covered by Workers' Compensation insurance and is trained to provide capable, compassionate and Interactive Caregiving™ – the latter of which keeps seniors mentally, physically, emotionally and socially engaged and helps them to enjoy a higher quality of life, retain better cognitive function, stay healthier and live independently longer. The company also offers SafetyChoice®, a personal emergency response system that connects the senior with a live professional until the situation is resolved, to give family members added assurance their aging loved one is being watched over 24 hours a day.
History:
The Comfort Keepers concept was conceived in 1997, when Kris Clum, a registered nurse in home healthcare, repeatedly saw her older patients prematurely moved into a nursing home because they needed a little extra help or their children lived out of state. All the seniors really needed was someone to run errands, take them to doctors’ appointments, do grocery shopping or help with light housecleaning. Kris and her entrepreneurial husband, Jerry Clum, Jr., opened the first Comfort Keepers office in Springfield, Ohio, in 1998. CK Franchising, Inc. (“CKFI”) was incorporated in February 1999 and granted its first franchise that same year. In August of 2009, CK Franchising, Inc. was purchased by Sodexo, one of the world’s leading food and facilities management services companies and the global leader in the health care and seniors markets.
Growth Projections:
Comfort Keepers has more than 675 franchised locations in 47 states, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Singapore and Portugal. Projections call for 700 locations worldwide by the end of 2011. Comfort Keepers is already in over 560 U.S. markets and is targeting nearly 140 new markets including Miami/Dade County, San Francisco, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Portland, Oregon.
Franchise Facts:
The estimated initial investment for a start-up office in the U.S. ranges from $58,410 to $85,280, including a $38,500 franchise fee. Royalty fees are on a descending scale from five to three percent, with the unique structure benefiting franchisees as their business grows. Royalties are paid only on gross revenues collected, not billed. Protected territories are designed by zip code and represent a total population of approximately 175,000.
Training and Ongoing Support:
CKFI provides an intensive and comprehensive ongoing training programs for franchisees and their staff at its franchise support offices in Dayton, Ohio. CKFI is the only franchise company in its industry offering a team of Franchise Business Consultants who work in the field with franchisees to provide continuous operational support and guidance.
*Updated 1/1/2011