Omaha, Nebraska - 9 March, 2001 -

In just 72 months, one Midwestern couple has built a $100 million business by helping the elderly bridge the gap between independent living and confined care. Current statistics help tell their story: A network of 300 franchises in the United States; an armada of 10,000 employees called CAREGivers who provide non-medical eldercare assistance; and international expansion into Japan. The business is led by "elderpreneurs" who understand the elderly and how to lead a rapidly growing franchise organization. "Paul and Lori Hogan have succeeded in fulfilling their vision," said Don DeBolt, president of the International Franchise Association. "They have developed their franchised Home Instead Senior Care business into the largest of its kind in America." At the age of 32, the Hogans launched Home Instead Senior Care from an office in his mother's living room in Omaha, Neb. The couple believes that the company's success is a combination of demographics and a business formula that not only helps Home Instead Senior Care thrive, but has made the company's independent franchise owners successful as well. The company produced revenues of $74 million in 2000 and projects system-wide customer-level revenues of $102 million in 2001. "After researching the graying of America, along with the success of our first office in 1994, we knew that Home Instead Senior Care was a business concept that would work," Paul Hogan said. The aging of American has created a dramatic marketplace for Home Instead Senior Care's services. A study released late last year by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) and CareThere.com, a Web site supporting family caregivers, reports that 54 million adults in the U.S. provided care for an elderly, disabled or chronically ill relative or friend in the past year -- twice the number previously estimated. In addition, an estimated 14.4 million workers are balancing both caregiving and job responsibilities, according to MetLife. And, according to AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, 41 percent of U.S. family caregivers also are caring for children under age 18. A Workforce study reveals that within five years, 37 percent of U.S. workers will be more concerned about caring for an elderly relative than for a child. Home Instead employees, referred to as CAREGivers, provide the type of non-medical services previously assigned almost exclusively to family members. These include more than 70 in-home duties such as companionship and social interaction, meal preparation, light housework, errands and shopping. Successful completion of a criminal background check is just one requirement of a Home Instead CAREGiver. Another is training and continuing education. Every CAREGiver participates in a 24-month, non-medical eldercare training program. The curriculum includes knowledge and insights about assisting the elderly with communication, daily activities, nutritious recipes, exercise and even recognizing and coping with depression -- a condition that exists among 60 percent of America's elderly. The Home Instead Senior Care appeal has proven to be international as well. Last year, the company launched a successful expansion into Japan. This spring, Home Instead Senior Care will forge into Canada. "One of the most frightening prospects for the elderly is leaving their home and everything that is familiar." Lori Hogan said. "Home Instead Senior Care has taken some of the fear out of growing older by helping America's elderly remain in their homes for as long as possible. Our CAREGivers make that happen." The Hogans are both graduates of the University of Nebraska system. Paul earned a BS degree in finance in 1985 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Lori graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she earned a BS degree in psychology in 1984. The couple married in 1986 and are the parents of four children. Prior to founding the company, Paul honed his franchising skills at Merry Maids, one of the fastest-growing service franchise companies in the country at that time. Meanwhile, Lori developed a modeling and self-improvement business for women. The couple has been recognized by numerous civic, business and franchise organizations for founding one of America's fastest-growing service companies. Most recently, their company was named by Entrepreneur magazine as one of the top 100 franchise companies in the nation, and was selected number 32 by Success Magazine in its annual ranking of the top 100 franchises in the country.

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