The Home Instead Senior Care® network’s latest expansion into the Netherlands takes the total up to 17 countries, including the U.S., in which the world’s largest provider of non-medical in-home care and companionship services is now doing business.
The master franchise for the Netherlands has been awarded to Eric Kindt, and the pilot office will be in his hometown of Heemstede, a 40-minute drive from Amsterdam.
When fully developed, this territory will feature up to 40 offices whose staffs and CAREGiversSM will arrange and provide in-home care and companionship services for older adults, said Yoshino Nakajima, Chief Development Officer for Home Instead, Inc. “We are pleased to expand services into this market, where the needs of the senior population mirror those around the world as countries recognize the significant social, governmental and financial challenges associated with caring for a rapidly aging world population.”
Services include specialized Alzheimer’s care, shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, medication reminders, personal care and companionship, which are currently offered through more than 950 franchises worldwide.
Global Franchise Development Director Bob Maguire, who laid the groundwork for the Home Instead Senior Care network’s expansion into the Netherlands, said the needs of seniors worldwide continue to fuel growth for the organization. By 2050, nearly one-fourth of the population of the Netherlands will be 65 or older, Maguire said. Already, there are close to 2.5 million seniors in Holland, a country of about 16.4 million. “Without services like those offered by the Home Instead Senior Care network, quality of care could drop dramatically as the senior population increases. That’s why we are so pleased to partner with an entrepreneur who knows the needs of his country.”
Kindt has a track record of business success, with previous experience owning and operating a residential care facility for mentally handicapped individuals in his country. Kindt’s daughter, Nicole, who has a background in hotel management, will serve as marketer and manager of the pilot office.
“It’s a perfect fit for us,” Kindt said. Services provided by the Home Instead Senior Care network are expected to complement the more task-driven “stopwatch care” of the Netherlands, he noted, where providers deliver a series of services and are out the door. That doesn’t present an environment conducive to building the kinds of relationships that help seniors thrive. “A lot of our elderly want to stay at home rather than go to a facility,” Kindt said.
The Kindts will now focus on the development of the pilot office and, when it is successfully established, they will begin franchising across the country. “The Home Instead Senior Care network is proud to serve the seniors of the Netherlands by providing the support they need to remain safe and independent wherever they call home,” Maguire said.
