Home Business Idea: Senior Citizen Helper

Melanie L. Marten
If you enjoy meeting new people and want to start your own home business, becoming a senior citizen helper may be ideal. This business can be started by anyone with basic knowledge and kindness. Marketing skills and basic accounting knowledge is also needed. Learn how to start a senior citizen helper business from your home.

Senior Citizen Help Business - Duties

It is important to offer only services that you can safely and legally complete. Never offer medical services unless you are trained and licensed to do so.

With the increasing number of senior citizens living alone in their houses, their family may become concerned about their well-being. Offering the service of simply visiting and checking in with the senior citizen every day is a vital safety service to perform. If the family of the senior citizen pays for your services, you can include reporting of the elder's well-being.

Other duties to perform include transportation to doctor's appointments, social gatherings, and shopping. This requires a reliable car. You can also offer pick-up services of groceries, dry-cleaning, or delivery food.

Senior Citizen Help Business - Marketing

Marketing your home business of helping senior citizens with various duties does not have to be difficult. Since this is a local only business, you should advertise in resources that cater to your location. Take out an advertisement in your hometown newspaper. Visit the township senior center and hang an advertisement outlining your services there. You can also do this in super markets, libraries, and other locations.

The best way to get clients for this type of home business is through word of mouth. While giving access to a criminal background check would be helpful, getting personal recommendations is vital. Do not fake these! If people ask for references, you must be able to give them. You can get word of mouth from a friend with a senior citizen relative. Provide the services for them for a period of time before soliciting a review and recommendation.

Senior Citizen Help Business - Profit

The biggest expense you will have in this home business is transportation costs such as gas and car maintenance. This should be taken into account when you figure out what you should chance to offer the senior citizen helper services. Other than that, time is what you will be getting paid for. Be sure to check local laws and business regulations if you will be providing transportation. You may be required to get a taxi license or a commercial license and insurance.

Running a home business that caters to senior citizens is a profitable plan. With the increase in older people living in their homes, the need for services increases. With the proper planning and marketing, you can make money as a senior citizen helper business.

Published by Melanie L. Marten

Melanie Marten is self-taught and self-employed. Besides freelance writing, she dabbles in website design and owns dozens of websites and blogs. Work is squeezed in between parenting two boys, homeschoolin...   View profile

  • Learn how to start a senior citizen helper business from your home.
  • It is important to offer only services that you can safely and legally complete.

9 Comments

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  • glenora 12/19/2009

    Where do you start to start a home business fo senior citizens

  • Anonymous 2/24/2009

    How do you start a home business for senior citizens helper

  • Stephen Joltin 1/29/2008

    I like your ideas. Thank you.

  • jcorn 1/24/2008

    As the child of an aging parent, I can vouch for the fact that these services are in demand because I have had to find people to help with my parent. As Baby Boomers age, the demand should only increase. Super article, timely topic!

  • J P Whickson 1/23/2008

    This is a great article. I would like to see more done for the seniors. Simple things that my mother needed were, thank God, made available for her by friends when we couldn't make the 50 minute drive in time. She would have gladly paid for aservice. It is hard to find someone that you trust.

  • Annette Robbins 1/22/2008

    This service would be invaluable to seniors. So many do not have family members to help take care of their daily activities of living. A compassionate, patient, trustoworthy individual would do well as a senior helper.

  • julz 1/19/2008

    There is a huge need for help in this area. Great ideas!

  • Carol Bengle Gilbert 1/19/2008

    For people who are patient and have the skills to deal with the elderly's needs, this is a fabulous idea.

  • Lisa Riggs 1/18/2008

    This is a really great idea. My husband's grandmother could definitely use one of these.

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