From Mission to Market Leader: Becky Reel’s Transformation

Becky Reel: Building Home Care with Heart, Systems and Scale

When Becky Reel talks about home care, she doesn’t begin with market share, payor mix or EBITDA. She begins with her grandfather.

His death following what she describes as neglect in a nursing home altered the trajectory of her life.

Her mother launched a home care agency in Arlington Heights, Illinois, naming it For Papa’s Sake Home Care for Families in his honor. It was a mission-driven response to grief.

At the time, Becky was building a conventional corporate career, grinding it out in media and production, along with doing stints in marketing at companies like Cars.com, Grubhub and Yodle, earning an MBA and doing senior-level analytics work along the way.

But home care “found her,” she said.

What began as a plan to stabilize her mother’s business turned into a decade-long transformation.

From a Personal Mission to Market Leader

Becky has great memories of her grandfather.

“His life was about making people happy and making people laugh,” she said. “And the end of his story did not do him justice.”

She has great admiration for her mom, who started the home care agency, but she was concerned when she saw her struggling to make it profitable.

“She had a great mission … but the agency wasn’t being run like a business,” she said. “So, I joined in 2014 and naively thought I’d quickly turn it around and leave … and 10 years later, I was still there. I just loved it so much – I had found my calling.”

Read the full story at the Home Care Post.

How Neelima Gaikwad Built a Thriving Home Care Business

When Neelima Gaikwad launched A Place At Home in Schaumburg, Illinois, about four years ago, she wasn’t simply opening a business. She was redefining how post-acute care could work at home.

Today, her agency employs 32 caregivers, served 61 clients last year, delivers close to 1,200 billable hours per week, and reports a 0% readmission rate within the first 30 days, compared to an industry benchmark of approximately 14%.

But her path to ownership began in burnout — and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neelima spent about a decade working as an occupational therapist in skilled nursing facilities. Over time, she watched reimbursement structures and care models shift.

“The therapy had been changing — insurance, Medicaid, etc. It has always been changing every year. But during COVID, there were even more changes,” she said.

She worked through the pandemic inside a skilled nursing facility.

“None of us were prepared for COVID,” she said. “It was very hard to see how COVID was taking out health care. The way the care was given … I saw so much fragmentation in health care and I thought, ‘This is not what I want to do.’”

Her frustrations with a “one size fits all” approach in terms of delivering health care weighed on her so much that she hit her breaking point, she said. “The longer a patient stayed in skilled nursing, they actually received less reimbursement from Medicare, so the push was to let them go home in less than two weeks, even if they were not ready,” she said.

That experience forced a professional reckoning.

“So, it kind of opened my eyes that we need to do this better. And how can we do it better?”

She left her job in September 2021.

“I just wanted to leave health care at that point,” she said. “I didn’t even want to be associated with it.”

That lasted about a month.

“What am I doing with all my knowledge and medical experience?” she thought.

She began exploring home care — and realized she could still serve seniors while building something different.

Read her inspiring story on the Home Care Post.

The Reputation Advantage: How Home Care Agencies Can Earn More Reviews

For home care agencies, reputation has always been the profession’s most valuable currency.

For generations, that reputation traveled primarily through word of mouth — physicians making referrals, hospital discharge planners recommending trusted providers, or families returning because of positive experiences caring for a loved one at home.

Today, however, families increasingly begin their search for home care online. That search can take many forms, including asking Google to find home care agencies “near me,” entering prompts into ChatGPT seeking caregiving recommendations, consulting online reviews or asking friends for advice on social media.

In an article on the Home Care Post, the founder and CEO of Senior Care Marketing Max – Welton Hong – focuses specifically on reviews, which influence search visibility, consumer confidence and market share. The good news is that home care agencies do not need gimmicks or aggressive marketing tactics to earn them.

Online reviews directly influence how prominently a home care agency appears in local search results, particularly within platforms owned by Google, according to Hong. Listings connected to a Google Business Profile — formerly Google My Business — rely heavily on review volume, recency and responsiveness when determining which agencies appear first in map searches.

Research from multiple digital marketing studies consistently shows that consumers are more likely to contact businesses with higher review counts and recent feedback. In home care, where families are often making urgent decisions following a hospital discharge or sudden health decline, reassurance matters.

A steady stream of authentic reviews signals three things to prospective clients:

Other families trusted this agency recently.
Clients felt supported enough to speak publicly about the experience.
The agency is active, responsive and engaged.

In short, reviews have become a critical component of your reputation. If you don’t have them, it raises questions — and if the reviews you do have skew negative, the impact can be even more damaging.

Get more insights from Hong in the full article on the Home Care Post.

Dovida Enters U.S. Market with Acquisition of A Place At Home

Dovida, a global provider of person-centered home care services operating across six international markets, has officially entered the United States through its acquisition of A Place At Home, an established home care franchise network serving communities nationwide.

With millions of hours of care delivered annually across Australia, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland, Dovida brings a proven care model grounded in dignity, independence, and relationship-based support.

The acquisition marks the company’s expansion into its seventh market and its first in North America.

A Place At Home, known for providing high-quality, relationship-led home care, shares Dovida’s values of compassion, integrity, and mission-driven service, making it a natural fit.

“At its core, Dovida represents continuity with purpose,” said Paul Fritz, Global CEO of Dovida. “We were drawn to A Place At Home because of the quality of care they deliver and the values that guide their work. Together, we are building on that foundation while strengthening our ability to support clients, families and caregivers for the future.”

Caresify Home Care Launches National Franchise Expansion

As demand for home-based care continues to increase across the United States, driven by an aging population and a shift toward services delivered in the home, Caresify Home Care, a leading home care provider accredited by The Joint Commission, has announced the launch of its national franchise program. The expansion aligns with broader industry trends and reflects the growing role of in-home care within the healthcare continuum.

The U.S. home healthcare market is projected to exceed $380 billion in the coming decade, with the global market expected to reach approximately $747.7 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.

Growth is attributed to an aging population, a preference for care delivered at home, and increased demand for personalized services. Caresify operates within this market with an established model that includes defined processes, technology-supported operations, and experience in regulatory compliance and service delivery.

Founded on the belief that care should be compassionate, culturally aligned, and clinically informed, Caresify has built a reputation for delivering high-quality, human-centered services while leveraging technology to improve outcomes for clients, families, and caregivers alike.

Unlike traditional franchise systems, Caresify offers more than a business model — it offers a platform for meaningful impact and long-term growth. Franchisees receive a defined operating model that includes initial training, established systems, and operational support, with comparatively low overhead and limited physical buildout requirements.

Founder and CEO Sheriff Adewale said the company’s expansion reflects broader shifts in how care is delivered, particularly as more services move into the home setting.

Get all the details on the Home Care Post.

Andreanna Smith of Caring Senior Service Honored for Service, Quick Thinking

Caring Senior Service announced that caregiver Andreanna Smith has been named to WTWH Healthcare’s Frontline Honors Class of 2025, one of the industry’s most respected distinctions for frontline workers across the care continuum.

Smith works for Caring Senior Service in Littleton, Colorado and was chosen for this honor based on a consistent record of extraordinary service, from everyday caregiving moments to decisive leadership during emergencies.

Frontline Honors are presented to workers in the behavioral health, home health, hospice, memory care and senior living industries whose character, performance and commitment to quality stand out in their roles.

In addition to this recognition, Smith was also selected as Caring Senior Service’s 2025 Caregiver of the Year for her outstanding impact on the clients she serves. This award is given to the caregiver who exemplifies the company’s mission of delivering exceptional and compassionate care.

Always Best Care Expands Senior Care Services Across Greater Baltimore

Always Best Care Senior Services, a leading provider of non-medical in-home senior care and assisted living referral services, recently announced the expansion of Always Best Care of Parkville into Fallston, further extending the brand’s reach throughout Greater Baltimore, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County.

Franchisee Haley Davis, who launched Always Best Care of Parkville in 2025, has taken over two additional Baltimore-area territories, significantly increasing access to Always Best Care’s personalized senior care services across the region. The expanded territory allows Davis and her team to serve more families seeking reliable, compassionate care solutions that support seniors aging safely and comfortably at home.

Always Best Care of Parkville, located at 8606 Hartford Road in Parkville, now serves communities throughout Greater Baltimore. The office provides non-medical in-home care, skilled home health services, and senior living referral services tailored to meet the unique needs of older adults and their families.

Home Instead Names Its 2025 Care Pros of the Year

Home Instead, an Honor company, and the world’s leading provider of in-home care for older adults, recently announced the 10 recipients of its annual Care Pro of the Year Award.

The honorees, representing communities across the United States and Canada, were selected for their extraordinary commitment to helping older adults age with dignity, independence, and joy at home. The Care Pro of the Year Award is Home Instead’s highest recognition for professional caregivers.

“Aging is not just a stage of life, it’s a deeply personal journey,” said Dr. Lakelyn Eichenberger, gerontologist and caregiving advocate at Home Instead. “These Care Pros understand that showing up with empathy and heart can transform someone’s ability to age on their own terms. We’re honored to celebrate caregivers who so often work behind the scenes but make an extraordinary difference every day.”

The 2025 Home Instead Care Pros of the Year are:

Barbara McGee, Peterborough, ON, Canada
Darla Amlong, Norfolk, NE
Francisca Uvah, Pensacola, FL
Joy Karienye, Federal Way, WA
Kathryn Bolissian, Markham, ON, Canada
Margarita Arreola, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Marie Smith, Tucson, AZ
Milagros Fernandez, Magnolia, TX
Maureen Walsh, Norwell, MA
Natalie Blizzard, Newport News, VA

“Across the country, demand for in-home care is growing faster than the number of people entering the caregiving profession,” said Seth Sternberg, CEO and co-founder of Honor Technology. “If we want more older adults to be able to age at home, we have to take care of the people who make that possible. This year’s Care Pros of the Year represent the very best of caregiving and set the standard for what great care looks like for families.”

The 2025 winners will be honored at a special ceremony during Home Instead’s annual franchise convention. Home Instead will also share their stories across its social media channels on National Caregivers Day on Feb. 20, and throughout the year. Learn more about the 10 Care Pro of the Year winners here.

Addus HomeCare Announces Fourth Quarter and Year End 2025 Financial Results

On Feb. 23, Addus HomeCare Corporation (NASDAQ: ADUS), a provider of home care services, announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2025.

Fourth Quarter 2025 Highlights:

Net Service Revenues Increase 25.6% to $373.1 Million
Net Income of $29.8 Million, or $1.61 per Diluted Share
Adjusted Net Income per Diluted Share Increases 28.3% year-over-year to $1.77
Adjusted EBITDA Increases 33.3% year-over-year to $50.3 Million
Cash Flow from Operations of $18.8 Million

Commenting on the results, Dirk Allison, chairman and chief executive officer, said, “Our fourth quarter results marked a strong finish to a successful year of growth and progress for Addus. Net service revenues increased 25.6% and adjusted EBITDA was up 33.3% over the fourth quarter of 2024. For the full year, we achieved a new annual record of $1.4 billion in net service revenues, an increase of 23.2% compared with 2024. Continued strong demand has supported this impressive growth as an increasing number of consumers and payers benefit from the value and cost efficiency offered by our home-based care services. With solid execution, our team has done an outstanding job meeting this demand with the ability to leverage our scale and proven operating model across the care continuum. We have also benefitted from continued favorable and stable hiring trends, which support our business, especially in our personal care segment. We are fortunate to have a team of capable and dedicated caregivers who provide outstanding care as we respond to the needs of a growing number of patients and families across the markets we serve.”

Get more details on the company’s quarterly results on the Home Care Post.