This came in recently, and we think it is a tremendous business idea — one of the best we have ever seen: Concierge Services for Older Adults. The need is obvious: helping an older adult who is aging in place to navigate the plethora of documents and forms they must continually attend to. Our member who sent this to us is Judie Kaplan; here is her website.
My mom is 89 and in relatively good health, but she still needs a range of doctors and services to help support her. There is also the upkeep of the house, the yard, and the usual maintenance items that need to be scheduled and delegated. She is fortunate to have a great group of relatives and friends to help her out but, even so, it can be daunting.
This is just my mom. There are millions and millions of people like her. There is very little capital needed to start a business like this. The requirements would be empathy, organizational skills and patience — something a lot of us have. We write often about needing purpose in our lives and our work. This sort of business sounds perfect for the right person.
She says on her site judiekaplan.com:
Do you have tasks that you have not been able to manage due to time or physical limitations? Would you like to be rescued from tedious and time consuming errands? Judie Kaplan Personal Concierge is offering a valuable and innovative service to local individuals and businesses.
Judie wrote in and said this:
I am writing to introduce myself with the hopes of some direction from you. I feel fortunate to be informed of your publication and the enlightenment that it brings to me and others. I reinvented myself at 69 years old after spending 35 years in the healthcare industry in administration for multi-physician groups and ambulatory centers. One day whilst recovering from major surgery, I had an epiphany and decided that I was not interested in returning to the contentious environment of healthcare and was analyzing my options to transfer my talents of organization, administration, and lots of common sense to something (not to mention my OCD with neatness) that would better suit the aging environment. Enter the field of the Personal Concierge. I researched, established an S-Corp and the rest is history. I have a flourishing business specializing in seniors aging-in-place. What a niche for someone of my age. The relationship that I develop with my clients is of friendship and trust while providing them with a daughter-like connection.
Thank you, Judie, for this tremendous idea.
