When Denise Swords launched her Caring Transitions franchise in 2024, it was the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
“I had always dreamt of doing something that would allow me to work with my nieces, nephews and family,” Swords said. “I had been in health care for 28 years and then transitioned to owning my own senior community. After selling that, I was looking for what was next.”
That answer came through a phone call from her nephew, who had just met a Caring Transitions owner. “He called me and told me it checked all the boxes of what I had been looking for,” Swords said. “It was the perfect fit.”
Denise, her sister and her niece decided to team up as co-owners, and they quickly lined up other family members who wanted to get involved. Today, eight members of her extended family — along with several lifelong friends — are part of the 14-person team.
“It’s really fun — we enjoy being on the jobs and working together,” she said. “We’re in this together as a family. It’s going to be their legacy, and I’m perfectly happy to hand it over to them someday.”
Located in a small town that her family has called home for four generations, Swords says the business is gaining traction through strong community relationships and word of mouth.
“It takes time to build relationships, but we’re now getting into repeat business,” she said. “People are calling us to do a new job or another move for the same senior. It shows how much they appreciated what we did.”
For Swords and her team, success isn’t just about the bottom line — it’s about the bond they form with each client.
“It’s all about the client and the relationship,” she said. “The team goes above and beyond so the client doesn’t have to deal with it. We really focus on trying to come up with that ‘wow’ factor.”
One story in particular stands out: a widower relocating to Alabama to be closer to his son. “His wife had passed away and he was very emotional,” Swords said. “He knew he needed to pack up, but he kept expanding the days he was there because he was having so much fun. It was the first time he laughed since she passed. He even called us once he got there to tell us how everything was going. Those kinds of interactions mean a lot to us.”
Currently operating two territories, Swords says they have their sights set on more. “We have two more we’d love to get in the future,” she said. “If the profitability comes in and it can work, that would be great.”
What makes Caring Transitions a particularly good fit for their family is the flexibility it offers.
“There is a lot of diversity in the types of roles needed for the business,” she said. “Some family members are better at staging, some are better at moving, some are great at marketing. I’ve never had one business that offered this level of diversity — you can truly play to people’s skills and ensure they enjoy what they’re doing.”
And while they’re serious about their work, Swords says they’re equally serious about maintaining boundaries. “We’re a very big family and we literally have dinner together every single night,” she said. “One of our first rules was: We don’t discuss work at dinner. That has been a big help in maintaining balance.”
While family is the heart of her team, Swords says the wider Caring Transitions community has become like an extended family, too.
“All of the support from other Caring Transitions owners is amazing,” she said. “From the coach with onsite training to local owners — I can call them, text them, and they’ll guide me through. If I had really understood that value upfront, it would have alleviated any concern. This isn’t your typical corporate entity — everybody is invested in helping us succeed.”
Looking ahead, Swords says she can easily envision her second-generation team members continuing the work for decades to come.
“Work has to be fun,” she said. “Being able to do it with family and enjoy what they love is the perfect mix. This is more than just a business for us — it’s a legacy.”
In an industry driven by compassion, connection and community, Swords and her family are proving how Caring Transitions offers more than a scalable business model — it offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference, generation after generation.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/caringtransitions/info.
Caring Transitions
SPONSORED
For the Swords family, Caring Transitions transcends the typical franchise model and embodies a deeply personal, multigenerational mission.
When Denise Swords launched her Caring Transitions franchise in 2024, it was the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
“I had always dreamt of doing something that would allow me to work with my nieces, nephews and family,” Swords said. “I had been in health care for 28 years and then transitioned to owning my own senior community. After selling that, I was looking for what was next.”
That answer came through a phone call from her nephew, who had just met a Caring Transitions owner. “He called me and told me it checked all the boxes of what I had been looking for,” Swords said. “It was the perfect fit.”
Denise, her sister and her niece decided to team up as co-owners, and they quickly lined up other family members who wanted to get involved. Today, eight members of her extended family — along with several lifelong friends — are part of the 14-person team.
“It’s really fun — we enjoy being on the jobs and working together,” she said. “We’re in this together as a family. It’s going to be their legacy, and I’m perfectly happy to hand it over to them someday.”
Located in a small town that her family has called home for four generations, Swords says the business is gaining traction through strong community relationships and word of mouth.
“It takes time to build relationships, but we’re now getting into repeat business,” she said. “People are calling us to do a new job or another move for the same senior. It shows how much they appreciated what we did.”
For Swords and her team, success isn’t just about the bottom line — it’s about the bond they form with each client.
“It’s all about the client and the relationship,” she said. “The team goes above and beyond so the client doesn’t have to deal with it. We really focus on trying to come up with that ‘wow’ factor.”
One story in particular stands out: a widower relocating to Alabama to be closer to his son. “His wife had passed away and he was very emotional,” Swords said. “He knew he needed to pack up, but he kept expanding the days he was there because he was having so much fun. It was the first time he laughed since she passed. He even called us once he got there to tell us how everything was going. Those kinds of interactions mean a lot to us.”
Currently operating two territories, Swords says they have their sights set on more. “We have two more we’d love to get in the future,” she said. “If the profitability comes in and it can work, that would be great.”
What makes Caring Transitions a particularly good fit for their family is the flexibility it offers.
“There is a lot of diversity in the types of roles needed for the business,” she said. “Some family members are better at staging, some are better at moving, some are great at marketing. I’ve never had one business that offered this level of diversity — you can truly play to people’s skills and ensure they enjoy what they’re doing.”
And while they’re serious about their work, Swords says they’re equally serious about maintaining boundaries. “We’re a very big family and we literally have dinner together every single night,” she said. “One of our first rules was: We don’t discuss work at dinner. That has been a big help in maintaining balance.”
While family is the heart of her team, Swords says the wider Caring Transitions community has become like an extended family, too.
“All of the support from other Caring Transitions owners is amazing,” she said. “From the coach with onsite training to local owners — I can call them, text them, and they’ll guide me through. If I had really understood that value upfront, it would have alleviated any concern. This isn’t your typical corporate entity — everybody is invested in helping us succeed.”
Looking ahead, Swords says she can easily envision her second-generation team members continuing the work for decades to come.
“Work has to be fun,” she said. “Being able to do it with family and enjoy what they love is the perfect mix. This is more than just a business for us — it’s a legacy.”
In an industry driven by compassion, connection and community, Swords and her family are proving how Caring Transitions offers more than a scalable business model — it offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference, generation after generation.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/caringtransitions/info.
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