As more Americans age, demand is growing for services that help seniors stay independent at home. Comfort Keepers® sees St. Louis as a priority market for expansion, with several territories still available and demographics that fit what the brand looks for when planning growth.
“When you take a look at our demographic targets, we're typically targeting territories with a minimum population of 200,000,” said Scott Oaks, vice president of franchise development. “We want 10% at a minimum to be age 65 or older, with an average household income of $65,000 or more. Those are some of our minimum baselines, and all of the territories that we have in St. Louis far exceed that.”
Comfort Keepers is targeting communities throughout the greater St. Louis market on both sides of the Missouri-Illinois border. In some parts of the region, Oaks said, residents 65 and older account for more than 20% of the population. That existing concentration of older adults, combined with the continued aging of the population, gives Comfort Keepers confidence that demand for senior care will continue to grow.
The opportunity in St. Louis reflects a demographic shift happening across the U.S. Baby boomers continue to move into their senior years, while the oldest members of Gen X will begin reaching traditional retirement age over the coming decade. For an in-home care business, Oaks said the growth of the 75-plus population is particularly important because that is when Comfort Keepers often begins receiving more inquiries from families looking for additional support.
“The senior population trajectory is mirroring that of the U.S. in general, so it is just continuing to grow,” Oaks said. “We see the number of folks that are coming into that 65-plus demographic continuing to grow over the next 15 to 20 years.”
Seniors and their families are increasingly recognizing that care does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice between living independently and moving into a facility. In-home care allows seniors to receive assistance for a set number of hours each week while remaining in familiar surroundings and maintaining a greater sense of independence.
Comfort Keepers sees opportunities across a wide section of the metropolitan area rather than concentrating its growth strategy within St. Louis itself. On the Missouri side, Oaks identified St. Charles, Clarkson Valley, Chesterfield, Kirkwood and the Affton-Arnold area among the communities where the brand sees potential. Available territory stretches west through communities including O'Fallon and Wentzville.
The Affton-Arnold area is particularly notable from a demographic standpoint, Oaks said, with a 65-plus population exceeding 20%, which is more than double Comfort Keepers' minimum demographic benchmark.
“We have seven to eight territories available for expansion on the Missouri side, stretching from St. Louis to O’Fallon and Wentzville,” Oaks said. “We know the opportunity is there. For us, it’s really about finding the right partner in each area.”
Opportunities are also available on the Illinois side of the metropolitan area, including communities around East St. Louis, Alton and Edwardsville. Comfort Keepers is not looking to fill those territories simply for the sake of increasing its unit count, however.
“We want to make sure that we're partnering with the right folks as opposed to just expanding in a marketplace for expansion's sake,” Oaks said. “We want to make sure we're trying to put people that we feel like are going to be successful in there and have long-term success.”
The region's health care infrastructure provides another advantage for prospective Comfort Keepers owners. In-home care businesses can build relationships with hospitals and other health care providers that encounter seniors and families as they navigate care decisions. Oaks said St. Louis offers a strong network of potential referral sources that franchisees can work to develop as they establish their businesses.
“There are a lot of very strong hospital systems and a plethora of referral source opportunities, which is where we get a lot of referrals for clients,” Oaks said. “There's a strong medical system in St. Louis that we can tap into to build those referral relationships. From an opportunity standpoint, our business model is a really good fit with the structure there locally.”
Prospective owners do not need previous health care or home care experience to become Comfort Keepers franchisees. In fact, Oaks said most of the brand's franchise owners did not come from those industries.
“I think what we're looking for is people that are comfortable being in a leadership position, people that are comfortable managing large teams,” Oaks said. “People that enjoy being the face of their organization and getting out in the community and building relationships tend to be higher performers. They see this as being involved in something that can really make a difference in the lives of our clients, the lives of the family and in the communities that they service.”
The growing senior population gives prospective franchisees a customer base expected to expand for years to come, and the nature of the work also makes senior care worth considering for people looking to take greater control of their careers.
“This is a very people-centric business, and that's not going to change,” Oaks said. “Our caregivers are not going to be replaced with robots or AI or anything like that anytime soon. It's a need-based business.”
Comfort Keepers has been operating for 28 years, giving prospective owners an established brand, operating experience and franchise support as they enter the industry. The company now views St. Louis as one of its leading development priorities for the coming year.
“We have the reputation, the brand equity and the experience of knowing that we're going to be able to set up people successfully to be in business,” Oaks said. “We would just love to start filling in the void of service in St. Louis.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/comfort-keepers.
Comfort Keepers
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With seven to eight territories available on the Missouri side alone, Comfort Keepers sees room to grow across a metro where the senior population continues to climb.
As more Americans age, demand is growing for services that help seniors stay independent at home. Comfort Keepers® sees St. Louis as a priority market for expansion, with several territories still available and demographics that fit what the brand looks for when planning growth.
“When you take a look at our demographic targets, we're typically targeting territories with a minimum population of 200,000,” said Scott Oaks, vice president of franchise development. “We want 10% at a minimum to be age 65 or older, with an average household income of $65,000 or more. Those are some of our minimum baselines, and all of the territories that we have in St. Louis far exceed that.”
Comfort Keepers is targeting communities throughout the greater St. Louis market on both sides of the Missouri-Illinois border. In some parts of the region, Oaks said, residents 65 and older account for more than 20% of the population. That existing concentration of older adults, combined with the continued aging of the population, gives Comfort Keepers confidence that demand for senior care will continue to grow.
The opportunity in St. Louis reflects a demographic shift happening across the U.S. Baby boomers continue to move into their senior years, while the oldest members of Gen X will begin reaching traditional retirement age over the coming decade. For an in-home care business, Oaks said the growth of the 75-plus population is particularly important because that is when Comfort Keepers often begins receiving more inquiries from families looking for additional support.
“The senior population trajectory is mirroring that of the U.S. in general, so it is just continuing to grow,” Oaks said. “We see the number of folks that are coming into that 65-plus demographic continuing to grow over the next 15 to 20 years.”
Seniors and their families are increasingly recognizing that care does not have to be an all-or-nothing choice between living independently and moving into a facility. In-home care allows seniors to receive assistance for a set number of hours each week while remaining in familiar surroundings and maintaining a greater sense of independence.
Comfort Keepers sees opportunities across a wide section of the metropolitan area rather than concentrating its growth strategy within St. Louis itself. On the Missouri side, Oaks identified St. Charles, Clarkson Valley, Chesterfield, Kirkwood and the Affton-Arnold area among the communities where the brand sees potential. Available territory stretches west through communities including O'Fallon and Wentzville.
The Affton-Arnold area is particularly notable from a demographic standpoint, Oaks said, with a 65-plus population exceeding 20%, which is more than double Comfort Keepers' minimum demographic benchmark.
“We have seven to eight territories available for expansion on the Missouri side, stretching from St. Louis to O’Fallon and Wentzville,” Oaks said. “We know the opportunity is there. For us, it’s really about finding the right partner in each area.”
Opportunities are also available on the Illinois side of the metropolitan area, including communities around East St. Louis, Alton and Edwardsville. Comfort Keepers is not looking to fill those territories simply for the sake of increasing its unit count, however.
“We want to make sure that we're partnering with the right folks as opposed to just expanding in a marketplace for expansion's sake,” Oaks said. “We want to make sure we're trying to put people that we feel like are going to be successful in there and have long-term success.”
The region's health care infrastructure provides another advantage for prospective Comfort Keepers owners. In-home care businesses can build relationships with hospitals and other health care providers that encounter seniors and families as they navigate care decisions. Oaks said St. Louis offers a strong network of potential referral sources that franchisees can work to develop as they establish their businesses.
“There are a lot of very strong hospital systems and a plethora of referral source opportunities, which is where we get a lot of referrals for clients,” Oaks said. “There's a strong medical system in St. Louis that we can tap into to build those referral relationships. From an opportunity standpoint, our business model is a really good fit with the structure there locally.”
Prospective owners do not need previous health care or home care experience to become Comfort Keepers franchisees. In fact, Oaks said most of the brand's franchise owners did not come from those industries.
“I think what we're looking for is people that are comfortable being in a leadership position, people that are comfortable managing large teams,” Oaks said. “People that enjoy being the face of their organization and getting out in the community and building relationships tend to be higher performers. They see this as being involved in something that can really make a difference in the lives of our clients, the lives of the family and in the communities that they service.”
The growing senior population gives prospective franchisees a customer base expected to expand for years to come, and the nature of the work also makes senior care worth considering for people looking to take greater control of their careers.
“This is a very people-centric business, and that's not going to change,” Oaks said. “Our caregivers are not going to be replaced with robots or AI or anything like that anytime soon. It's a need-based business.”
Comfort Keepers has been operating for 28 years, giving prospective owners an established brand, operating experience and franchise support as they enter the industry. The company now views St. Louis as one of its leading development priorities for the coming year.
“We have the reputation, the brand equity and the experience of knowing that we're going to be able to set up people successfully to be in business,” Oaks said. “We would just love to start filling in the void of service in St. Louis.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/comfort-keepers.
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