Health Educator and Spanish Interpreter Finds New Passion with Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise

Saida Sanchez has always been dedicated to helping others. For years, she has been the primary caregiver for her grandmother, managing everything from medication to physical therapy. With over a decade of experience in health administration and as a health educator, Sanchez knew she wanted to continue making an impact in the healthcare field but found herself hitting a glass ceiling. 

After exploring different opportunities, Sanchez found that Seniors Helping Seniors®, the in-home care service franchise that offers seniors life-affirming connections and companionship, resonated with her values and her passion for community care. Set to open her franchise in September 2024, Sanchez is eager to bring compassionate, peer-to-peer senior care to the Modesto area, ensuring that seniors receive the personalized care and support they need.

1851 Franchise spoke with Sanchez to learn more about her path to franchising, why she choose Seniors Helping Seniors® and her plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Saida Sanchez: My background is in public health, and I’ve spent over a decade as a health educator. My patients were an extension of the medical visit, addressing barriers to care from a personal standpoint. I was presented with three options for a franchise, but I wasn’t actually interested in franchising at first. Seniors Helping Seniors® appealed to me because it’s pure — it’s a friend helping a friend. I’ve also been helping my grandmother for years, long before COVID. I’m her advocate, her interpreter, her case manager and I manage her medications. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Sanchez: I wanted to get out of debt but couldn’t break the glass ceiling in my previous career. I stayed in health care and became a community interpreter in Spanish during COVID, which was my first attempt at being a sole proprietor. After two years, I needed guidance to grow. I felt in my heart that I needed a structure, and franchising seemed like a good path. Having procedures in place and following a roadmap has been helpful for now, allowing me to think more creatively in the long term and set myself up for success.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Sanchez: I was inspired by the founder’s story about working with Mother Teresa abroad and bringing those skills back home to live the word of the Lord in everyday life. Upon her return to the U.S., the founder was able to get her friends to provide the care people needed in their homes. It’s all about meeting people where they are, which is a core value in public health. That’s what Seniors Helping Seniors® is all about, and I’m trying to live up to what she started.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Sanchez: Nobody in my family has been a business owner, so I’m leading with my gut instinct. I hope to make an impact, scale the business, and eventually expand to neighboring counties both north and south.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Sanchez: It can really be a struggle as caregivers to understand the dynamics of our consumers' care. The caregiver needs to come from a place of strength, with foresight to have knowledge, attitude and skill to encourage and support seniors in achieving a quality of life that is worth living. Even when my grandmother doesn’t want to get up and exercise, it makes her more confident when she does. In the community, the peer model really makes us stand out and is very beneficial.

Also, remember that your primary role is to be the caregiver, not to do everything for the client. Don’t be afraid to ask for help — there are a lot of programs out there to support you.

ABOUT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS:

Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise system was founded by husband-and-wife duo Kiran and Philip Yocom. Kiran, who grew up in India, later worked to advance humanitarian efforts alongside Mother Teresa. After Kiran moved to the U.S. in 1995 and married her husband Philip, the Yocoms felt called to provide loving care to seniors and to cultivate an exchange of gifts at every generational level. Together, the Yocoms founded Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home services in 1998, opening the brand up to franchising in 2006. With a mission to be the most respected and rewarding homecare provider in the U.S., Seniors Helping Seniors® locations stand apart from competitors as the only company that prioritizes hiring active seniors to provide care services to their less-active counterparts. Seniors Helping Seniors® service aligns caregivers and care recipients based on the abilities and needs of both by offering a wide range of care services. Seniors Helping Seniors® network has grown to 200-plus locations, 125 franchise partners in 30-plus states and international markets. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care, visit seniorshelpingseniors.com.