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When Maria Dernocoeur arrived in Michigan from Cuba more than 30 years ago, her primary assets were a factory job and a relentless drive for a better life. Eventually, she put herself through nursing school at the University of Detroit Mercy. It’s a path born from a desire to give back to the country that provided her a fresh start.&nbsp;"I arrived with just $20 in my pocket. No English, nothing. I was just looking for a better future," Dernocoeur said. "Starting from nothing shapes how you view sacrifice. It builds empathy. You want to excel in a different culture and give your best."That early resilience became the foundation for a two-decade career spanning oncology, acute care and home health. Today, as the vice president of New Mexico operations and director of operations for&nbsp;<a href="https://homehalofranchising.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=new-mexico-senior-care-operations-2731711" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Home Halo</a>, Dernocoeur is using that clinical perspective to bridge a massive gap in the senior care industry: the lack of professional medical oversight in non-medical home care.<h2>Identifying the Gap in Care</h2>After moving to Albuquerque 11 years ago, Dernocoeur balanced clinical work with her own business ventures. However, the COVID pandemic highlighted a troubling trend in the local home health landscape. She noticed agencies sending caregivers into homes without proper training (often because New Mexico law does not strictly require nursing staff for non-skilled agencies).Dernocoeur saw an opportunity to change that standard when she met&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/info">Home Halo</a> founder and CEO,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-deak-homehalo/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=new-mexico-senior-care-operations-2731711" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dan Deak</a>. Joining Deak, she’d go on to lead the New Mexico operations, building a better model where clinical excellence and business growth are inseparable."Many caregiver companies don’t have nursing staff because New Mexico law doesn’t require it," Dernocoeur said. "But we make it our mission to have registered nurses on staff to perform assessments and provide training so we can deliver the best care possible."<h2>Operationalizing Empathy</h2>Transitioning from the bedside to leadership required a significant shift in mindset. But Dernocoeur views her nursing background as her greatest operational asset. At Home Halo New Mexico, she’s built a culture where empathy is a measurable standard, starting with a rigorous hiring process that includes video interviews and questionnaires designed to ensure a genuine connection.Once a caregiver is hired, the clinical team remains involved. A nurse accompanies caregivers on their first visits to ensure the work meets a high standard. This hands-on approach has allowed the agency to grow through grassroots community trust, with Dernocoeur estimating that 95% of her clients know her personally."I believe in leading by example," she said. "Organizations tend to take on the personality of their leaders. If you’re hands-on and caring, your team will be too. They see me going the extra mile. And they do the same."<h2>A Scalable Mission for New Mexico</h2>In just over two years, the New Mexico operation has seen significant growth, serving both seniors and veterans across the region. For health care professionals who are hesitant to move into the business side of the industry, Dernocoeur serves as a proof of concept that a nurse-first mentality can drive business results.While the transition requires learning to make difficult operational decisions, she maintains that the core of the work remains largely unchanged."It’s very different. You have to change how you think and become more operational. But once a nurse, always a nurse," Dernocoeur said. "That caring, hands-on mentality adds a positive layer to being a business leader. I see it as a strength."As Home Halo continues to expand its footprint, Dernocoeur is focused on maintaining the warmth informed by her Cuban roots. Because for her, the growth of the brand is an extension of a philosophy that’s quite personal."I’m from Cuba. We’re ‘people persons,’" she said. "We love communication, connection and love. And that’s what we bring to our work."To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo">https://1851franchise.com/home-halo</a>

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Home Halo: Scaling Clinician-Led Senior Care Franchise Operations

1851 Franchise

Former RN turned VP of Operations Maria Dernocoeur shares how Home Halo’s people-first model empowers franchisees to build purpose-driven, locally-focused, scalable senior care businesses.

This brand page has been paid for by HOME HALO. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

How Home Halo Is Using Clinical Expertise to Set a New Standard in Senior Care

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<a href="https://homehealthcarenews.com/2026/01/top-home-care-trends-for-2026/">Home care is entering a defining decade</a>. Demand is rising, families are stretched thin and “aging in place” has shifted from preference to priority. But while the need is unmistakable, not every senior care franchise is built to help an owner execute consistently, especially in a business where people, scheduling, compliance and trust all determine whether you grow or stall.That’s exactly why&nbsp;<a href="https://homehalofranchising.com/">Home Halo</a>, the non-medical in-home senior care company, matters right now.&nbsp;After operating corporate locations across multiple states and refining its systems for years,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/info">Home Halo</a> is expanding its franchise program with a model designed to help owners launch with structure, lead locally with confidence and scale without losing the human touch that families expect.“Home care isn’t a business where you can hand someone a binder and wish them luck,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-deak-homehalo">Dan Deak</a>, founder and CEO of Home Halo. “We waited to take this across the country until we could show up for owners with real support, clear standards and a way to keep the business on track week after week.”<h2>The Origin Story: Built From Real Operating Experience and a Personal Why</h2>Home Halo’s foundation is unusual in the senior care space because it was built by an operator who has lived the work from the inside, not just as a brand builder, but as someone who has launched, grown and managed locations himself.Deak has spent about a decade in home care and began his career in the category by starting non-medical agencies for a not-for-profit hospice system before moving into franchising. At first, his plan wasn’t necessarily to franchise. He envisioned building a corporate-owned “home care empire”, until he realized that what fulfilled him wasn’t simply growth or revenue.“Then I started to become very profitable, but I still wasn’t satisfied,” Deak said. “That wasn’t what was filling my cup. Helping others was. With franchising, I can fill my cup while pouring into other people.”That coaching instinct runs deep. Deak credits his father (a Hall of Fame high school baseball coach) with shaping how he thinks about fundamentals, discipline and developing people into leaders.“I saw him take average athletes and pour into them, teach them fundamentals and strategy, and turn them into Division I athletes,” Deak said. “I get that same kind of satisfaction through coaching franchisees.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/why-home-halo-franchise-owners-become-local-care-leaders-2731049">Home Halo also carries a personal mission</a>. Deak points to a moment many families recognize instantly — the sudden shift when a loved one’s independence changes overnight. “Two years into the business, my mom had a fall,” Deak said. “She was perfectly fine one day and needed help getting dressed the next. It changed everything.”<h2>Aging in Place Isn’t a Trend — It’s the Future of Care</h2>The broader forces behind home care are accelerating, and they’re not slowing down. Every day, thousands of Americans turn 65,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2019/12/by-2030-all-baby-boomers-will-be-age-65-or-older.html">and by 2030, all baby boomers will be 65 or older</a>. Research has consistently shown that most older adults&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aarp.org/home-living/home-community-preferences-survey-2024/">prefer to age in place</a> when possible. At the same time, families are trying to balance careers, children and caregiving responsibilities, often without enough support.“Families want care that is dependable, high-quality and, most importantly, delivered with a human touch,” Deak said.That combination of demographic pressure and family strain is exactly what makes home care both recession-resistant and built for the long long term. The need doesn’t disappear. It intensifies. For entrepreneurs looking for a business that matters to their community and can scale into a durable asset, the timing is meaningful.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-senior-living-market-report">$907 billion U.S. senior care industry</a> is crowded with brands. “In any city in the U.S., you can probably find 50 to 100 different home care brands,” Deak said.But despite all those names, the market remains highly fragmented. The largest providers still account for only a small share of total demand because much of the care is handled by small independents, and many families still don’t understand what professional home care can do until they need it.“I don’t consider other brands my competition,” Deak said. “My competition is the lack of awareness about the impact senior care can have.”For franchisees, that fragmentation creates opportunity: there’s room to build a trusted local care company without needing to “take share” from one national brand. The goal is often to professionalize a market that’s already full of need.<h2>Systems Built by an Operator Who’s Still Operating</h2>A common knock on franchising in home care is that many brands sell the dream, but don’t have real operational experience behind the curtain. Home Halo positions itself differently because&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/home-halos-formula-for-compassionate-home-care-a-franchise-opportunity-built-on-veteran-and-senior-support-2728978">the model is being proven in corporate operations today</a>, not only in theory.“From the franchisor standpoint, my differentiator is that I’ve done it myself. I’m still doing it,” Deak said. “Many home care franchisors don’t operate corporate-owned locations. I do — in seven different states. That’s a big differentiator.”Those corporate operations span New Mexico, Iowa, Colorado, Wisconsin, Texas, Idaho, and Florida. It’s an experience that informs how Home Halo trains owners, supports compliance and pressure-tests systems across different markets.Home Halo’s franchise model is designed to guide owners through licensing, setup and day-to-day execution with a structured approach.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/why-home-halo-franchise-owners-become-local-care-leaders-2731049">The brand’s 160-step onboarding process</a> lays out what owners need to do to get from signing to operating, including hiring and retention, business development routines, lead follow-up, technology setup, documentation and market-specific requirements.That level of structure is intentional, especially for first-time business owners who want clarity on what to do next, and experienced operators who want to scale without reinventing the wheel.Home Halo also emphasizes leadership development through&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/home-halos-frank-method-coaching-franchisees-to-greatness-2728984">a proprietary training program called the Frank Method</a>, inspired by Deak’s father’s coaching mindset. The brand’s focus is not on turning franchisees into caregivers, but on equipping them to lead a care business.“I haven’t personally provided a minute of care in years,” Deak said. “It’s about hiring and training great people and giving them the tools to succeed. That’s how you build something sustainable.” And in senior care, the biggest obstacle to scalability is rarely demand. It’s staffing consistency and, more specifically, caregiver retention. Home Halo’s approach centers on keeping caregivers by building schedules that match the hours they actually want.&nbsp;Notably, Home Halo also brings experience with&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/va-reimbursement-a-unique-opportunity-for-home-halo-franchisees-2729531">Department of Veterans Affairs reimbursement programs</a>, an area that can feel complex for new operators. Home Halo has built systems to manage documentation, compliance and administrative requirements tied to government-funded care, giving franchise owners a clearer path to serve eligible veterans while building a steadier book of business tied to ongoing care needs.Home Halo looks for coachable, mission-driven franchise partners from a wide range of backgrounds who bring the work ethic to lead locally, follow the playbook and build a business centered on helping people. The total initial investment for a single territory ranges from $92,900 to $153,800, including startup costs, licensing and initial operating capital. Total gross sales for the company-owned location in Albuquerque, New Mexico, were $2,234,921 in 2025, according to the brand’s Item 19 in its Federal Disclosure Document (FDD), demonstrating the strength of the Home Halo model and the significant revenue potential for franchise owners who follow the system.<h2>Why Home Halo and Why Now?</h2>Looking ahead, Home Halo isn’t positioning itself as a “healthcare-only” franchise. The brand looks for&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo/10-reasons-why-you-should-invest-in-a-home-halo-franchise-2729049">coachable, mission-driven leaders</a> who will follow the playbook, lead teams and build a business centered on helping people.“A lot of the most successful home care franchisees come from corporate roles,” Deak said. “Athletes and veterans also do really well. They’re used to systems, fundamentals and following a game plan — all essential to franchising.”Deak also emphasizes that the goal is to build an operation that doesn’t rely on the owner being trapped in the day-to-day forever. “The goal should be to make yourself replaceable,” he said.&nbsp;“We want franchisees to get to the point where their operations team members can effectively manage the day-to-day activities, which allows them to work on the business instead of in the business.&nbsp; This is what allows the business to scale without limits.”Home Halo is entering franchising at a moment when the need for in-home care is rising fast, but when operators also need stronger systems than ever to navigate staffing, compliance, referral relationships and consistent execution.“Our mission is simple: to provide quality, compassionate care and give our franchisees the tools they need to build a successful business,” Deak said. “We’re looking for owners who have a passion for helping people and want to make a real difference in their communities.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/home-halo">https://1851franchise.com/home-halo</a>.

Home Halo pairs founder-led operating experience with a mission-driven model, giving owners a structured, scalable way to meet rising demand for in-home senior care.

Why Home Halo’s In-Home Care Franchise Opportunity Is Built for This Moment in the $900 Billion Senior Care Industry 

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How Home Halo Is Using Clinical Expertise to Set a New Standard in Senior Care

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