Inspired by their cultural background and family experiences, Amol Kanitkar and his wife, Janhavi, will open Seniors Helping Seniors® to serve Irvine and Newport Beach, California. 

Growing up in extended families in India, where caring for elders was not only a tradition but a cherished part of life, the Kanitkars developed a deep respect for seniors and an understanding of the importance of dignified support as people age. Today, they’re drawing on those values to serve families who want to keep loved ones comfortable, safe and connected at home.

As Amol and Janhavi aim to grow their business, they’re focused on maintaining the high standards of care that allow clients to maintain their independence and quality of life at home. Driven by the desire to make a lasting impact, the Kanitkars look forward to delivering trusted, compassionate care that honors the dignity of seniors across their community.

1851 spoke with the couple to learn more about their story, their journey to Seniors Helping Seniors® and their 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?

Amol Kanitkar: I am a Software Engineering Manager at Amazon and have been in the IT industry for over 25 years. I always felt that I wanted to do something on my own and wanted to get started doing a business. But we didn’t want to just do a business, we wanted to do something meaningful that made sense. Something that not only is good from a business standpoint, but also gives us an opportunity to make a positive difference in our community. That is when we started looking at things we could do. 

We both come from India and when we grew up, there was a big emphasis on joint families. People live with their parents and their grandparents when they grow up. We both took care of them growing up. Grandparents weren’t living alone; we were living with them. Even now, my father lives with us; he recently moved from India. He is showing early signs of dementia, and we see the challenges already.

Janhavi Kanitkar: I’ve been a homemaker for the past 20 years, raising our two daughters. Now that they are older and ready to leave the house, we wanted to do something meaningful that would keep us busy.Growing up, I lived with my grandparents as part of a joint family and they played a big part in molding my childhood. So, it was very fulfilling later in life when I helped take care of them as they aged. Hence, a senior care business like Seniors Helping Seniors® made a lot of sense to us. 

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?

Amol: Neither of us has had prior experience running a business. Franchising appealed to us as it has a model and a system in place that we can follow. Other franchise owners can be support groups for us and help us through the process. We are not on our own. We have a system in place that we can leverage — it gets us off the ground running, and we can start making progress earlier. We don’t have to learn it all by ourselves.

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

Amol: The business model really appealed to us, making a positive difference in the community. Secondly, we were very excited about hiring seniors to help other seniors. It's a simple idea but not a lot of home care agencies focus on it. I thought it was brilliant. There is a need for seniors who are looking for part-time work and want to help, and there are other seniors who are in need of help, so having them team up is mutually rewarding. As we met a lot of the leadership team, all the folks who were part of it, it gave us more confidence — their heart is in the right place.

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

Amol: Long-term, we want to be the number one home care agency in our region. But, it is not just about being the largest either; we want to make a lasting positive impact in our community.

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

Janhavi: I lived with my grandparents for a few years of my education, and my grandfather had a fall and needed help in order to do his daily activities. My grandmother was also aging at the time, and I helped her quite a bit, but it was clear that we needed more help. We started looking at agencies, and at that time, there were not that many. At the same time, we found somebody very skilled, and we saw how much of a difference it made. That left a really lasting impression on my mind. Children are well-meaning, but they have their own families and priorities, so it makes it hard to always be there for their parents. They need help.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Amol: You have to have a clear idea of what kind of business you want to do. If your passion aligns with the business, you will have a better chance of success. What is your end goal? Is it just about making money or do you want to make a positive difference? Is it something you want to do long-term? Those are the questions you want to ask. Also, you should absolutely talk to other franchise owners to understand the highs and lows of the business. 

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.