Dan and Liz Rosenbaum have spent their lives in the service of others. From high school sweethearts to community advocates, their careers have spanned military service, education, public health and policy. Now, they’re bringing that same dedication to rural Colorado with the launch of their Seniors Helping Seniors® Fountain-Pueblo franchise. With a shared passion for servant leadership and a deep understanding of the gaps in local health care services, the Rosenbaums are building a business that delivers meaningful support to older adults who want to age in place — with care, dignity and friendship.

Their new venture addresses a critical need in what is often referred to as a "healthcare desert" — areas where access to reliable in-home care is scarce or nonexistent. In communities across El Paso, Pueblo and Fremont counties, seniors face isolation and limited resources, especially when it comes to day-to-day care that helps them remain independent at home. The Rosenbaums’ Seniors Helping Seniors® franchise aims to change this by creating a compassionate peer-to-peer care network which not only supports aging adults but also empowers active seniors to give back by becoming caregivers themselves. With a focus on relationship-building, personalized service and creating meaningful community connections, the Rosenbaums are not just filling a gap — they’re creating a much-needed lifeline.

1851 Franchise spoke with Liz to learn more about the couples’ backgrounds, what drew them to the franchise and their plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Liz Rosenbaum: We’re a husband-and-wife team with over 30 years of combined business experience and a lifelong commitment to service. Both originally from Iowa, we met in high school at 17 and have been married for 30 years. As servant leaders, we’re dedicated to fostering a supportive, purpose-driven workplace and believe in leading by example. Our family — including our two adult children — has always been focused on serving others and contributing to the greater good.

Before opening Seniors Helping Seniors® in the Fountain-Pueblo area, Dan spent 30 years in the defense sector, including active duty in the U.S. Army, as a DoD civilian, and as a contractor. "Mission First and Always" is more than a motto — it’s how he operates.

My own career has included roles as a CNA, high school social studies teacher, restaurant owner (HerStory Cafe, celebrating women in history), and co-founder/director of a water coalition addressing PFAS contamination. I’ve worked with the EPA and Colorado lawmakers to help pass seven pieces of legislation, served on a Citizens Advisory Panel, and represented our community at the National PFAS Conference. 

Most recently, as a health insurance broker, I’ve spoken with hundreds of local residents and seen firsthand the urgent need for more accessible healthcare in our area.

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?

Liz: We’ve owned other businesses we have started from scratch, and owning a franchise like this offered so much positive support. Everything that we struggled with in owning a restaurant for eight years, for example, was easier with a franchise. We were able to get a business loan easier. The amount of data collection is really incredible. It also provides an extra source of income for people, which is needed in our community.

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

Liz: We've seen firsthand how hard it is to find reliable in-home care for aging loved ones, especially in rural areas. Our own parents live out of state and face challenges accessing the kind of support they need to remain independent — and we’re not always able to help directly.

Colorado is the second-fastest aging state in the nation, and there’s a growing need for compassionate, accessible senior care. Seniors Helping Seniors® offers a unique peer-to-peer model that taps into the strength of active older adults who want to give back, stay engaged, and earn income while helping others. This approach creates meaningful, empathetic relationships that feel more like extended family — and that aligns perfectly with our servant leadership values.

With Seniors Helping Seniors®, we saw the opportunity to invest in a proven business model that fills a critical gap in our community, provides income for us and others, and gives us a way to make a difference — even if we can’t directly support our own loved ones.

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

Liz: Our primary goal is to create a solution for people so they can age in place longer with compassionate caregivers that are like their friends. It will be more active seniors caring for older seniors.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Liz: The majority of our area is a health care desert. Many communities in our territory, for example, have no hospitals or doctor offices. We will be the only care provider organization with a Class A license, where we can hire nurses and CNAs to do skilled health care services. That is very unique. We can offer both medical and non-medical care. We offer a wide array of services designed to support seniors in every stage of aging. Our non-medical offerings include homemaker and companion services such as meal preparation and clean-up, light housekeeping, games and crafts, shopping and errands, light handyman and yard work, transportation to appointments, medication reminders, and pet care. We also provide personal care and specialized support for age-related illnesses like dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes, as well as palliative care for chronic and terminal conditions such as COPD, liver and kidney disease, asthma, and more. And through our Colorado Class A Medical License, we also offer skilled health care services.

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

Liz: We really spent a lot of time researching and interviewing different franchises. Dan and I did a really good job being very thorough in what we were doing. This is a good point in our life when we are ready to do it, our kids are older and it’s a nice time to start something new to solve a problem in our community. This will be fun!

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 moving to the U.S. in 1995 and marrying 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 home care 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 400 territories nationwide and over 200 franchise partners in 37 states. For more information on Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care, visit https://seniorshelpingseniors.com/.