Home Care Strategy Lab

#60 Amy Pierce spent more than 20 years as a nurse and saw firsthand how fragmented healthcare makes it incredibly difficult—especially for older adults—to navigate. In 2018, she and her husband Scott set out to fix that. They started with nurse-led care management, quickly growing to ~10 clients before expanding the team—and within just six months realized they needed to bring caregiving in-house to control quality and outcomes. About 1–2 years later, they added clinical oversight so they could handle situations like a 4pm Friday change in condition without sending clients to the ER.Fast forward 8 years, Coastal Care Partners has grown to 340+ employees and become the largest single-site home care company in Georgia, with an integrated team that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and therapists—even operating multiple primary care practices and specialty services. Their caregivers go through a 100-hour internal training program, reinforcing their reputation as “elite” providers in their market. Amy shares how they built this model step-by-step—“building the airplane while flying it”—why hiring and communication are everything, and how integration allows them to manage rising conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s, and heart disease more effectively at home. She also breaks down the operational lessons, leadership challenges, and why she believes integrated care is the future of aging services.Show Notes:Amy Pierce on LinkedInCoastal Care PartnersBook: The Aging Care Blueprint for Families by Amy PierceEOS—Entrepreneurial Operating System for businesses Sponsors:Mertz Taggart—Value Accelerator Program

#59 Scott Pierce didn’t come from home care—he came from broadcasting and healthcare software. But after navigating his parents’ complex health needs, he and his wife Amy built something entirely different in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years later, Coastal Care Partners is doing nearly $13M in revenue and 7,000 hours of care per week—all from a single location.Scott breaks down some of the unconventional decisions behind their growth:Why he focused on hours and Google reviews—not margins or EBITDAHow staying 100% private pay shaped their modelThe early bets on caregiver pay, training, and infrastructureLessons from distractions, failed ideas, and scaling without outside capitalAnd why most agencies stay stuck—and what it actually takes to break throughScott Pierce on LinkedInCoastal Care PartnersBook: The Aging Care Blueprint for Families by Amy PierceBook: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

#58 His father founded the first home care company in Connecticut in 1985. After leaving to pursue a career in finance and private equity, Conant rejoined the family business in 2018. What he walked into? Whiteboards, minimal systems, and plenty of opportunity. In less than eight years, he’s helped 4x the business, driven by thoughtful change management, stronger office staff, and continuous process improvement. Conant breaks down how he hires and develops his office team, how they approach micro vs. macro SOP changes, and why regularly visiting other home care operators has been a game-changer for challenging his thinking and bringing fresh ideas back to the business. Conant SchoenlyCharter Oak Home Care Sponsors:Phoebe

#57 The federal government invested $500 million to understand why seniors are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days—and uncovered six key “preventable” gaps driving the problem. Ethan Guerrieri, VP of Operations at Preferred Care at Home, breaks down the research, explains each gap, and shares how his team turned these insights into their Smooth Transition Care Program. Designed for hospitals and SNFs, this evidence-based approach equips case managers and discharge planners with the tools and education they need to reduce readmissions—and shows why home care is the missing link in keeping clients safely at home.Ethan GuerrieriPreferred Care at HomeSmooth Transition Care BROCHURESmooth Transition Care FLYERSmooth Transition Care PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD Sponsors:GUIDE-Ready Respite Provider Program (Debbie Miller + Harmonic Health)CMS GUIDE Participant List (spreadsheet download)

#56 From 110,713 caregiver applicants, 76% of those hired live less than 20 miles from the center of an agency’s service area. Location, hours, and pay are a few of the most important things applicants care about according to Jen Waldron, Co-Founder of Augusta. Every quarter, Augusta publishes the Recruitment Benchmark Report that details top recruitment channels, interview preferences, time-to-hire stats, previous caregiving experience, and top benefits applicants are looking for. Jen shares data and insights she’s gleaned having seen nearly 1 million caregiver applications over the years—the results are simple, yet staggering.  Jen WaldronAugusta - Home Care Recruitment Operating Solution Augusta Q4 2025 Caregiver Recruitment Benchmark Report Sponsors:Mertz Taggart—check out their Value Accelerator ProgramPocketRN—team up with a GUIDE partner 

#55 Adding virtual assistants hasn’t just been a cost-strategy, it’s become a growth strategy for CareAdvantage. EVP Olivia Jones shares how initial skepticism gave way to a fully integrated model supporting both recruiting and on-call operations. Today, a team of 6 VAs drives the top of the recruiting funnel—each completing ~220 calls per week and collectively bringing in 40+ new caregivers weekly, while also placing dozens into their new caregiver training program. Olivia explains down how they hire, onboard, and train VAs like any other team member, and why that’s critical to success. She also unpacks how they’re unraveling a 30+ person, reactive on-call model with a proactive, live-answer approach that improves both cost and quality. The integration of VAs is creating a new hybrid operating model that’s helping CareAdvantage cut costs, improve quality, and increase accessibility. Olivia JonesCareAdvantageHelper Heroes - Home Care VAs / mention the Lab Sponsor:Phoebe—mention LAB for 10% off

#54 So you joined the GUIDE Program…but referrals aren’t coming in like you expected. Now what? That’s exactly where Debbie Miller—Owner of Senior Helpers Nashville and Founder of 52 Weeks Marketing—found herself. Instead of waiting, she got to work.After running into gaps during implementation, Debbie didn’t just “figure it out”—she built a complete system around GUIDE:A step-by-step process to train her teamA way to onboard and track every referralProven marketing to sell GUIDE to current clients, referral partners, and new familiesOngoing coaching and supportShe partnered with Harmonic Health to bring it all together—and the results speak for themselves: 1) over $500K generated (and climbing toward $1M) from GUIDE clients and 2) significant additional revenue from added hours. Debbie calls GUIDE “the best thing to hit home care in 20 years”—but only for providers who take action.If you’re sitting on GUIDE and waiting for it to work… this is what it actually looks like to make it work.Debbie Miller on LinkedInSIGN UP HERE for GUIDE-Ready Respite Provider ProgramPodcast slide deck52 Weeks Marketing—turnkey home care sales systemHelper Heroes—home care trained virtual assistants  Sponsors:Acrisure—mention the 'LAB'

#53 “Care managers turn chaos into clarity—bridging what families want with what their loved ones truly need.” Steve Barlam, a 40+ year geriatric care management leader, former ALCA president, and CEO of JFS Care, shares lessons from building one of the most integrated care management–led home care models in the country. He breaks down the critical differences between home care management and aging life care management, and why clarity in terminology and scope are essential for both families and providers. We unpack the business realities of adding care management—from recruiting the right talent to navigating pricing, market demand, and referral dynamics. Steve also explains how care management can both drive home care growth and coexist with external partners when done thoughtfully. He offers a forward-looking perspective on the industry, adapting to technology, coaching families, and the urgent need to scale care management to meet the growing demand.Steve Barlam on LinkedInJFS Care Thoughtful Engagement ProgramALCA—Aging Life Care Association Care Management Certification bodies:NACCM CCMC NASW Sponsors:Phoebe—mention 'LAB' for 10% off

#52 What began as a personal mission to find young, hip caregivers for her aunt quickly turned into a business opportunity—and eventually the founding of Halcyon Home, now the 4th largest woman-owned business based in Austin, TX. CEO Amy Sweet shares how her clinical background as a physician assistant led her to quickly add geriatric care management, home health, and hospice to her home care company—and what she learned navigating the complex Texas licensing process. She discusses the leadership challenges of scaling multiple service lines, hiring the right people to grow each department, and communicating how home care, home health, and hospice work together both internally and externally. Today, Halcyon provides thousands of visits every day and employs nearly 1,000 people across its services. Amy also shares her long-term vision of building an intergenerational community where seniors, students, and children thrive together.Amy Sweet on LinkedInHalcyon Home Sponsors:PocketRN

#51 Jenny Johnson was an ICU nurse when a traumatic health crisis in her family changed the course of her career. After discovering private in-home nursing care, she decided to launch her own home care company, Heart of Gold Nursing. Jenny shares the leadership lessons she learned transitioning from hospital culture to running a home care business—building strong communication systems, prioritizing high-need clients, empowering her office team to make decisions, and creating growth opportunities for caregivers. She also explains how adding care management became a game-changing service line, helping her team address both the task-based needs of clients and the bigger clinical picture families struggle to navigate. She’s just a few years into her journey and she’s building an inspiring nurse-led model of care with a story and success everyone can learn something from. Jenny Johnson on [email protected] Heart of Gold Nursing  Sponsors:Mertz Taggart

#50 Indiana switched its Medicaid home care system to Managed Care in 2024—and two years later, many providers say the transition is still a “hot mess,” to put it mildly. Christian Sullivan, an office manager at one of Altra Home Care’s four Indiana locations, shares what it’s really been like on the ground: navigating new MCO relationships, managing operational complexity, supporting clients stuck on long waiting lists, and what this shift could mean long term. Relevant for any home care operator—but especially those serving Medicaid or operating in managed care states.Christian Sullivan on [email protected] Altra Home Care Sponsors:Helper HeroesPocketRN 

#49 Every home care business will go through a transition at some point in time via buy, sell, or exit. Cory Mertz, Managing Partner at Mertz Taggart shares why owners often overestimate “the multiple” and underestimate risk, and how factors like reimbursement exposure, transition planning, and management depth quietly drive value. We talk about common blind spots in profitable agencies, why highly unique businesses aren’t always the most attractive acquisition targets, and how buyers are thinking differently today than they were a few years ago. Cory also opens up about the emotional side of selling, the life events that change an owner’s timeline, and what transition risk really looks like before, during, and after a sale. Cory Mertz on [email protected] TaggartValue Acceleration Program Sponsors:PocketRNPhoebe

#48 You’ve probably heard about the Medicare GUIDE program—but you may still be wondering: Is my agency a fit? And how do we actually participate? PocketRN Co-Founder and CEO Jenna Morgenstern-Gaines delivers one of the clearest breakdowns I’ve heard on how GUIDE really works. We unpack the program model, the difference between participants and partner organizations, patient eligibility and enrollment, what services are actually included, and how home care agencies can use GUIDE to strengthen and differentiate their dementia care. If dementia is part of your caseload, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss. GUIDE isn’t just another program—it’s an early signal of where dementia care, reimbursement, and home care integration are heading.PocketRNPocketRN + Medicare Guide ProgramJenna [email protected]  Sponsors:Helper Heroes - high-quality virtual assistants that know home careMertz Taggart - the leading home care M&A firm advising sellers at every stage

#47 If you’re building a strong culture, social media is easy. If you’re not, social media feels impossible—and most leaders opt out. Nick Bonitatibus breaks down how home care leaders should actually be using social platforms: not as a sales channel, but as a weekly business tool. We talk about what content really performs right now, why raw posts build more trust than polished ones, how to attract referrals and talent, and what real relationship-building looks (and it’s not cold DMs). We talk about how to translate visibility and credibility into real business outcomes—tune in. Nick Bonitatibus on LinkedInDigital ChampsVideo Sales Accelerator Sponsors:Acrisure

#46 There’s more to private pay rates than most people think. Jesse Walters, CEO of Hillendale Home Care, shares what it’s like to operate as both a low-cost provider and a premium provider—and the challenges that come with each. Jesse walks through acquiring Hillendale, scaling the business by 600% in just three years, and how pricing decisions impacted competition, staffing, and continuity of care along the way. He also discusses opening multiple de novo offices in his California market—by the way, de novo means starting from the beginning—and what that taught him about rates as a long-term strategy, not just a short-term revenue lever.Jesse Walters on [email protected]://hillendalehomecare.com/ About HillendaleHillendale Home Care provides trusted, relationship-based in-home care for older adults throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, serving Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties. The agency offers personalized support designed to help seniors live safely and comfortably at home, including companionship, personal care, dementia care, and assistance with daily living. Hillendale is known for its thoughtful caregiver matching, high standards of care, and deep commitment to the local communities it serves. Sponsors:Phoebe.workMertzTaggart.com 

#45 In the past 6-12 months, AI has gone from interesting and useful to reliable and effective. Dave Dworschak from Phoebe explains what that actually means for operators. It’s not a replacement for people, but a teammate that takes repetitive work off administrator’s plates. Dave breaks down three real scheduling workflows where AI is already being used today: last-minute call-out outreach, proactive shift confirmation, and missed clock-in and clock-out cleanup. Tasks that used to take schedulers 1.5 to 2 hours are now being handled in under 15 minutes. We focus on how agencies can integrate AI into their existing systems, workflows, and culture to reduce constraints, protect revenue, and give teams their time back without adding headcount.Dave Dworschak on [email protected] PhoebeHow Phoebe cut down missed shifts by 75%  If you're interested in learning more about Lab Partners—email me at [email protected]. 

#44 Nick Provost started in home care as a teenager at his family’s business and has now spent his entire adult life working his way up in home care, eventually stepping into his current leadership role at Gratitude Homecare in New Jersey. The core of his care philosophy is: every family should look back and say working with us was “the best money we ever spent.” We dig into the reality of private-pay business development in home care and the two hats every great BD leader must wear: building referral relationships and converting those referrals into clients. Nick had no formal sales training, but he explains how active listening, being a true resource, and deep industry knowledge have helped him thrive in a highly competitive market. He breaks down what’s working with his top referral accounts, how he asks for and earns business, and the feedback loops that keep referrals coming back consistently.Nick Provost on [email protected] Gratitude Homecare Sponsors:Mertz TaggartHelper Heroes

#43 - He’s scaled Sunny Days In-Home Care to more than 37,000 hours of care each week across five offices through a mix of organic growth and acquisitions. In this episode, CEO John Bennett breaks down exactly how he’s centralized his back office, structured his org chart, and defined a clear set of North Star KPIs. He shares why hours—not revenue—drive alignment across the organization, how shift coverage acts as a real-time pulse check on culture, and how RACI thinking brings clarity as teams grow. John also walks through the challenge of getting buy-in during periods of change, especially when roles evolve and specialization increases. And he shares the teams' simple but powerful focus: maximizing the “hours of good” they delivers to individuals and families who need care most.John Bennett on [email protected] Sunny Days In-home Care Sponsors:Mert TaggartPhoebe—10% off, mention the Lab

#42 He grew the business impressively for five years, exited daily operations, and then things didn’t go as planned. Justin Currie, CEO of Thema Home Care opens up about what happened after he stepped away, the people and process issues he discovered, and how he ultimately tuned the business around. He gets detailed and prescriptive on people in the wrong seats, processes not being followed, hard decisions and conversations he had to have, and the results of re-engaging in daily operations. He also shares an exciting update about partnering with the American Health at Home fund to expand his business and open new doors for accelerated growth. Justin Currie on [email protected] Home CareAmerican Health at Home Sponsors:Helper Heroes—virtual assistants trained for home care operationsPhoebe—AI scheduling assistant for call-out coverage, shift confirmation, clock in/out reminders, and more

#41 Lawyers. Home Care. California. Need we say more… I sat down with Angelo Spinola, ‘the lawyer of home care’, shareholder at Poslinelli, and one of his clients, Yazmin Hamilton, VP of Compliance at industry giant, 24 Hour Home Care. Angelo talks about audit pitfalls, misunderstood regulations, when to bring in outside counsel, and how to be proactive before it’s too late. Yazmin breaks down her 20-person compliance team, what they’re focused on, how they operate, and lessons learned scaling across states, services, and payor sources. These two keep what could be a dry legal episode, fresh with stories and frameworks applicable to any home care business.  Angelo Spinola on LinkedInPolsinelli: Home Health, Home Care & HospicePOSH: Polsinelli Online Solutions for Home CareYazmin Hamilton on LinkedIn24 Hour Home Care Sponsors:Phoebe—AI assistant for scheduling communicationAcrisure—leading insurance broker for home care

#40 A $5M home care company can have upwards of 300-500 communication touch points in a single day. It’s not uncommon for an agency to be using 8-12 tech tools and for caregivers to interphase with 3-5 every week. Technology often feels like the root of many issues, even turnover, but often times it’s actually the integration and implementation of these tools. Denise DiSano, the Founder and CEO of enCappture breaks down her 3 C’s framework to analyze and improve your tech selection, adoption, and consolidation. Denise DiSano on [email protected] websitePDF: Caregiver Retention Day 1 Checklist Sponsors:Helper HeroesSmartAutomations.Care

#39 Melissa Morante didn’t come from home care—she came from New York PR—but since joining her family’s agency in 2016, she’s become one of South Florida’s go-to experts on Parkinson’s and chronic illness care. In this episode, she shares how that deep dive into Parkinson’s led to her building a network of support groups that now serve hundreds of families looking for education, community, and relief from caregiver burnout. We talk about what it really takes to run effective support groups, why consistency matters more than structure, where she hosts these groups, and how these gatherings have become one of the agency’s most meaningful differentiators. Melissa also opens up about the challenges and the opportunities ahead as they expand into other chronic illnesses and community partnerships. Melissa Morante on LinkedInComForCare Palm BeachAmerican Parkinson’s Disease Association (APDA)Parkinson’s FoundationMichael J Fox FoundationPMD Alliance Episode brought to you by:SmartAutomations.Care smartautomations.careHelper Heroes helperheroes.com

Live @ HCAOA—20-minute conversation with Clayton Foutch, CEO of Home Matters CaregivingClayton Foutch on LinkedInHome Matters CaregivingHome Matters started as a family business in 2007, franchised in 2020, and now has 39 locations nationwide.Built on a nurse-guided, innovation-focused model shaped by Clayton’s engineering background.Traditional care mainly serves the top 5% who can afford $10–30K/month, leaving a huge access and labor gap.The team has reviewed ~40 emerging technologies and formally tested several to close these gaps.Passive tech matters most—anything clients must wear, charge, or interact with quickly fails.Sensi leads in audio-based passive monitoring, but roughly 25% of clients still resist it.Operators must shift from reactive to proactive care models using tech to prevent incidents.Agencies can partner with discharge planners by offering tech-forward solutions for families who can’t afford full-time care, proving value through metrics like readmissions.Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

Live @ HCAOA—20-minute conversation with Michelle Cone, SVP of Industry Engagement at HomeWell Franchising, Inc.Michelle Cone on LinkedInHomeWell Franchising The investment that’s paid off in home care: 1) learning to lead with patience and 2) learning to play the long gameLeading with patience:Don’t scrap ideas or initiatives after a matter of weeks, give important things more timeMeasure everything and make decisions off of quantity and quality Find mentors who embody patience and shadow themHome care is reactive and we want to solve problems quickly, but give yourself time and space to think, reflect, and process issues accordingly Systematize ‘how you process’ as a leader, so you can improve over timePlaying the long game:In sales: building relationships, processes, and trust that lastsIn operations: short term goals, long term initiatives, and both require clear expectations and a plan of executionPut in place: monthly, quarterly, annual, and 5-year goalsMichelle’s personal mission: educating anyone and everyone on the impact and benefit of home careThe time is now for home care—we’ve put in the work, time to double down on what’s working.Keeping an eye on CMS Guide Program in 2026. Partnered with PocketRN with a focus on reducing hospital readmissions.The 3-legged stool: non-medical, skilled, hospice > personal care pulling apart from companionship, palliative care taking on a bigger role > the nature and structure of home care is shifting Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

Live at HCAOA—30-minute conversation with Stephen Tweed, Founder/CEO of Leading Home CareHighlightsStephen Tweed on LinkedInleadinghomecare.comHome Care CEO ForumThe big metric: Hours per week = the currency of home careLesson common but more important: Hours per client per week = the health of the businessIt indicates:Where clients are coming fromWhich referrals give the longest hour clients Which referrals and clients have the longest length of stay and LTVHours per client per week + length of stay = $ value of the clientNext comes: Hours per caregiver per week3 types of caregivers: professional caregivers (40-60/hrs a week), half-time professional caregivers (20-30 hours a week), part-time intermittent caregivers (come and go) 4 levels of your ‘data stream’Level 1: raw dataLevel 2: information Level 3: knowledge Level 4: wisdom Clients and families want 2 things: reliability and continuityClients go through ‘5 phases of flow’: Phase 1: attractionPhase 2: conversionPhase 3: staffingPhase 4: caregiving Phase 5: collections 2026 Future of Home Care StudySystem = process + peopleIf you do a task weekly in your business, you need to systematize it. Applying AI: the task, the internal systems, and the competitive ecosystem (differentiation) 

#38 Most home care agencies talk about “differentiation,” but the Supported Living Group in Connecticut is actually doing it. In this episode, Executive Director Jamie Arber breaks down how his team built a high-acuity, high-retention brain-injury program anchored by Medicaid waivers (ABI), brick-and-mortar program sites, creative arts and vocational services, and an in-house clinical team. He explains the financial model (including $60K–$350K waiver budgets), how programs extend client lifetime value, and why specialization protects margins. Jamie also shares what Medicaid waiver work really requires—operational sophistication, rapid responsiveness, the ability to bolt on profitable private-pay and workers’ comp layers and more. Jamie Arber on [email protected] Supported Living Group ABI Waiver Program in CT Sponsors:Acrisure / midwest.acrisure.com/home-careSmartAutomations.Care 

Live at HCAOA—15 minute conversation with Jenny Cambra, CEO of Senior Helpers HonoluluHighlights:Jenny’s hospitality background and personal family experience with dementia care led her into home care.She sees strong overlap between hospitality and home care—both people-centered service industries.She went to nursing school to better understand and support her caregivers.Early growth came quickly: a referral on day two and she hired 12 caregivers ahead of demand.Her philosophy: don’t overthink it—listen to what families say they need.Hawaii’s high cost of care requires transparency; she openly explains why they aren’t the cheapest.Their pricing reflects strong caregiver investment: fair wages, 401(k), recognition, training, and a real career path.They emphasize that the agency carries the liability—something families often don’t see.Goal: keep clients safe at home with the right tools, hours, and support.They now recommend an 8-hour/week minimum and do 90-day reassessments to track changes in condition.Close collaboration with DME companies helps maintain safety in the home.Aiming for CHAP certification in 2026 to validate their patient-centered [email protected] Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

Live at HCAOA—45 minute conversation with Carmen Perry, the VP of Provider Engagement @ ParadigmHighlights:Carmen started in skilled nursing, where she saw how many seniors wanted to stay home but couldn’t afford care—driving her to learn funding options like Aid & Attendance.Veterans often distrust the VA due to past inconsistencies; bringing in TriWest and Optum improved operations and triggered an influx of providers.Many markets are now oversaturated, but veterans still have choice—agencies can find and enroll veterans directly, even in “closed” states like CA and TX where rural gaps still exist.Biggest myth: getting credentialed brings instant referrals. Reality: you earn growth through excellent care and strong relationships with case managers.Success depends on communication, advocacy, and becoming the local expert—engage with VFW posts, American Legion, and Wounded Warrior groups.Credentialing varies widely by state and timeline; you need proper licensing, NPI, compliance, and patience.First referrals are high-stakes: follow VA rules (no OT, no holiday pay, correct billing cycles) to avoid risking credentialing.Nationwide, VA hours and authorizations are tightening; incomplete caregiver notes can result in lost hours because case managers lack context.Providers must tell the full story in documentation and prepare for stricter screening and re-credentialing processes that are popping up at more and more VA offices. Paradigmseniors.com / vault.paradigmseniors.com National Aging in Place Council: https://ageinplace.org/ Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

#37 42% of Direct Care Workers rely on public health coverage and on average only 32% of agencies doing $1.6-4.9M in annual revenue are offering major medical. Joseph Kitonga, CEO of Vitable, breaks down what small, medium, and large agencies need to know about ACA compliance, nuances for part-time and FTEs, major medical plan options, and other advice and warnings when it comes to offer major medical. (See the chapter highlights below to skip to the content relevant to your size.) Joseph Kitonga on [email protected] Vitablehealth.comPHI: Direct Care Workers in the USActivated Insights Benchmarking—pg. 83Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Home Care and Health Insurance06:09 Joseph's Journey and Founding Vitable Health15:23 Common Misunderstandings in Health Insurance for Home Care20:50 Exploring Health Insurance Options for Home Care Agencies27:41 Understanding ACA Compliance and Employee Classification30:40 Strategies for Small Home Care Agencies38:51 Navigating Compliance for Mid-Sized Agencies44:58 Benefits and Challenges for Large Home Care Companies50:36 Preparing for Future Changes in Medicaid and Employee Needs Sponsors:SmartAutomations.Care 24/7 Solutions 247solutions.co

Live at HCAOA—20 minute conversation with Chaim Gewirtzman, CEO @ NCE Home CareHighlights: 00:00 Introduction to His Home Care Journey03:42 Relating to Caregivers: His Nursing Perspective06:42 Innovative Recruitment Strategies09:35 The Importance of Online Presence12:35 Social Media Investment and Strategy15:38 Employee Referral Programs with Personal Touch18:49 Valuing Caregivers Goes Beyond Monetary IncentivesSponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

Live from HCAOA—45 minute conversation with Connor Sweeney, Co-Founder at CallBaba.Com Highlights: His grandma’s stroke pulled him into caregiving with his mom and grandfather.He cloned her voice to create AI speech-therapy agents tailored to her needs.Fascinating stat: dementia rates are higher among people who are deaf.Baba is an AI companion for questions, prayer, conversation, emotional support, and care advocacy.Seniors and families can connect through Baba to a network of doctors, nurses, and doulas.Works on any phone—even landlines.A personalized “friend” that listens, remembers, and adapts.Common use cases: prayer, conversational role-play, Q&A, nudges, reminders.Care teams can get alerts when health concerns show up in conversations.Try it: text hi to 833-355-2676.Advocacy services are Medicare-covered for many conditions.Key partners include MIT economist Jonathan Gruber and Johns Hopkins physician Peter Abadir.Ongoing study tracking loneliness, anxiety, cortisol levels, and emergency call trends.Home care agencies are a key distribution path to get Baba into clients’ homes.35:38 Personal stories of reduced loneliness and meaningful emotional support.Organizational outcomes: lower loneliness, better retention, fewer readmissions.For Medicare-eligible seniors: access to a full-time advocate and 24/7 customizable support—lightening caregiver load.Contact: [email protected] or callbaba.com.Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

Live from HCAOA—15 minute conversation with Jennifer Axelrod, with A Place at HomeHighlights:Jennifer brings 3 years in home care and 15 years in franchising.She began as a franchise business coach at A Place at Home and now leads partnerships and national accounts.Home care is personal—her grandmother’s difficult Alzheimer’s journey shaped her “why.”Build a culture of recognition from day one, every day.Caregivers enter the field with purpose; they stay when they feel valued and supported.Tailor the interview and onboarding process to meet caregivers where they are.Learn their goals and create personalized career paths.Know caregivers personally and professionally; support whole-person wellbeing.As you scale, leverage tech to standardize training, recognition, check-ins, and feedback.Daily operations often push recognition aside—don't let it slip.Many agencies lack feedback loops to truly understand caregiver needs.Treat retention and recognition as a core operational pillar and document your process.Contact: [email protected]:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

#36 Too many home care leaders struggle to offer wages and benefits that truly support and retain their care staff. In this episode, Gabby Hoing, CEO of Kore Cares in South Dakota, breaks down her detailed wage, bonus, and benefits programs and explains why they work. She also shares how her office team conducts quarterly check-ins with every caregiver to gather feedback, understand their needs, and ensure meaningful support. It’s a highly informative and also inspiring conversation with a leader who started as a CNA and is now committed to elevating and supporting the people who care for our aging population.Gabby Hoing on LinkedInKore CaresWage & Bonus PDF Download Sponsors:Helper Heroes / helperheroes.com 24/7 Solutions / 247solutions.co

Live from HCAOA—20 minute conversation with Matt Ericksen, VP of Sales at Griswold Home Care Corporate Office in Blue Bell, PA. Highlights:He’s been in home care for 13, at Griswold for 5 yearsGriswold is 40 years in, founded by Jean Griswold, 230 locations in 32 statesHe got a history degree, but his wife urged him into health care scheduling, the rest is historyHome care has been his intersection for purpose, creativity, and coaching We have to do away with transactional caregiving, transactional schedulingWe have to pivot to solutions-based services and position it as such to familiesThe transition includes hourly care + remote monitoring to familiarize families with alternative, solutions-based services13:40 - Example: Parkinson’s CareA Parkinson's patient who avoids a serious fall or aspiration event might prevent 2-3 additional hospitalizations over the next 18 months.The ROI: One prevented hospitalization often cascades into preventing 2-4 more. That's $40,000-$140,000 in cumulative savings. That's when affordability flips from cost-center to investment.We have to communicate the story the numbers tell in a human-centered way that clients and families understandAgencies that are succeeding are nimble, adaptable, and solutions-focusedSponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

LIVE from HCAOA—45 minute conversation with Janice Rehkopf, Director of Client Services at Comfort Keepers in Traverse City, MI.Highlights:People are talking about aging soonerEvery family, every client, every caregiver has a unique set of needsPeople want solutions-based care, not just more hoursMany seniors don’t need a caregiver right away, some times technology or a supplemental solution can come first99% of homes have TVs in them 7/10 homes already have cameras in themThe HomeSight Wellness Hub connects to the TV, has 2-way communication, a privacy shutter, and loads of applications and tools to manage medication reminders, family video calls, caregiver training, office communication, personalized calendars and  more23:14 - Primary Use Case: Wellness Calls34:12 - HomeSight is saving client's livesThey created a blended care model which includes multiple solutions to meet the clients needs: i.e. nutritional support, meals, emergency response pendents, hourly care, the wellness hub, etc. Learn more about HomeSight or get in touch with Janice directly: [email protected] Sponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

LIVE from HCAOA—15 minute conversation with Carl Bossung, Co-Founder of Senior1Care in Indiana.Highlights:20 year family owned business, 6 offices, 600 employeesFormer leader in a CPA firm, grew it from 20 people to 6,000Got into home care for care for his mom and anticipating the demand of the baby boomer generationThe bought a CNA school, because whoever gets the best employees in a service business winsThe CNA school was winding down, they were already hiring out of the school, so they decided to buy it, 11 years agoTo date, since they took it over, they’ve trained 5,000 CNAs and hire about 15% of themThey’ve never made money on the school, but the small loss, is worth sourcing the talent The other 85% are going out and getting jobs, and it’s a great way to give back to the communityThe school has a 99% pass rateSenior1 sources many high school and college students out of the school, only challenge is many want fixed hour work weeksThere are 72 procedures for CNAs to learn, in the school they learn it in one weekThe investment hasn’t paid off, but it’s their recruiting engineThey’ll offer caregivers the option to get their CNA paid for if they work consistently, with no call-offs, for 3-6 monthsSponsors:Baba (callbaba.com): AI phone-based co-pilot for seniors to prevent loneliness, create support, and connect them with professionals Paradigm (paradigmseniors.com): Credentialing, billing automation, and revenue cycle management for VA and Medicaid paymentsHomeSight (vantiva.com/homesight): TV-based wellness hub for blended care—video visits, health monitoring, and daily reminders for the family and care team

#35 Technology is ending the era of dual-entry between phone calls and scheduling platforms in home care. Spencer joined the family-owned home care business three years ago and identified a handful of manual processes that needed attention immediately. Fast forward, he’s built a tool called SmartAutomations.Care that connects the phone system to your scheduling software and automates the documentation and communication of every single call that comes into the office so that nothing gets missed. He explains the workflows, the data that’s captured, success stories, and the results. This is the future of home care—removing dual entry, increasing efficiency, making office members 2-4x more efficient, and elevating the quality of care. Spencer Roth on LinkedInSpencer@smartautomations.careSmartAutomations.CareCypress Home Care SolutionsAirCall.io Sponsors:Acrisure midwest.acrisure.com/home-care24/7 Solutions 247solutions.co

#34 People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Jane Francis, EVP of Business Development at Senior1Care in Indiana, is newer to home care, but she brings deep experience in nursing, sales, leadership development, and scaling businesses. She took over a newly acquired, underperforming Medicaid office and transformed it into a 75% private pay operation, achieving 100% year-over-year growth. Along the way, she rebuilt the culture, redesigned processes with people at the center, and is now applying these strategies across six offices. Jane shares her process, the people who inspired her, and the decisions behind Senior1Care’s cultural turnaround, despite being an established successful company.Jane Francis on LinkedInSenior1Care Books: Leadership: Rocketfuel by Gino Wickman  Leadership: Mindset by Carol Dweck Sales: Sales Simplified by Mark Weinberg Marketing: Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan KimCulture: Culture Code by Daniel CoyleAging: Forever Young by Mark HymanChapters:00:00 Introduction to Jane Francis and Senior One Care01:51 Lessons Learned from a Diverse Career12:53 Joining Senior One Care: A New Chapter13:47 First 90 Days: Building Relationships and Trust18:32 Shifting the Business Model: From Medicaid to Private Pay22:49 Leadership and Culture: The Secret Sauce29:44 Operational Improvements: Structuring the Intake Call35:18 Re-structuring Office Roles and Responsibilities 40:57 Re-building a Strong Leadership Structure45:34 Focusing on People for Profits52:25 Creating a Growth Mindset Culture56:43 Navigating Change in Established Companies01:00:59 Innovating Home Care for Longevity01:03:20 Future Trends: Holistic Aging  Episode brought to you by:SmartAutomations.Care smartautomations.careHelper Heroes helperheroes.com

#33 Becky Reel is the former CEO of North America’s #1 home care agency and in this episode we unpack six of the most common growth challenges home care owners face—and how to overcome them. We talk through the pushing through revenue plateaus, the caregiver exodus, the burned-out founder, the corporate competition crisis, the success trap of growing too fast, and the work-life collision that happens when your agency becomes your identity. Becky shares real stories from her first hand-experience and  practical systems she’s used to help owners regain time, rebuild culture, and grow sustainably. Becky Reel on LinkedInreelhomecareconsulting.com Chapters:00:00 Introduction01:37 Becky's Journey in Home Care04:04 The Startup Phase of Home Care Agencies08:03 Addressing the Caregiver Exodus29:38 Overcoming Revenue Plateaus37:28 Balancing Quantitative and Qualitative KPIs40:36 Navigating Corporate Competition in Home Care52:36 The Success Trap: Growing Too Fast01:02:18 Work-Life Collision: Finding Your Identity Beyond the Agency Episode brought to you by SmartAutomations.Care (www.smartautomations.care)It's a seamless software that captures everything from phone calls to in-person visits and logs it directly into your scheduling software. No extra steps. No missed details.

#32 Eric Reinarman, VP of Government Relations at HCAOA, covers the most pressing policies being talked about on Capitol Hill. From immigration reform and workforce shortages to affordability of care and the controversial 80/20 Medicaid rule, he breaks down what’s happening in Washington and how it could reshape the industry. We also talk about the power of advocacy, why storytelling moves policy forward, and how every provider—big or small—can make their voice heard. Plus, he covers a major win with the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act and shares practical ways to stay informed and involved at the state and federal level.Eric Reinarman on [email protected] Issues and PoliciesHCAOA State ChaptersState & Federal Legislative and Regulatory TrackerChapters:00:00 Introduction to Home Care Advocacy03:04 The Immigration Challenge in Home Care06:10 Advocacy and Legislative Efforts08:58 The Importance of Storytelling in Immigration11:58 The Affordability of Home Care17:03 Innovative Solutions for Affordability23:43 Current Legislative Landscape on Non-Competes29:41 Understanding Non-Compete Agreements in Home Care34:11 The Controversy of the 80-20 Rule39:39 Preparing for Potential Changes in Medicaid Regulations50:53 The Impact of the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act01:00:07 The Value of Advocacy and Association Membership This episode is brought to you by 24/7 Solutions (www.247solutions.co)What do they do:Consulting—1:1 tailored consulting from an expert team who's been in your shoesTraining—monthly training for your team on leadership, ownership and operationsPowerhouse Peers—accountability for staff with weekly KPI check-ins, expert coaching, peer collaboration, and a monthly audit

#31 Running a home care agency can feel like running a marathon—at a 7-minute mile pace, on a treadmill, underwater. Most owners are stuck because they fall into one of two traps: the “set it and forget it” manager who assumes vision is enough, or the “I’ll just do it myself” manager who can’t let go of control. Emily Isbell, CEO of 24/7 Solutions breaks down why both fail and what it takes to build a management culture that actually sustains growth. She explains how to apply the TTOE framework—Teach, Train, Observe, Evaluate—and implement real training, grounded processes, and meaningful KPIs. If you’re half leading and half managing, this conversation is especially for you. Emily Isbell on LinkedIn24/7 Solutions (www.247solutions.co) - Learn more and inquire about their services24/7 Solutions Summit (www.247solutions.co/247-solution-summit) - Hands-on intensive to learn and apply proven solutions for your business / Feb 5-6 in Nashville, TN24/7 Solution Book on Amazon (available everywhere)24/7 Solution Audible on Audible (available everywhere) This episode is brought to you by 24/7 Solutions (www.247solutions.co)What do they do:Consulting—1:1 tailored consulting from an expert team who's been in your shoesTraining—monthly training for your team on leadership, ownership and operationsPowerhouse Peers—accountability for staff with weekly KPI check-ins, expert coaching, peer collaboration, and a monthly audit

#30 Being an entrepreneur is full of unknowns and leadership can be lonely, challenging, and push you to your limits. The CEOs of AxisCare, Nevvon, and Caribou—three leading home care tech companies—share how they started their businesses, the frameworks they use to make tough decisions, the skills they’ve had to master, and how they’ve built moats around themselves in a competitive market. They also offer candid advice for home care leaders navigating their own entrepreneurial journey.Todd AllenJames CohenAlex OosterveenAxisCare—operational softwareNevvon—caregiver training platformCaribou—caregiver rewards and recognition toolBook: Give and Take by Adam GrantChapters:00:00 Introduction to Home Care Entrepreneurs02:08 Motivations Behind Starting a Business08:51 Embracing Pain and Discomfort in Entrepreneurship17:08 Navigating Change: Push Through vs. Pivot24:44 People Management: The Heart of Business34:35 Hiring for Culture vs. Skill39:39 Developing Hard Skills for Success40:33 Curiosity and Pattern Recognition in Business41:32 The Importance of Forecasting and Growth44:12 Navigating Financials and Corporate Governance48:31 Understanding the Moat Framework for Business Success55:26 Operational Excellence and Customer Retention01:00:16 Balancing Current Needs with Future Opportunities01:09:58 Entrepreneurial Advice for Home Care Leaders This episode is brought to you by 24/7 Solutions (www.247solutions.co)What do they do:Consulting—1:1 tailored consulting from an expert team who's been in your shoesTraining—monthly training for your team on leadership, ownership and operationsPowerhouse Peers—accountability for staff with weekly KPI check-ins, expert coaching, peer collaboration, and a monthly audit

#29 Jen Kulig, Director of Market Operations at Tribute Home Care, shares how a $32M agency hires and retains only the top 1% of caregiver applicants. She walks through their 7–10 day hiring process, driven by situational interviews that surface grit, empathy, and motivation, and explains why referrals make up 40% of new hires. Jen also highlights the Caregiver Excellence Department’s 90-day support program, quarterly awards, annual happiness surveys and the Everyone Out program. She also breaks down their Salary Program, Tribute Secure, that guarantees caregivers 30 or 40 hours per week. Jen Kulig on LinkedInTribute Home CareChapters: 00:00 Introduction to Tribute Home Care00:55 Jen Kulig's Journey in Home Care07:12 Overview of Tribute Home Care's Operations09:36 Caregiver-First Mentality at Scale10:05 Hiring Process and Recruitment Strategies18:17 Retention Strategies and Caregiver Excellence44:32 Innovative Retention Programs01:11:06 Future of Home Care and Workforce Challenges This episode is brought to you by The Home Care CPAs.Are you managing your bank account, or is it managing you? The Home Care CPAs specialize in helping home care agencies—from startups to $40 million businesses—optimize cash flow, streamline billing and payroll, and build scalable financial strategies. Whether you need full-service bookkeeping or expert coaching, their team ensures your finances are working for you, not against you.

#28 After two decades in the home care industry, Bob Roth found himself at a crossroads. Bob shares why he had to completely reimagine Cypress Home Care, from rebuilding operations post-Honor Care Network to transforming caregiver recruitment using machine learning and automation. He shares his candid take on today’s workforce challenges, the generational shifts shaping senior care, and why “home care is hard” but worth doing right. He opens up about the power of community partnerships, rewriting the narrative on aging, and the importance of self-care from his own lived experiences. Bob Roth on LinkedInCypress Home Care Solutions websiteBook: The Potentialist by Ben LytleBook: Ambiguous Loss by Pauline Boss Book: Negotiate This by Caring, But Not that Much by Herb CohenChapters: 00:00 Introduction to Home Care Strategy Lab00:55 Bob Roth's Journey into Home Care06:17 Reimagining Cypress: The Last 18 Months11:36 Challenges in Home Care Workforce17:13 Innovations in Home Care Services24:06 Changing Perceptions of Aging29:40 Rewriting the Narrative on Aging36:39 Community Engagement and Partnerships44:23 Building Awareness in Home Care48:44 Self-Care for Home Care Owners56:01 Advice to Younger Bob, Starting Out This episode is brought to you by AxisCare.Running a home care business is challenging enough—your software shouldn’t be part of the struggle. That’s why top-performing home care leaders and enterprise agencies choose AxisCare, rated the #1 home care operating system for the past two years. With powerful, scalable tools, best-in-class customer support, and a team that truly understands home care, AxisCare helps agencies streamline operations and scale with confidence.

#27 If you’re waiting hours (or worse, days) to follow up with caregiver applicants, you’re already losing the best talent. Louie Frank of Activated Insights breaks down why “24 minutes is the new 24 hours” when it comes to caregiver recruiting—and how agencies can fix mid-funnel drop-off before it costs them hires. You’ll learn how to audit your own application process, speed up first contact, and use culture as a conversion tool, not just a retention play. You’ll take away practical, data-backed steps to improve applicant-to-hire ratios and keep your pipeline moving.Louie Frank on [email protected] Insights Recruit Tool2025 Benchmarking ReportChapters:02:32 Understanding Workforce Analytics in Home Care08:21 Analyzing Turnover Rates and Their Implications12:33 The Importance of Culture and Mission Alignment16:42 Mid Funnel Challenges in Recruitment22:43 Effective Communication Strategies for Applicants23:29 Engaging Applicants Through Text Messaging30:27 Scheduling and Conducting Interviews36:30 Automating Background Checks and Metrics42:04 Qualitative vs Quantitative Hiring Metrics50:28 The Future of Recruitment in Home Care This episode is brought to you by 52 Weeks Marketing.80% of home care revenue is driven by referral marketing. Yet, less than 50% of home care businesses have a dedicated sales person focused on building relationships with referral partners. That’s where 52 Weeks Marketing comes in, providing a complete referral marketing system designed by Debbie Miller, who built a $10 million home care business in just 10 years. With done-for-you marketing tools, a healthcare referrer database, and a CRM to track results, 52 Weeks helps you build a scalable marketing engine that drives real, long-term growth.

#26 AI is transforming how home care agencies operate. Matt Ericksen, VP of Sales and Operations at Griswold, breaks down the exact AI tools, workflows, and formulas he’s using to reclaim hours, improve recruiting, and scale franchise operations. You’ll hear how he built a job ad grader that boosts hiring results, layered Microsoft Copilot across internal systems to save 17 hours a week, and created a compliance companion tool in under 30 minutes. Matt also shares the “Overall Productivity Index” formula for calculating AI ROI and the six-step anatomy of a winning prompt. If you’ve been tinkering with AI but aren’t sure how to make it stick, this episode is your blueprint for adoption and measurable results in home care.Matt Ericksen on LinkedInGriswold websitePractical AI podcastMatt’s AI preferred tools:Microsoft co-pilot - works best for those using the Microsoft business suitechatGPT - writing text, summarizing text, data analysis, simple tasks, and moreClaude - write, edit, finesse written copy, emails, etc. Decktopus - create presentationsReplit - easy to use AI app builderThe Anatomy of a Prompt:RoleTaskContextReasoningOutput / formatStop conditionsAI Overall Productivity Index (OPI):Overall Productivity Index = (Hours Reclaimed × Avg. Hourly Cost) − Weekly AI Tool CostChapters:02:46 Matt's Journey in Home Care05:46 The Impact of AI on Career Development08:58 First Aha Moment with AI12:04 AI Adoption in Home Care14:51 Essential AI Tools for Home Care17:52 Anatomy of Prompting in AI23:53 Overall Productivity Index (OPI) for AI Tools34:36 Understanding OPI and Its Importance37:12 The Role of Natural Language in AI37:52 Introducing the Job Ad Grader Tool44:20 Leveraging Microsoft Copilot for Internal Operations49:18 Creating Effective Meeting Summaries with AI51:48 Developing a Companion Tool for Compliance59:15 Future of AI in Home Care01:04:32 AI Experiment Challenge for Business Owners This episode is brought to you by The Home Care CPAs.Are you managing your bank account, or is it managing you? The Home Care CPAs specialize in helping home care agencies—from startups to $40 million businesses—optimize cash flow, streamline billing and payroll, and build scalable financial strategies. Whether you need full-service bookkeeping or expert coaching, their team ensures your finances are working for you, not against you.

#25 What if you could replace dozens of scattered hourly shifts with one scalable model inside an independent living community? In this episode, Rob Rister of HomeWell Care Services shares how he built his “Support On Site” program—turning caregiver shortages into retention wins, driving 45% margins, and embedding his agency in 10 communities across three states. He breaks down the numbers, the operations, and the technology (hello CINCH) that made it possible. Whether you’re frustrated with the limits of hourly care or curious about expanding into new markets, this is a blueprint for cracking the community care model.Rob Rister on LinkedInEmail: [email protected] HomeWell Care Services of Lexington, KYChapters: 00:00 Introduction to Home Well Care Services01:06 The Aha Moment: Transitioning Business Models10:31 Scaling the Community Care Model18:35 Understanding the Financials and Billing20:13 Building Relationships with Communities31:50 The Role of Caregivers in Community Care32:21 Finding the Right Caregivers37:09 Building a Career Path for Caregivers41:12 Innovative Scheduling and Technology in Care45:56 Client Retention and Referral Dynamics51:06 Navigating Community Relationships and Management Changes55:51 Current Operations and Future Growth Plans59:55 Identifying the Right Fit for Community Care This episode is brought to you by Caribou.Do you want to build a high-performing team through the power of recognition? Caribou helps home care agencies boost recruitment, retention, and performance by tapping into simple to use technology and powerful data to engage your care team in the behaviors that matter most to your business. With Caribou, you can build a culture of appreciation that keeps caregivers engaged, connected, and committed for years, not months.

#24 Wayne Morgan opens up about the persistence, mistakes, and lessons that finally got him in the door at Spaulding, the nation’s #2 rehab hospital. Alongside Breanne Muchemore, who led Spaulding’s care management team, they share what actually matters to hospital partners and why most agencies never make the cut. This is an inside look at the conversations, questions, and trust-building that turn ignored emails into a first-class referral relationship.Wayne Morgan on LinkedInAmada of Central NJ websiteBreanne Muchemore on LinkedIn‍Spaulding Rehabilitation Earns #2 Rank in U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals"Chapters:02:10 Wayne Morgan's Career Journey06:42 Breanne Muchemore's Background and Expertise10:00 Building Long-Term Relationships in Home Care11:18 Initial Approaches to Spalding Rehabilitation18:15 The Importance of Passion and Understanding21:39 Understanding Spalding's Patient Population23:18 Follow-Up Strategies After Initial Meetings29:19 Discovery Phase Insights from Breanne35:43 Key Questions for Building Relationships37:26 Understanding Managed Care Admissions42:46 Building Relationships with Referral Sources46:07 Addressing Social Determinants of Health50:31 Identifying Key Community Partners54:47 Maintaining Relationships for Continued Success01:06:18 Learning from Mistakes and Growth This episode is brought to you by AxisCare.Running a home care business is challenging enough—your software shouldn’t be part of the struggle. That’s why top-performing home care leaders and enterprise agencies choose AxisCare, rated the #1 home care operating system for the past two years. With powerful, scalable tools, best-in-class customer support, and a team that truly understands home care, AxisCare helps agencies streamline operations and scale with confidence.

#23 An unheard of home care success story—Reggie Mackey and his team have built Live Well Home Care to a projected $25M in annual revenue in just two and a half years. The company is 98% VA funded, works mostly in rural markets across 30 states, and credits its growth to one thing: customer service—taking care of people who take care of people. Reggie shares how they approach recruiting in hard-to-staff areas, why their branch managers are measured on more than just dollars, and their “old-school” methods that still work today. He also talks about their next chapter—helping other agencies with staffing and recruiting with Staff Well.Reggie Mackey on LinkedInLive Well Home Care websiteStaff Well—contact Reggie directly for more information Chapters:01:23 Reggie's Personal Journey and Background05:25 The Decision to Start LiveWell Home Care06:34 Building a Founding Team for Success09:25 Initial Vision and Early Challenges10:19 Early Growth and Client Acquisition13:15 Focus on VA Clients and Unique Approach16:39 Expanding into New Markets and States23:56 Surprises in New Markets and Business Model25:39 Business Structure and Branch Management28:33 Branch Manager Roles and Responsibilities32:34 Compensation Structure for Branch Managers34:44 Credentialing and Financial Management36:01 The Journey to Success: Overcoming Initial Hurdles37:35 Navigating Credentialing and Contracting Challenges38:38 Understanding Market Dynamics: Rural vs. Urban40:36 Organic Growth: Building a Profitable Business42:39 Simplicity in Home Care: Focusing on Core Functions46:26 Recruitment Strategies: Finding Talent in Rural Areas52:33 Staffing Challenges: The Never-Ending Rubik's Cube59:19 Customer Service: Taking Care of the Team01:03:35 Old School Methods in a New Age01:05:59 Doing Life Together: Building a Strong Team Culture01:08:09 Future Aspirations: Expanding and Supporting Others This episode is brought to you by Acrisure.90% of home care businesses are not properly insured for their operational needs—yet insurance is often overlooked or underappreciated until disaster strikes. Acrisure’s Home Care Practice Group specializes in insurance solutions designed to protect home care businesses from lawsuits, data breaches, employee injuries, and more. With expert home care guidance and comprehensive coverage, Acrisure helps you safeguard your business so you can focus on what you do best—providing great care.

#22 Clint Nobles has worked closely with upwards of thousands of home care leaders and in this episode we talk about leadership behaviors—particularly the bad ones. He shares things that he’s seen and experienced firsthand that he advises home care leaders to actually stop doing. We tackle triage, trust, productivity, delegation, and other unique-to-home-care leadership lessons. He also shares his formula for the speed of success and a handful of other simple but effective frameworks to implement in your business now. Clint Nobles on LinkedInscalemyhomecare.comChapters:02:45 Building a Business by Design05:48 The Importance of Trust and Faith in Leadership08:38 Transforming Leadership Behaviors11:41 Overcoming Barriers to Change14:27 The Role of Trust in Business17:08 Empowering Teams to Make Decisions20:31 Avoiding the Savior Mentality23:19 Managing Beyond Triage Mode26:23 Understanding Production vs. Productivity38:56 Understanding Size and Structure in Business40:50 The Shift from Production to Productivity45:53 Emotions in Leadership: The CFO Dilemma49:31 Mastering Emotion for Effective Leadership56:08 Decisions vs. Choices: A Leadership Framework59:33 Delegation: From Tasks to Decisions01:02:24 Redefining Success: A Continuous Journey This episode is brought to you by 52 Weeks Marketing.80% of home care revenue is driven by referral marketing. Yet, less than 50% of home care businesses have a dedicated sales person focused on building relationships with referral partners. That’s where 52 Weeks Marketing comes in, providing a complete referral marketing system designed by Debbie Miller, who built a $10 million home care business in just 10 years. With done-for-you marketing tools, a healthcare referrer database, and a CRM to track results, 52 Weeks helps you build a scalable marketing engine that drives real, long-term growth.