Overview
Right at Home provides care and assistance to people who need support to remain in their own homes. Its clients include older adults, people living with disabilities and individuals recovering from illness or surgery. Services commonly include companionship, help with everyday activities, meal preparation and personal care. The precise service mix depends on the local business, its licences and the rules governing care provision in its market.
The business sits between informal family support and more intensive residential or clinical care. It is not a care-home operator, and its standard home-care offering should not be confused with hospital treatment or a universally available nursing service. Franchise owners organise service delivery through local teams, while operating under the Right at Home brand.
History and growth
Right at Home was founded in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1995 by Allen Hager, a former hospital administrator. The founding proposition was to help people manage daily life at home when they could no longer do so entirely independently. This addressed a gap between discharge from hospital, assistance from relatives and longer-term institutional care.
The company began franchising in 2000. Franchising enabled it to expand through local operators responsible for developing their own care businesses rather than relying solely on company-owned offices. Subsequent international expansion took the brand beyond the United States, including into the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. Its history illustrates the development of home care from a fragmented local service into an increasingly organised franchise category.
Global footprint
Right at Home reported a network of around 700 locations worldwide as of 2024. That figure describes a network of local businesses and offices, not residential facilities or a fixed number of care places. Location totals also do not reveal the number of clients served, carers employed or hours of support delivered by each office.
The United States remains the brand's home market, alongside operations in several overseas markets. International businesses share a name and broad service proposition, but their operating arrangements are not identical. National care systems, funding mechanisms, employment rules and licensing requirements shape what an office can offer. A prospective owner therefore needs to examine the relevant country operation rather than assume that US franchise terms apply elsewhere.
How the franchise model works
The franchise model pairs a local owner-operated business with an established brand and operating framework. Franchisees develop referral relationships, recruit staff, manage enquiries and arrange care delivery within the terms of their agreement. The franchisor provides training and business support, although the scope of that support and the allocation of responsibilities should be checked in the relevant market's documents.
This is primarily a people-management and service-coordination business, rather than a retail format driven by premises and passing trade. Local teams assess needs, schedule visits, maintain records and respond when circumstances change. Relationships with families, healthcare professionals and community organisations can be important sources of enquiries. In overseas markets, a national franchise organisation may sit between the international brand and individual local franchisees.
Investment and requirements
There is no single worldwide price for a Right at Home franchise. The US opportunity has published fee and estimated investment information through franchise disclosure materials, but those figures are date-specific and should not be treated as international terms. A standard global investment range is not publicly disclosed. Prospective franchisees should request the current franchise disclosure documents and a detailed schedule of initial and ongoing charges from the relevant franchisor.
The funding requirement extends beyond the initial franchise fee. Owners need to account for recruitment, training, insurance, office administration, technology, marketing and working capital, particularly where payroll falls due before client payments arrive. Depending on the jurisdiction, the business may also need care-provider registration, a suitably qualified manager or other approvals. Ownership alone does not establish permission to deliver every type of care.
What franchisees should consider
Recruiting and retaining reliable carers is a central operating challenge. Demand for services does not automatically translate into deliverable care hours: a business must have appropriately trained people available at the times and locations clients require. Travel distances, short visits, staff absences and evening or weekend cover can complicate scheduling. Continuity also matters because clients and families often value familiar carers.
Quality assurance is equally important. Safeguarding, background checks, supervision, record-keeping and complaints handling are core functions, not peripheral administration. Prospective owners should examine territory boundaries, contractual obligations, support provision and the experience of existing franchisees. They should also understand local payment arrangements. Private-pay care, publicly funded support and insurance-backed services can have different eligibility rules, administrative demands and payment cycles.
Competitive landscape
Right at Home competes with other franchised home-care networks, independent agencies and, in some circumstances, directly employed carers. Comparable brands include Home Instead, Visiting Angels, Comfort Keepers, SYNERGY HomeCare and BrightStar Care. These businesses overlap in home-based support, but their service ranges, clinical capabilities and geographic coverage differ. A brand-level comparison is therefore only a starting point.
Competition is intensely local. Families assess availability, suitability, continuity and confidence in the people entering their homes, alongside price. Agencies also compete for staff and referral relationships. Brand recognition may help generate enquiries, but it does not substitute for reliable local delivery. Where nursing or other clinical services are involved, comparisons should distinguish licensed healthcare provision from non-medical assistance.
Outlook
Population ageing and the preference of many people to remain at home provide a durable backdrop for home-care demand. Families balancing employment with caring responsibilities also create a need for organised support. These trends favour the category, but they do not establish the profitability of an individual territory or remove the constraints imposed by staffing and affordability.
For Right at Home, sustainable expansion depends on maintaining service standards as local businesses grow. Scheduling technology, recruitment processes and management systems can support that task, but care remains dependent on human relationships. The central test for franchisees is whether they can build a dependable workforce and a well-managed local operation while meeting the obligations attached to a sensitive, regulated service.
Right at Home franchise: frequently asked questions
How much does a Right at Home franchise cost?
Costs depend on the country and the current franchise offer. US franchise disclosure materials contain fee and estimated investment information, but there is no standard worldwide investment figure. Prospective owners should request current disclosure documents and account for recruitment, insurance, administration and working capital as well as the initial franchise fee.
How many Right at Home locations are there?
Right at Home reported around 700 locations worldwide as of 2024. These are local care businesses and offices, rather than residential care homes. The total does not indicate how many clients each office serves or how many care hours it delivers, and the network changes over time.
What services does Right at Home provide?
Common services include companionship, meal preparation, assistance with everyday activities and personal care for older adults and people with disabilities. Support may also help people returning home after illness or surgery. Availability varies by location, and nursing or other clinical services should not be assumed to form part of every office's offering.
Do owners need a healthcare background to open a Right at Home franchise?
A healthcare background is not a universal prerequisite for franchise ownership, but suitability and approval requirements vary by market. The business must still meet local care-provider rules and employ appropriately qualified personnel where required. Prospective owners should confirm both the franchisor's selection criteria and the management requirements applying to their proposed services.
When and where was Right at Home founded?
Right at Home was founded by Allen Hager in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1995 and began franchising in 2000. It developed around providing support to people who needed help to continue living at home. The brand subsequently expanded internationally, including into the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada.
Latest Right at Home news
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Figures are approximate and based on publicly reported information as of 2024. Franchise costs and terms change; prospective franchisees should obtain the brand’s current disclosure documents and take independent legal and financial advice. Profile updated October 2026.