Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand
Nurse Next Door: Build a Home Care Business with Heart
With the population ageing at a rapid rate, the home care industry in Australia is about to explode.
In 2016 Amber Biesse and Matt Fitton were living in Vancouver, Canada when they noticed one of Nurse Next Door’s pink cars driving around their local neighbourhood. Having built and run several successful businesses from scratch, the serial entrepreneurs were on the lookout for a new challenge. Identifying that an ageing population was creating compelling business opportunities, they decided to investigate Nurse Next Door further, discovering not only a highly regarded home healthcare provider in Canada and the USA but also a very successful franchise system looking to expand into Australia by way of a master franchisor licence.
“As parents of a child with special needs,” Amber explains, “Nurse Next Door’s core purpose of making lives better resonated deeply with Matt and I. We also recognised the enormous potential of bringing a home care brand to Australia that combined this core purpose, and its associated values, with world-class processes and operational excellence, honed over years of best practice.”
A rigorous process of research and investigation into the opportunity ensued. Living in Vancouver provided a unique set of circumstances as regular meetings were held at HeartQuarters over many months allowing an in-depth working knowledge of the culture, values, brand and Nurse Next Door’s systems.
Australia became Nurse Next Door’s first global partner when Matt and Amber were awarded the Australian master franchisor licence in September 2018. The corporately owned location commenced business in Melbourne a couple of months later and Matt says, “At the rate at which Nurse Next Door Melbourne has been able to penetrate the home care market and build a growing number of raving fans, the success of the brand in North America is being quickly replicated in Australia,” The level of initial inquiry from people interested in the opportunity of becoming a partner in the Nurse Next Door family is further evidence for the couple that this bold pink brand is in the right place at the right time.
The silver tsunami
As the population continues to age, more people desire options. Instead of moving into a nursing home once they are no longer independent, older Australians, and their family members want choices.
The statistics speak for themselves. Almost 90 per cent of all older people say that they want to age at home. In Australia, home care is a multi-billion dollar industry, and as baby boomers age, it’s poised to grow exponentially. Today the over 65s make up around 15 per cent of the population (one in
“On a beautiful crisp, bright morning in April, Bronwen climbed aboard with one of Nurse Next Door’s Care Designers and sailed across the skies of Melbourne. “Bucket list!” she declared on landing.”
seven). Forecasts project that this cohort will make up 18 per cent in 2027 (one in six) and by 2047 one in five Australians (20 per cent) will be aged over 65.
Even with substantial growth in the last decade, the home care industry is still trying to catch up to an ever-growing demand that will last for at least the next generation, if not beyond.
Making lives better
Baby boomers aside, the home care market in Australia also provides an excellent option for those living with a disability. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has revolutionised disability services and gives people living with a disability more choice and control about when, where and how to get the support they need, allowing them to continue living independently in their own homes, on their terms.
“We believe people can stay at home. We believe in Happier Ageing. We believe in possibility, rather than disability. We believe in making lives better,” says Amber.
Despite its continued growth, the home care industry has resisted significant changes over generations. But it’s no secret that this is an industry in the midst of some major disruption, and the companies that will thrive in the new world are those that embrace change. Thanks to Nurse Next Door’s philosophy of care centred around happier ageing and making lives better — a unique experience designed to get older Australians and people requiring disability support back to doing what they love - no matter what their age or circumstance - the business stands out amongst other home care companies.
Traditional companies arrange care around basic tasks — meal preparation, cleaning, medication management, assistance with bathing and dressing. But they miss a grand opportunity to meet clients’ emotional and personal needs, which are just as important, if not more so, than the physical ones.
Nurse Next Door builds care on the foundation of each individual’s needs, desires and personality and arranges the care plan around the person instead of trying to plug the person into the package.
Matt and Amber reject — emphatically — the notion that people need to surrender their enjoyment of life because they’ve reached retirement age. “They’ve lived full lives,” Amber says, “and gathered volumes of wisdom and experience. It’s a cause for celebration! Likewise, we’re always looking for the possibilities in life for people who are challenged by disability. They are some of the most inspiring people on our planet.”
Warning: Friendly people inside
Nurse Next Door firmly believes culture is better when it’s the product of design rather than an accident. It’s no surprise, therefore that the company is widely recognised and awarded for its culture, built around the central theme of making lives better. From there, the business is built on four core values: Admire People, WOW Customer Experience, Find a Better Way, and Passionate About Making a Difference. Franchise partners adopt the tone: bright, cheerful, happy, professional and hardworking but fun!
“It’s why Nurse Next Door chose a particular shade of pink as its primary colour,” Matt
“We believe people can stay at home. We believe in Happier Ageing. We believe in possibility, rather than disability. We believe in making lives better,” says Amber.
explains. “There’s nothing sombre or timid about it — a bold, brassy pink that grabs you by the lapels and urges you to get out there and enjoy life!”
It gets the franchise partners noticed, too. Often, people encounter Nurse Next Door for the first time when they spot one of the pink wrapped cars. “Pink reflects the energy and spirit Nurse Next Door wants to pass on to its clients, who deserve to feel enthusiastic and happy about their lives.”
Doing what you love
In a society traditionally viewing care as a set of tasks or responsibilities, here’s how Nurse Next Door does home care; they take people ballooning! Well, that’s just one example - Bronwen had always wanted to soar over Melbourne in one of the hot air balloons she regularly saw from her backyard in Melbourne’s inner eastern suburbs. The problem was that none of her friends or family was interested. So, when she had the opportunity to enter Nurse Next Door’s Happier Ageing Dreams competition in March 2019, she jumped at the chance, and Nurse Next Door was happy to help out. On a beautiful crisp, bright morning in April, Bronwen climbed aboard with one of Nurse Next Door’s Care Designers and sailed across the skies of Melbourne. “Bucket list!” she declared on landing.
There’s Donald, who had a love of hobby planes but stopped flying due to failing health until his carer stepped in and helped him get back out in the field.
Eleanor hadn’t swum for 20 years after her diagnosis of Alzheimers, and so her caregiver spent the whole summer getting her back in the water at the local pool, gradually building up stamina until, eventually, she was able to swim in her local lake.
The stories of happier ageing and making lives better are endless, and Matt and Amber say no matter how small or simple when care focuses on the individual emotional and psychological needs of the client it can make all the difference in the world.
“The trust between the caregiver and client is the essence of the service and commitment by Nurse Next Door,” says Amber. “Changing the perception of ageing