Andy Warhol once said “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes”. Well, it wasn’t quite broadcast to the world, nor was it quite fifteen minutes, but our Director of Blossom Home Care Franchising, John Leggott, and two of the owners of the Blossom Home Care Durham Franchise, Liz and Tom Chapman, did appear on BBC Radio Tees on 21st January!
Presenter Scott Makin wanted to chat to the trio about how the pandemic has affected care in the community for the increasing elderly population and whether there was a growing sense that people would rather stay in their own homes given the increased independence that provides.
Asked about how the Durham Franchise hope to care for people, Liz said, “It’s about enabling people to stay in their own homes to do the things that they are used to doing, to stay where they feel safest, but also to support them as they get older and maybe are not as able to do the things that they’ve always done”. John added, “We’re unique in that way. No matter what the task is, as long as it’s legal and as long as we can do it safely, we will help people stay independent”. With lots changing in the last year in all aspects of our lives, Liz added, “The pandemic has probably brought home the fact that home is where we feel safest”.
The Durham Franchise was the second franchise area to be sold and is currently going through the CQC Registration process in the hope of being able to deliver care very soon. When asked about the challenges to establishing a care business during the pandemic, Tom responded, “There has been a few challenges, but nothing that Zoom can’t handle! One of the benefits we’ve got with this industry, and one of the reasons that we wanted to get into it as well, is that where most businesses at the moment are seeing a downturn, this is a recession proof industry, and actually Blossom have seen an increase in the number of people who are wanting home care at the moment”.
Indeed, it is thought likely that the demand for home care services will remain robust, increasing in line with population changes. The Lancet has reported that the number of people aged 65 or older, and classed as ‘high dependency’, will rise by almost 200,000 by the year 2035, so the social care industry is expected to grow, both in real terms as the population ages (demographic changes) and as a proportion of the total services delivered due to changes in eligibility criteria for state-funded care, and a greater awareness of the role of home care as the preferred alternative to residential care.
Whilst offering home care is a fantastic business opportunity, it is important to recognise that the people we care for are at the centre of everything we do, as Liz said, “It’s about promoting independence and the ability to live your life as fully as you possibly can for as long as you possibly can in your own home environment”.
While we thought the trio could have quite promising careers as presenters, we’re glad they’re all part of the Blossom family with a passion for delivering “bloomin’ good care” to our clients living in their own homes. If you’d like to listen to the full interview, you can below.
