After celebrating a successful first year in business with their franchise Right at Home, Naomi Cotrone and brother Asher Fink have received a new license to offer even more services to their clients.

After acting as a caretaker to her grandmother, Cotrone switched careers from the hotel industry to in-home care in 2008. Last January she and Fink, with a $40,000 investment, opened the first Right at Home in Rhode Island.

Right at Home is an international in-home senior care industry based out of Omaha, Neb. It provides in-home care or “companion care” to seniors and permanently disabled adults to help them remain relatively independent at home.

Over the past year the partners have focused on establishing themselves and expanding their licensure to provide not just companion and homemaker care but also personal and long-term care, which they received in January as they celebrated their one-year anniversary.

“The past year has been a whirlwind and challenging but I loved every minute,” Cotrone said.

Although the company has seen success in homemaker and companion care, they are “true believers in continuity of care.” As their clients’ health concerns progress and become more severe, previously they would need to seek out other agencies for increased care services.

In the past year, Cotrone said she noticed that when clients had to graduate to more intense services and Right at Home had to “pass the reigns,” a patient would miss the relationship established with the company and see an increase in sadness.

“Now we can provide that next level of care and keep our clients with their caretakers,” Cotrone said.

Currently, Right at Home has 23 patients, most of which suffer from multiple sclerosis, dementia or Alzheimer’s; they also have 46 employees. With their new services they are also looking to hire CNAs.

Cotrone said that all of her employees are there for the “right reasons.” She believes that paired with her intense involvement with every client is why people are so satisfied with their services.

“We are receiving fantastic feedback,” Cotrone said. “People seem to be really happy with us.”

Cotrone meets with every employee and client regularly and is in charge of all checkups and assessments. She believes Right at Home has a great matching process, ensuring long lasting and working relationships between caretakers and clients.

Doug Robertson, Licensure & Regulatory Affairs Specialist for Right at Home, said that franchises often see a lot of success within their first year.

In-home care services are on the rise as the population of individuals 65 and older continues to grow. Robertson noted that in our area alone there are more than 30,000 people 65 and older, which is only expected to increase to 42,000 by 2025.

“People don’t want to be in an institution, they want to age in place and at home. Right at Home gives them that opportunity by providing assistance in the home,” Robertson said.

He said through the company’s services, individuals don’t have to undergo any “dramatic changes” in their routine and can remain comfortable at home.

Similarly, Right at Home acts as a reprieve for family who would either worry or have acted as caretakers themselves without having to worry about the costs of an assisted living facility or a nursing home.

Robertson said, “It takes a little strain off the whole family knowing someone is there.”

He projects that Cotrone’s franchise will continue to see improved success now that they can offer personal care. Because people tend to prefer keeping the same caregiver throughout the progression of their conditions, Robertson believes people will gravitate towards Right at Home’s services.

“We meet both medical and personal needs,” he said. “That’s what sets us apart. They want to provide more for Rhode Islanders.”

Being part of the Right at Home franchise helps to set them apart from other agencies, according to Cotrone.

Her company is regularly being monitored for progress and client happiness to encourage continual improvement.

Cotrone said, “We want to know what’s working well, and we are looking to grow and be better at all times. That gives us a leg up, to stay on top. It holds us to the highest standards.”

Right at Home Rhode Island services begin at $20 per hour with varying additional costs for transportation as well as flat fees for different programs ranging from $45 to $150.

For more information on Right at Home Rhode Island or to inquire about their services, visit www.rightathome.net/warwick or call their offices at 383-1950.