Providing personal care services to the elderly and people with disabilities wasn’t the career trajectory Maeghan Scott had envisioned. However, continuing her father Moses' Right at Home franchise is a calling she’s proud to answer. The franchise has given her flexibility, autonomy, and an opportunity to build a robust business and continue her father’s legacy.
Meet Maeghan Scott – Franchise Owner, Right at Home Essex County, NJ
Maeghan Scott, a former public relations professional, now manages her family’s in-home elder care business in New Jersey. It’s a business her father, Moses Scott, launched over 20 years ago, Right at Home Essex County. Providing personal care services to the elderly and people with disabilities wasn’t the career trajectory Maeghan had envisioned. However, continuing Moses’ Right at Home franchise is a calling she’s proud to answer. The franchise has given her flexibility, autonomy, and an opportunity to build a robust business and continue her father’s legacy.
Eager to transition away from corporate life, Moses Scott consulted with a franchise broker to explore franchises to own. He joined Right at Home when he discovered his personality aligned well with the franchise’s mission, values, and culture. When Maeghan joined the family business, she was pleased to discover that she felt the same.
About the Right at Home Franchise Opportunity
Right at Home is an in-home care franchise that improves the quality of life for seniors and adults with disabilities by providing the care they need to remain in their homes longer. The Omaha-based company was founded in 1995 by a former hospital administrator Allen Hager. Five years later, Hager began offering franchise opportunities to expand home care services for seniors throughout the U.S. Today, Right at Home includes more than 700 locations, serves thousands of clients, and employs thousands of caregivers across the United States.
The Scott family discovered the value and need for personal and elder care services when a loved one became ill. The family suddenly needed assistance and realized firsthand the challenges and uncertainty surrounding caregiving services.
“My grandmother had Alzheimer’s. We were lucky to have found a caregiver who supported her in the nursing home until she passed,” Maeghan said. “So we were familiar with what good caregiving looked like and how important it could be to support a family in their time of need.”
Carrying on a Legacy of Compassionate Elder Care
Moses sadly passed away in 2017. That’s when Maeghan and her mother, Melodie Toby, a former financial consultant and professor, officially decided to continue the business as co-owners of Right at Home–Essex County.
Managing aspects of the business wasn’t entirely new to them. When Moses became ill, family members often helped with payroll, marketing efforts, and other tasks. During this transitional period, they met with many clients and caregivers and realized they had to try to keep the business running.
“I slowly learned the business out of necessity because my dad wasn’t able to be in the office when he became ill,” she said. “When he passed away, my mom and I looked at each other and said, well, what do we do now? I thought I was at a point in my career where I could take over the business, run it, and if it didn’t work out, I could sell it.”
Maeghan and Melodie went all in and spent two weeks at Right at Home’s Omaha headquarters to learn the company’s systems. They quickly realized they had made the right decision. Maeghan used her marketing expertise to craft digital campaigns and make new connections in the community.
“The Right at Home corporate office provided the training, tools, and templates we needed to hit the ground running. But this business is also built on relationships at the local level, so I needed to get more involved in my community and promote our services.”
“My mom and I are working the business every day. She handles the finances, and I do more of the customer-facing work,” Maeghan said. “However, it’s hard for one of us to do it all, so we pitch in wherever it’s needed. We wear multiple hats and get it all done. My brothers have also been helping with the business. One of them has been supporting my mom with payroll. We’re slowly bringing them in as we grow and require more help.”
Leading the Elder Care Franchise Opportunities Sector
Although in-home care is a 24-hour business, Maeghan said Right at Home allows flexibility and work-life balance. She can work from home, or adjust her working hours, to accommodate life’s demands. At the same time, the business fuels her career aspirations, and she continually explores new ways to differentiate it from other in-home care agencies.
“Our caregivers are amazing at helping clients with meal preparation, feeding, and personal care,” she said. “But we also add some fun and engagement into the mix!”
Maeghan recently launched a program called Enrich and Elevate, hiring a life enrichment coordinator to lead the program and bring in custom activities (like games and puzzles) that engage clients and help them thrive despite their challenges.
“Our caregivers are so good at showing them love and having conversations, but we thought this was an area we could improve and bring more fun into the home,” Maeghan said. “We are very focused on providing optimal care, and mental and social stimulation are integral to providing the full spectrum of care. We make caregiving meaningful, appropriate, and fun—which benefits both the caregiver and client.”
Over the past several years, Maeghan and her mother have found their cadence, winning numerous franchise awards and “quintupling” the size of their business.
“There’s nothing like running an in-home care business with your family to keep the needs of other families in focus,” she said. “Sitting with my mom and talking through these cases and situations with her, I think, ‘How would we want this situation to be handled for our loved ones?’ I like that we have different generational perspectives. She and I see things differently. The same is true for my brother and other members of my family. We all come from different places, and we can look at things from a well-rounded perspective.”
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