One might reasonably expect hair salons, mini day spas, putting greens, dry cleaning, dinner-to-go, and concierge services at The Four Seasons. But these amenities are offered by SarahCare Adult Day Care Centers.
"The centers look much like you would expect an assisted living to look like," says company founder Dr. Merle Griff.
Dissatisfied with the level of care available for her clients and for her own mother, Griff, a gerontologist, decided to start her own adult day care center.
From two company-owned centers in Canton and North Canton, SarahCare now boasts almost 40 centers throughout the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast. The first SarahCare franchise opened in 2004, in Strongsville. Today, all but the Canton-area centers are franchises.
It costs between $350,000 and $500,000 to open a franchise, says Dr. Griff, and financing has become difficult to obtain. ROI, however, is very good, says Griff. For that reason she expects to open several more company-owned centers in Ohio next year.
Each center has an average of 15 employees. SarahCare at Home employs 12 persons and 11 persons work in the corporate office.
"We go all out, and we will try anything we can to allow families to stay together," says Griff.
Source: Dr. Merle D. Griff, Founder, SarahCare Adult Day Care Centers
Writer: Patrick Mahoney