OMAHA, Neb. – The Home Instead Senior Care® network's latest expansion into the Netherlands represents the 16th country in which the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care and companionship services is now doing business.

The master franchise for the Netherlands has been awarded to Eric Kindt, and the pilot office will be in his hometown of Heemstede, a 40-minute drive from Amsterdam.

When fully developed, this territory will feature up to 40 offices whose staffs and CAREGiversSM will arrange and provide in-home care and companionship services for older adults, said Yoshino Nakajima, Chief Development Officer for Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network. "We are pleased to expand services into this market, where the needs of the senior population mirror those around the world as countries recognize the significant social, governmental and financial challenges associated with caring for a rapidly aging world population."

Services include specialized Alzheimer's care, shopping, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, medication reminders, personal care and companionship, which are currently offered through more than 950 franchises worldwide.

Global Franchise Development Director Bob Maguire, who laid the groundwork for the Home Instead Senior Care network's expansion into the Netherlands, said the needs of seniors worldwide continue to fuel growth for the organization. By 2050, nearly one-fourth of the population of the Netherlands will be 65 or older, Maguire said. Already, there are nearly 2.5 million seniors in Holland, a country of about 16.4 million. "Without services like those offered by the Home Instead Senior Care network, quality of care could drop dramatically as the senior population increases. That's why we are so pleased to partner with an entrepreneur who knows the needs of his country."

Kindt has a track record of business success, having owned and operated a residential care facility for mentally handicapped individuals in his country. Kindt's daughter, Nicole, who has a background in hotel management, will serve as marketer and manager of the pilot office.

"It's a perfect fit for us," Kindt said. Services provided by the Home Instead Senior Care network are expected to complement the more task-driven "stopwatch care" of the Netherlands, he noted, where providers deliver a series of services and are out the door. That doesn't present an environment conducive to building the kinds of relationships that help seniors thrive. "A lot of our elderly want to stay at home rather than go to a facility," Kindt said.

The Kindts will now focus on the development of the pilot office and, when it is successfully established, they will begin franchising across the country. "The Home Instead Senior Care network is proud to serve the seniors of the Netherlands by providing the support they need to remain safe and independent wherever they call home," Maguire said.

About Home Instead Senior Care
Founded in 1994 in Omaha by Lori and Paul Hogan, the Home Instead Senior Care® network is the world's largest provider of non-medical in-home care services for seniors, with more than 950 independently owned and operated franchises providing in excess of 45 million hours of care throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, Finland, Austria, Italy, Puerto Rico and the Netherlands. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ more than 65,000 CAREGiversSM worldwide who provide basic support services – assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), personal care, medication reminders, meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands, incidental transportation, shopping and specialized Alzheimer's care – which enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. At Home Instead Senior Care, it's relationship before task, while continuing to provide superior quality service that enhances the lives of seniors everywhere.