Susan Delaney has introduced the Seniors Helping Seniors franchise to Fresno, hiring mature caregivers to offer in-home services to other seniors. Image via Seniors Helping Seniors

Seniors Helping Seniors, a Pennsylvania-based company founded in 1998 that provides in-home senior care, has come to the Central Valley with a more personalized way of giving support to older family members.

The new franchise was started by Susan Delaney earlier this year after 25 years in the cybersecurity industry. It hires seniors to act as caregivers for other seniors. After becoming dissatisfied with the corporate world, Delaney searched for a way to use her skills to have a direct impact on the local community.

“I remember doing a double take. Not only do I get to help seniors live independently in their homes that they love, but I also get to provide employment to those folks that the corporate world no longer saw value in,” Delaney said.

Her grandmother was one of the largest contributors to her decision to pursue this new line of work. According to Delaney, her grandmother was an “icon of kindness and compassion” when living with her family and volunteering in her local community and the Salvation Army 

“She quickly deteriorated there. And I believe, in part, it’s because she wasn’t around her family. She was in a strange place.” Delaney said.

During her visits to her grandmother, Delaney noticed the toll the environment took on her childhood hero, showing her the importance of community for this neglected part of our society 

Services can be tailored to each senior. Home care is targeted at every day, casual support including housekeeping, personal care and pet care. While providers are not required to have any medical certifications, they’ve received the   required by the Department of Social Services.

But what is most important to Delaney is the compatibility between the seniors.

“There’s a real special thing that happens between the two seniors because they have that peer-to-peer care experience,” Delaney said.

The current goals for Seniors Helping Seniors are to add 100 more caregiving seniors and grow their client base by at least 80.

“I think we have the right recipe. I’m just really stoked to get started now,” Delaney said.

Contact Seniors Helping Seniors at shsgreaterfresno.com or by phone at (559) 500-3070.