| I have been looking at this domain for a while now and thinking about how one might become a "Social Entrepreneur" in this domain. As an example, India has now included all senior citizens over 70 under its Universal Health Coverage umbrella (https://nha.gov.in/PM-JAY) and hence the need for these services/organizations have become more pressing. In developed countries with a large aging population the situation is even more dire. The main issues i can think of are; 1) Regulations - Govt. mandated laws on access to health records, personal liability etc. 2) Insurance - Can these services be charged under govt./private insurance schemes/claims? 3) Personnel Training - All employees must be trained in aspects of Nursing and People management, there must be on-call Doctors etc. 4) Wellness Centers - Places where the elderly can be brought in for regular companionship and prophylactic exercises. 5) Transport - A fleet of vehicles to transport the elderly to and from their homes. 6) Supplies - Medicines and everything else as needed. There are three main models that i can think of; a) The "standard" elder care homes which take care of everything for a fee. b) A live-in nurse/maid/caretaker employed through a agency (popular in developing countries) where the person lives with the family taking care of the elder. You pay a monthly fee to the agency and they pay the caretaker's salary after taking their cut. c) A on-demand comprehensive health services company. This can be a non-profit/for-profit organization offering various services (medical/support/companionship etc.) to the elderly who live alone or have nobody to look after them. Services could be offered based on the needs and on a yearly/monthly contracts or as needed per call. Think of it as Uber/Wework for Healthcare. I think this is the need of the hour since there is a huge population above 50 worldwide living alone. Just helping them maintain their health will go a long way towards easing the pressure on the healthcare system leaving the hospitals free to serve those who need it most. To drive the point home, watch this 3-part documentary series on "Living and Dying Alone in Singapore" to get an idea of what awaits many senior citizens - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d499mlwXWfk The organization mentioned in the above documentary and from which we can learn is here - https://chenghongwelfare.org |