In a country with one of the lowest rates of population renewal in Europe, the problems caused by an ageing population are increasingly visible. Comfort Keepers wants to respond to this trend and hopes to expand its network in Portugal, paying particular attention to the north of the country.
Lisbon, December 14, 2015 - Comfort Keepers - the world's leading home care organization - is preparing to expand its franchise network in Portugal, with the aim of doubling the organization's turnover over the next five years. The focus is on geographical areas where the organization is not yet present, with particular attention to the northern region. The weight of the elderly population is significant in this region, with almost 130 elderly people for every 100 young people.
The expectation is to be able to keep up with the trend in the sector and the needs identified in the older population with whom Comfort Keepers works. According to INE data, Portugal is currently the country with the 5th highest degree of ageing in the European Union and the 3rd lowest rate of renewal of the working-age population, with the population over 65 expected to increase by almost 50% by 2060.
For Jorge Monteiro, Managing Director of Comfort Keepers Portugal, "The demographic trend found in the national market reveals a growing need for the services that Comfort Keepers offers. Faced with almost total occupancy rates in other types of solutions, it has become even more urgent to find new answers to the needs of the elderly population and their families. We understand that reaching these people is only possible through geographic proximity to our professionals, which is why this objective of growing our network in Portugal is a goal that has always defined Comfort Keepers' operations and its positioning in the market.".
Launching a new office represents an investment of around €29,000 or €44,000, depending on the size of the geographic universe covered, which for an office can be 75,000 or 175,000 inhabitants, respectively. The work to be developed is based on the brand's recognition and experience in the market, integrating a portfolio of services in the areas of Social Assistance, Nursing Services, Outsourcing and Tele-care Services. Comfort Keepers provides training, access to know-how and essential materials for the development of the operation and the respective team of Caregivers.
With this growth objective in mind, Comfort Keepers recently developed the challenge "CK Entrepreneur Scholarship"The challenge was designed to find the candidate with the right profile to join the Comfort Keepers network. Participants in the challenge, a total of 28 candidates, were given face-to-face contact with the team responsible for managing the organization's franchising network in Portugal. The candidate selected for the challenge, João Filipe Pedro, 32, who lives in the Entroncamento/Fátima area, will have the opportunity to take part in a Social MBA, a 3-day training course that is part of the process that the American multinational has designed for its franchising network and which includes a "Discovery Day" visit to a Comfort Keepers office.
In Portugal, Comfort Keepers has 10 active offices in 15 mainland and island territories and is part of an international franchising network with more than 700 units located in 8 countries (Australia, Canada, USA, France, Ireland, Portugal, United Kingdom and Singapore).
Comfort Keepers in Portugal:
In Portugal, Comfort Keepers has a network of 650 employees - 600 caregivers and 50 managers and coordinators. These Caregivers provide Home Support services, Nursing care, assistance to Young Parents and Solutions for Employers to more than 3,000 users in Portugal. www.comfortkeepers.pt