Homecare Co-ops
Home Care Cooperatives are a place where both clients and caregivers thrive. The Northwest Cooperative Development Center assists caregivers in developing home care cooperatives in Washington, and soon, throughout the Northwest!
Exploring Homecare Cooperative Business Opportunities
Build Your Caregiver Co-op Business Workshops
Are you interested in a unique work opportunity? Are you a caregiver interested in opening a business with other caregivers?
The NWCDC hosts a series that walks caregivers through the process of opening a business.
No Workshops are currently scheduled. Check back soon for info on the next session.
The Co-op Difference
Cooperatives are mission-driven businesses, and home care co-ops are built to bring high quality care to those who need it while supporting the caregivers, themselves!
Home care cooperatives are being started in their communities by caregivers who band together to build jobs for themselves, allowing them to continue in their field with dignity and meaningful wages. The caregivers have a say in their wages and earn a share of the profits of the business, and have input in all business-related decisions.
The Case for Home Care Cooperatives
- Home Care Cooperatives recognize the important role caregivers play in our aging society and strive to be workplaces where caregivers are afforded dignity, understanding and respect.
- As business owners, caregivers grow and develop their business skills and have input in high level business decision.
- Profits earned by the cooperative are distributed to co-op members and don’t go to outside shareholders. In this way, co-ops contribute to the local economy.
- While the in-home care industry standard for caregiver turnover is 78%, Home Care Cooperative turnover rates are under 32%, meaning the caregivers choose to stay in their co-ops
Services & Programs
The NWCDC assists cooperatives in pre-development as well as existing cooperatives. Our services can include feasibility assessments, education and training, business planning, strategic planning, market research, board training, grant writing, relationship management and more.
- Development, training and education
- Start up sponsorship and support
- Coaching and technical assistance
- Washington Home Care Co-ops: A co-op of home care co-ops
Homecare Co-ops in WA
The NWCDC has assisted in the development of five home care cooperatives in Washington State. The oldest, Circle of Life Caregivers Cooperative, launched in July 2007 and the newest, Heartsong Homecare Cooperative, opened in 2021.
As the need for community-based care and the interest in home care cooperatives grows, the NWCDC continues in its efforts to see equitable jobs created for caregivers throughout Washington and the Pacific Northwest region.
Interested in learning more about the home care cooperative movement -OR in starting your own home care co-op? Send us a quick message. We’d love to help.
