Home Care Strategy Lab

The Real Barrier to Aging-in-Place Technology Isn’t Families (Paula Marks)

#61 90% of home care calls still happen in crisis mode—after the fall, hospitalization, or cognitive decline has already escalated. Paula Marks, VP of At Home Caregivers, explains why the industry must move from reactive “sick care” to preventative wellness models before the caregiver shortage reaches a breaking point. From the growing demand for in-home monitoring technology to the surprising resistance coming from referral sources themselves, Paula breaks down what’s actually preventing families from aging safely at home—and why quality, prevention, and trusted partnerships will dictate the future of home care. * Paula Marks [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulasmarks/] * paulam@athomecaregivers.com * At Home Caregivers [https://www.athomecaregivers.com/] Sponsors: * Phoebe.work [https://www.phoebe.work/book?utm_source=homecarestrategylab&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=homecarestrategylab]

How Coastal Care Partners Built a One-of-a-kind Integrated Care Model (Amy Pierce)

#60 Amy Pierce spent more than 20 years as a nurse and saw firsthand how fragmented healthcare makes it incredibly difficult—especially for older adults—to navigate.  In 2018, she and her husband Scott set out to fix that. They started with nurse-led care management, quickly growing to ~10 clients before expanding the team—and within just six months realized they needed to bring caregiving in-house to control quality and outcomes.  About 1–2 years later, they added clinical oversight so they could handle situations like a 4pm Friday change in condition without sending clients to the ER. Fast forward 8 years, Coastal Care Partners has grown to 340+ employees and become the largest single-site home care company in Georgia, with an integrated team that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and therapists—even operating multiple primary care practices and specialty services.  Their caregivers go through a 100-hour internal training program, reinforcing their reputation as “elite” providers in their market. Amy shares how they built this model step-by-step—“building the airplane while flying it”—why hiring and communication are everything, and how integration allows them to manage rising conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s, and heart disease more effectively at home.  She also breaks down the operational lessons, leadership challenges, and why she believes integrated care is the future of aging services. Show Notes: * Amy Pierce [https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-pierce-rn-bsn-cmc-64416999/]on LinkedIn * Coastal Care Partners [https://coastalcarepartners.com/] * Book: The Aging Care Blueprint for Families [https://www.amazon.com/Aging-Care-Blueprint-Families-Navigating-ebook/dp/B0GYK6SZCW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R1BWY8HU5D0D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1c0TPWAthpfZ69uYFfvxnEqGvhiFOGsFWOymZObgqWEwqwoofJ0ZeJ2o1v4tP4_xIXE4SbhyE4mSyzegf7i7tGWeRQNhEkPG_yqN9q2-164hUFrPPkzAFP8uTi4u3L8GiEQpm4D8hmDnUZdBmcs-9waY4vyhQBAv4dZhYp-XlC2-sOmyRmoa7G-lNA1A4HlO7rp0Z9f75S7ebsJSU3pmRsLSNvtSdeuueCT04QHrFHI.bFLfJttjZypkD7nH_1pLye2hm--bBIeEzyEufUBW_L4&dib_tag=se&keywords=aging+life+care+blueprint&qid=1777859106&sprefix=aging+life+care+blueprint%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1] by Amy Pierce * EOS [https://www.eosworldwide.com/]—Entrepreneurial Operating System for businesses Sponsors: * Mertz Taggart—Value Accelerator Program [https://www.mertztaggart.com/value-accelerator-program?utm_source=homecarestrategylab&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=homecarestategylab]

Scaling to $13M Without Investors, Diversified Payers, or Traditional Playbooks (Scott Pierce)

#59 Scott Pierce didn’t come from home care—he came from broadcasting and healthcare software. But after navigating his parents’ complex health needs, he and his wife Amy built something entirely different in Savannah, Georgia. Eight years later, Coastal Care Partners is doing nearly $13M in revenue and 7,000 hours of care per week—all from a single location. Scott breaks down some of the unconventional decisions behind their growth: * Why he focused on hours and Google reviews—not margins or EBITDA * How staying 100% private pay shaped their model * The early bets on caregiver pay, training, and infrastructure * Lessons from distractions, failed ideas, and scaling without outside capital * And why most agencies stay stuck—and what it actually takes to break through * Scott Pierce [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-pierce-263a236/] on LinkedIn * Coastal Care Partners [https://coastalcarepartners.com/] * Book: The Aging Care Blueprint for Families [https://www.amazon.com/Aging-Care-Blueprint-Families-Navigating-ebook/dp/B0GYK6SZCW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R1BWY8HU5D0D&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1c0TPWAthpfZ69uYFfvxnEqGvhiFOGsFWOymZObgqWEwqwoofJ0ZeJ2o1v4tP4_xIXE4SbhyE4mSyzegf7i7tGWeRQNhEkPG_yqN9q2-164hUFrPPkzAFP8uTi4u3L8GiEQpm4D8hmDnUZdBmcs-9waY4vyhQBAv4dZhYp-XlC2-sOmyRmoa7G-lNA1A4HlO7rp0Z9f75S7ebsJSU3pmRsLSNvtSdeuueCT04QHrFHI.bFLfJttjZypkD7nH_1pLye2hm--bBIeEzyEufUBW_L4&dib_tag=se&keywords=aging+life+care+blueprint&qid=1777859106&sprefix=aging+life+care+blueprint%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1] by Amy Pierce * Book: Unreasonable Hospitality [https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1C7YBBTDCHI7N&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.294_mCfIPZOoyGTQk1cvmqPZ3YlqwTmEqyPo8RXv-21F9QnM4rEGoENLLoc10IRGX-kysxu5d1YLYU7YiQXGBbgsfFPO4Zoofch6Mqst8xMfPgUyJz2elpZd8ltxyRvipbsMzvqDoP1FXg1jEUqe-7Lh8YPsp1GIUYuW-NbyKtDLYf7oa8MEuodpw-VWk4ZuybhqPHSlHkT3NMtP69E_p5BfYR_xyR1wpDDmqFEsoJk.OiPlQol_JIe-k6KqHhEJ3nR5DGKAM2W9K-b6pnIlW3s&dib_tag=se&keywords=unreasonable+hospitality&qid=1777859146&sprefix=unreasonable%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1] by Will Guidara

The Office Team, SOPs, and Networking that Took Him from 700 to 3,000 Hours/Week (Conant Schoenly)

#58 His father founded the first home care company in Connecticut in 1985. After leaving to pursue a career in finance and private equity, Conant rejoined the family business in 2018. What he walked into? Whiteboards, minimal systems, and plenty of opportunity. In less than eight years, he’s helped 4x the business, driven by thoughtful change management, stronger office staff, and continuous process improvement. Conant breaks down how he hires and develops his office team, how they approach micro vs. macro SOP changes, and why regularly visiting other home care operators has been a game-changer for challenging his thinking and bringing fresh ideas back to the business.  * Conant Schoenly [https://www.linkedin.com/in/conantschoenly/] * Charter Oak Home Care [https://charteroakhomecare.com/] Sponsors: * Phoebe [https://www.phoebe.work/book?utm_source=homecarestrategylab&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=homecarestrategylab]

The 6 Preventable Gaps Driving 30-Day Readmissions (Ethan Guerrieri)

#57 The federal government invested $500 million to understand why seniors are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days—and uncovered six key “preventable” gaps driving the problem. Ethan Guerrieri, VP of Operations at Preferred Care at Home, breaks down the research, explains each gap, and shares how his team turned these insights into their Smooth Transition Care Program. Designed for hospitals and SNFs, this evidence-based approach equips case managers and discharge planners with the tools and education they need to reduce readmissions—and shows why home care is the missing link in keeping clients safely at home. * Ethan Guerrieri [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-guerrieri-317101a9/] * Preferred Care at Home [https://preferhome.com/services/transition-care/] * Smooth Transition Care BROCHURE [https://242294540.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/242294540/Smooth%20Transition%20Care%20BROCHURE.pdf] * Smooth Transition Care FLYER [https://242294540.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/242294540/Smooth%20Transition%20Care%20FLYER.pdf] * Smooth Transition Care PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD [https://242294540.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/242294540/Smooth%20Transition%20Care%20Personal%20Health%20Record.pdf] Sponsors: * GUIDE-Ready Respite Provider Program [https://debbie-miller.mykajabi.com/join-guide-ready] (Debbie Miller + Harmonic Health) * CMS GUIDE Participant List [https://242294540.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na2.net/hubfs/242294540/GUIDE%20Participants%20List.xlsx] (spreadsheet download)