Susanne was presented with the honor this week during a caregiver appreciation event at FirstLight Home Care’s Southbury, CT, office. She was nominated by our franchisees from Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven, John and Wenjun Richards 

“Sue has a profound ability to connect with every client she works with,” said John Richards. “She isn’t just a caregiver. We and her clients consider her family. Sue is also a true problem solver who consistently displays dignity and respect. Her warmth, patience, and how she engages with every client set her apart. This is not just a job for Sue, it is a calling.” 

Caregiver of the Year nominations were received from FirstLight offices nationwide. Sue was selected from more than 7,000 caregivers employed by the FirstLight Home Care franchise system. Nominees were evaluated on service excellence, quality of caregiving skills and bringing the FirstLight culture to life. Susanne was one of three finalists this year. 

FirstLight’s President and CEO, Glee McAnanly, traveled to the office in Connecticut to surprise Sue and present the prestigious award. 

Franchise owners John Richards and Wenjun Richards and their dedicated care team have provided in-home care to adults in their community for nearly a decade. For more information, visit  Southbury.FirstLightHomeCare.com. 

About FirstLight Home Care 

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care in the place they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families who are served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are receiving the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com. 

MEDIA CONTACT:  
Lucy Modzelewski | lmodzelewski@firstlighthomecare.com | 513-375-4116 

Photos are available upon request. 

CINCINNATI, OH – February 29, 2024 – FirstLight Home Care announced today that it has been named a 2024 Best of Home Care® Endorsed National Provider by Home Care Pulse (HCP).

As a Best of Home Care Endorsed National Provider, the home care company ranks among the top businesses that consistently set and meet the highest standards of care for their clients and families.

“It is an honor for our organization to be recognized among the best of the best,” said Kristen Duell, Executive Vice President of Experience and Innovation for FirstLight Home Care. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Home Care Pulse first as their CMO and now as a customer. It’s so fulfilling to see our franchise network get the recognition it deserves for continuous dedication to improving client and caregiver satisfaction.”

The Best of Home Care Endorsed National Provider recognition is given to those whose members have the highest overall client satisfaction scores as gathered through the HCP Experience Management Program. These are the top home care franchises in North America whose members have proven their commitment to client satisfaction and excellence in home care and who excel above the industry standard.

“It is our pleasure to recognize FirstLight Home Case as an Endorsed National Provider for 2024,” said Bud Meadows, HCP’s CEO. “This award is given to only a select few businesses, and FirstLight Home Care continues to show their commitment to providing only the highest care standards of care for their customers. We are honored to help support this important work.”

FirstLight Home Care is committed to collecting honest feedback and opinions from clients and families The company has set a new standard by cultivating a Culture of Care that drives industry-leading client satisfaction.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

About HCP

HCP’s vision is to partner with the long-term and post-acute care industry, providing mission-critical applications to improve outcomes for all stakeholders in the care continuum, enabling the delivery of exceptional experiences. HCP offers RN-developed training, satisfaction surveys, hiring and reputation management tools designed to help you become the best employer and provider in your area—and make sure everyone knows about it. Known industry-wide for its Benchmarking Report and Best of Home Care awards, HCP is redefining the future of post-acute care. For more information, visit https://www.homecarepulse.com/.  

“Franchisees of the Year exemplify what franchising is all about – providing opportunity, serving others, and fulfilling the American Dream,” said Matthew Haller, President and CEO of the International Franchise Association. “We are proud to recognize Mark Paretchan with the highest honor IFA awards to individual franchisees, and I have no doubt his work is changing lives and making a lasting community impact.”

The Franchisee of the Year Award recognizes leading franchise owners from IFA member brands whose outstanding performance and contributions help protect, enhance, and promote the franchise business model. Nominated by their parent company, individuals are selected for their involvement in their communities, embodying the entrepreneurial spirit, fostering a strong and healthy culture with their workforce, and assisting their fellow franchisees when called upon.

Paretchan has an incredible team of dedicated caregivers who consistently deliver compassionate care to clients and families. He has been helping people in his local communities for nearly 10 years. He also has experience as a family caregiver, taking care of his 103-year-old grandmother to ensure she had the support she needed as she aged.

“Mark has been focused on living the FirstLight mission and core values, and it truly shows in the culture of care he has created in his local office,” said Glee McAnanly, FirstLight Home Care President and CEO. “He appreciates his team and treats them like family. His philosophy is if you show your caregivers respect and focus on their happiness and well-being, you will consistently have happy clients.”

There are approximately 806,000 franchised businesses across the U.S., providing over 8.7 million direct jobs and generating over $858 billion in economic output. According to Oxford Economics, franchising on average provides higher wages and better benefits than non-franchised businesses, as well as greater entrepreneurial opportunities to minorities, women, veterans, and other underrepresented communities. 

About the International Franchise Association

Celebrating over 60 years of excellence, education, and advocacy, the International Franchise Association (IFA) is the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. IFA works through its government relations and public policy, media relations, and educational programs to protect, enhance and promote franchising and the approximately 806,270 franchise establishments that support nearly 8.7 million direct jobs, $858.5 billion of economic output for the U.S. economy, and almost 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). IFA members include franchise companies in over 300 different business format categories, individual franchisees, and companies that support the industry in marketing, law, technology, and business development.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults with disabilities, those living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care in the place they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families who are served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are getting the support they need to live independently. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and motivated to do more so that clients enjoy the quality of life they deserve. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

The 45^th annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500® is a considerable honor in the franchise industry. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the 2024 Franchise 500® ranks FirstLight Home Care at #438 for its outstanding performance in unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power.

Entrepreneur’s 45-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors in the evaluation, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order.

The ranking highlights Firstlight Home Care’s exceptional growth in the past year. In 2023, the home care provider had nearly 30 new territories open, bringing the brand’s total number of territories to 200+ across the U.S.

“Our ranking on the Franchise 500 list demonstrates our strength and stability, and it helps further position us as a trusted brand and an outstanding franchise opportunity,” said President and CEO Glee McAnanly. “This is a true testament to our ability to innovate, grow, and build the momentum that drives long-lasting success.”

To view FirstLight Home Care in the full ranking, visit https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults with disabilities, those living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care in the place they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families who are served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are getting the support they need to live independently. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and motivated to do more so that clients enjoy the quality of life they deserve. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – December 15, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care has announced that Kristen Duell, Executive Vice President of Experience and Innovation, has been honored in the Agent of Change category by McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards. She is recognized for driving change and innovation across the field.

The Pinnacle Awards are a joint effort of McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and sister media brands McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. Honorees include veteran long-term care operators, caregivers and affiliated professionals performing at the highest levels in skilled nursing, senior living and home care for 20 years or longer.

“I am incredibly honored to receive this recognition and to be among such an outstanding group of industry professionals,” said Duell. “Whether driving change, setting new standards or inspiring others, we have all spent our careers focused on advancing this industry and making a positive, lasting impact in long-term care. It is humbling to be included in this class of winners.”

Winners were nominated by peers and chosen by an independent panel of skilled nursing, senior living and home care leaders. They will be celebrated in March at a gala awards ceremony in Chicago.

“This is such a well-deserved honor,” said FirstLight President and CEO Glee McAnanly. Kristen’s career has been dedicated to advancing change in the post-acute industry, specifically home-based care. I can say that commitment and enthusiasm continue here at FirstLight as she helps us innovate to think and do things differently for our aging population.”

FirstLight Home Care delivers various companion, personal care, and skilled nursing services to seniors, veterans, people recovering from illness, injury, surgery, and those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Professional caregivers help any adult needing assistance with personal care and household duties such as cooking, cleaning, and running errands while providing support and peace of mind.

About FirstLight Home Care
FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – October 24, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, will open two new locations in the state of New Jersey, including Piscataway, opening later this year, and Princeton, which is set to open in March of 2024. The offices will be owned and operated by Yasmine Rifi.

An interior designer, Rifi’s career portfolio includes a multitude of freelance endeavors in residential and commercial decorations. In addition, she’s an accomplished artist and world traveler who has lived in various regions around the globe. 

Rifi has been caring for her aging parents for the last 15 years. Her father aged at home with advanced dementia throughout the last years of his life, and her mother has multiple health and mobility challenges. She is thrilled to take this new journey and bring FirstLight’s Culture of Care to her community.

“The experiences I’ve had with my own parents have taught me a lot about the importance of providing the most suitable care for seniors who wish to age gracefully in a familiar environment,” said Rifi. “I believe FirstLight truly lives its values and strives to make sure everyone has their best day, every day.

The new FirstLight Home Care locations will serve clients and families in Piscataway, Princeton and surrounding areas. The offices will also bring jobs to the local communities, focusing on hiring individuals with a heart for service and a genuine desire to enrich the lives of others and help them have their best day, every day.

FirstLight Home Care delivers companion care and personal care services to seniors, veterans, people recovering from illness, injury, surgery, and those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Professional caregivers help any adult needing assistance with personal care and household duties such as cooking, cleaning, and running errands while providing support and peace of mind.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – October 20, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, will open a new location in Alameda, CA, later this year. The office, which is set to open in December, will be owned and operated by Nicole Freeman.

Over the past 15 years, Freeman has contributed to the marketing efforts of several Fortune 500 companies. She is a marketing professional who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UC Berkeley, as well as an MBA from Georgetown University.

Freeman also has personal caregiving experience. She has seen firsthand, with her grandparents, how painful and confusing finding care for a loved one can be. She wants to help prevent that stress from happening to families in her community by making the path to care as easy as possible.

“My goal is to be a beacon of light that helps families find their way during a potentially dark time and give back to those who have given so much to me during my time in the Bay Area,” said Freeman. “There is a huge demand for our services all over the country, and I am so proud to be able to start a home care business in the community in which I grew up. With FirstLight, I know I’ll receive the tools, education and resources I need to grow and succeed and to help as many people as possible.”  

FirstLight Home Care of Alameda will serve clients and families in California’s East Bay region and surrounding communities. It will also bring jobs to the local community, focusing on hiring individuals with a heart for service and a genuine desire to enrich the lives of others and help them have their best day, every day.

FirstLight Home Care delivers companion care and personal care services to seniors, veterans, people recovering from illness, injury, surgery, and those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Professional caregivers help any adult needing assistance with personal care and household duties such as cooking, cleaning, and running errands while providing support and peace of mind.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – October 18, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care recently honored franchisees, caregivers and team members during its annual conference in Orlando, FL. This year’s theme was “Living Our Values,” a message intended to highlight the core values the company lives every day, without compromise.

“We love coming together to help guide our franchisees and their businesses into the future, and to celebrate all that they’ve done throughout the year for their clients, caregivers and communities,” said FirstLight President and CEO Glee McAnanly. “This was an incredible event with outstanding engagement among our franchisees and team members.”

The event provided opportunities for FirstLight franchise teams to strengthen relationships, build connections and share best practices through expert industry and franchisee panels, and special sessions focused on helping franchisees own their communities and make the company’s core values actionable in their business.

Franchisees, team members recognized

Marketa “Kitti” Tikander, FirstLight Home Care of Southern Maine, was recognized as FirstLight’s National Caregiver of the Year for her compassion, integrity and genuine kindness.

FirstLight honored Franchisee of the Year, Mark Paretchan, owner of FirstLight Home Care of Marin County and Sonoma County for outstanding client satisfaction, quality of service, caregiver retention and year-over-year revenue growth.

Dan Paluga of Greater Ann Arbor and Canton, MI, received Rookie of the Year, an award given to a first-time franchise owner who achieves the highest hours per week of care within their first 12 months of operation.

The company’s inaugural Founders’ Award honored Judy DeVincentis of Pueblo, CO, for her ongoing dedication to the mission and values that have made FirstLight what it is today.

Other awards included:

Quality Assurance

• Lyndon and Marianne Christman, multiple territories in Central Ohio
• Ken and Mary Ellen Fleming, multiple territories in Greater Charlotte, NC and Rock Hill, SC
• Keith and Raelene Plummer, Northwest Arkansas and South Tulsa, OK

Top Single Territory

• Jeremy Fellows, Don Fellows and Jeffrey Lamborne, Grand Rapids, MI

Top Multi-Unit Territory

• Don and Craig Randall, multiple territories in South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – October 17, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, has recognized long-time franchise owner Judy DeVincentis with its inaugural Founders’ Award. The award was presented during a special celebration at the company’s annual national conference in Orlando, FL.

“The FirstLight Founders’ Award recognizes one franchise owner’s continued and ongoing dedication to the mission and values that have made the company what it is today,” said Glee McAnanly, President & CEO of FirstLight Home Care. “Our mission is to help people have their best day, every day by providing compassionate care and peace of mind. Judy fulfills this purpose in every interaction with clients, their families, and caregivers.”

DeVincentis models the values of FirstLight and serves as an example for others by focusing on relationships first; acting with integrity; giving joy by practicing kindness and gratitude; growing together by consistently finding ways to improve; and making a difference every day in the lives of others.

DeVincentis has owned and operated FirstLight Home Care of Pueblo, CO, for more than 10 years. Many of her family members also own FirstLight locations in multiple states across the U.S.

FirstLight Home Care delivers companion care and personal care services to seniors, veterans, people recovering from illness, injury and surgery, and those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia. Professional caregivers help adults in need of assistance with personal care and household duties such as cooking, cleaning and running errands while providing support and peace of mind.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.

CINCINNATI, OHIO – October 17, 2023 – FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, has announced its national Rookie of the Year award winner.

Franchise owner Dan Paluga, who operates two territories in Greater Ann Arbor and Canton, MI, was recently recognized with this year’s honor. The award was presented during a celebration at FirstLight Home Care’s national conference in Orlando, FL.

The Rookie of the Year award is given to a first-time franchise owner who achieves the highest Hours Per Week of care within their first 12 months of operation. Franchisees are evaluated based on various criteria, including client satisfaction, quality of service provided and revenue growth.

“Dan and his team have created a Culture of Care that makes the world a better place, one client at a time,” said FirstLight President and CEO Glee McAnanly. “Dan’s passion for building relationships, serving people in their time of need and living our mission and core values have contributed to his early success.” 

FirstLight Home Care offers companion and personal care services for seniors, veterans, people recovering from surgery, and those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Professional caregivers help seniors and other adults needing assistance with personal care and household duties such as cooking, cleaning and running errands.

For information, visit GreaterAnnArbor.FirstLightHomeCare.com.

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care where they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones receive the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.