How to Get Home Care Clients: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Agency Owners
October 23, 2026 · KGY Digital · 16 min read
You have opened your home care agency, prepared your services, and started building your team. Now you need families to find you and choose your agency.
One practical place to begin is with the people who already help families make care decisions. A hospital case manager, a care manager, or a community director may encounter someone who needs exactly the support you provide. Your job is to introduce your agency, understand their needs, and make it easy for them to share your information.
That takes more than leaving brochures at the front desk. You need the right contact, a useful reason to meet, clear information about your services, and a plan for following up.
This guide walks you through where to connect, how to get appointments, what to say during visits, and how to turn outreach into a manageable weekly routine.
Where Should You Market Your Home Care Services?
Start with organizations serving people whose needs match your agency's services, payment options, and staffing capacity. The following is a suggested outreach order, not a guarantee of which source will produce the most clients. If your agency focuses on Medicaid services, move the relevant plans and service coordinators higher on your list.
1. Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centers
Ask for: Discharge planners, case managers, and social workers.
A person may be ready to leave the hospital but still need help bathing, dressing, preparing meals, or moving through everyday routines. Family members may have jobs, children, or other responsibilities that limit the support they can provide.
Introduce your agency as a resource for those non-medical needs. Explain your service area, payment options, current availability, and how a family can request an assessment.
Include inpatient rehabilitation facilities and skilled nursing facilities that help people transition back home. Ask how each organization maintains its community resource list and introduces outside agencies to its team. Hospitals can have formal processes, so follow the process rather than expecting an immediate meeting or referral.
2. Home Health and Hospice Agencies
Ask for: Administrators, clinical managers, community liaisons, or social workers.
New agency owners sometimes overlook home health agencies because the names sound similar. Understanding the distinction helps you identify opportunities to work together.
| Home health | Non-medical home care |
|---|---|
| Provides skilled services such as nursing, wound care, and rehabilitation therapy. | Provides everyday support such as companionship, meal preparation, and permitted personal assistance. |
| Visits follow the person's clinical needs and plan of care. | Support follows the agreed care schedule and the agency's permitted scope of services. |
| May include qualifying home health aide services. | Can address ongoing daily needs beyond scheduled skilled visits. |
For example, someone may receive physical therapy at home while also needing several hours of help with meals, dressing, and household routines.
Medicare can cover certain home health aide services when eligibility requirements are met, but it does not cover personal care when that is the person's only care need. Avoid telling families that Medicare automatically pays for ongoing non-medical care. Medicare explains these coverage limits here.
Some home health agencies also operate personal care divisions. Research their services and ask where gaps remain before proposing a relationship.
Hospice agencies may also work with families who need additional companionship or caregiving support. Ask how outside caregivers can support the family alongside the hospice team and its care plan.
3. Assisted Living Facilities
Ask for: Executive directors, resident care directors, or directors of nursing.
Assisted living facilities already provide personal care. The opportunity is to understand where additional support could be useful, particularly when residents need more individual attention or the community is managing staffing pressures.
There are two different conversations to have:
- Additional care for an individual resident: A family may want approved one-to-one companionship, escorts to appointments, or other assistance beyond the resident's existing service arrangement.
- A staffing contract with the facility: The facility may want to discuss supplemental personnel. This requires a separate conversation about your agency's authority, insurance, contracts, and applicable staffing requirements.
Do not assume that permission to provide care in someone's home automatically authorizes every facility staffing arrangement. Outside caregivers also do not remove the facility's own responsibilities to residents.
A useful opening question is: "Do you allow outside home care agencies to support individual residents, and what is your approval process?"
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4. Existing Clients and Their Families
Connect with: Clients and family members who have expressed satisfaction with your services.
If you already serve clients, include their families in your outreach plan. They can describe their experience in a way that a brochure cannot.
Start by checking that care is going well. Resolve concerns before asking anyone to recommend your agency. When a family expresses appreciation, you can say:
"We're glad the support has been helpful. If you know another family looking for care, we would appreciate you sharing our information."
Give them a website link or a few business cards. Referral incentives, including gift cards, require additional care and are addressed later in this guide.
5. Geriatric Care Managers
Ask for: Aging Life Care Professionals or independent geriatric care managers.
These professionals help families assess needs, arrange services, and manage care. They can be especially relevant when relatives live far away or several providers are involved.
Use the Aging Life Care Association directory to identify professionals in your area. Ask about their client population, communication expectations, and process for evaluating home care agencies.
Be ready to explain how your agency handles scheduling, caregiver replacements, changes in needs, and updates to authorized contacts.
6. Doctors' Offices
Ask for: Practice managers, referral coordinators, nurses, or social workers.
Focus on practices whose patients may need your services, including primary care, geriatrics, neurology, and rehabilitation medicine.
The physician may not be the person who maintains community resources. Ask who helps patients and families find non-medical support. Explain the situations in which your agency may be useful, such as recovery after surgery or difficulty managing everyday activities.
Keep the introduction brief and make your information easy for staff to share.
7. Medicaid Plans and Waiver Programs
Ask for: Provider relations teams, service coordinators, and case managers associated with the programs you serve.
For agencies participating in Medicaid programs, outreach needs to match the relevant enrollment, contracting, authorization, and provider-selection processes.
Confirm that you are eligible to serve the program's members before advertising availability. Then make sure appropriate contacts know your approved services, coverage area, and capacity to accept clients. Joining a network does not guarantee referrals.
8. Independent Living and Retirement Communities
Ask for: Community directors and resident services coordinators.
Some residents may want help with meals, personal routines, companionship, or appointments while continuing to live independently.
Ask whether the community maintains a resource list, allows outside caregivers, or hosts educational sessions for residents and families. Clarify approval requirements before offering services on-site.
9. Senior Centers and Aging Organizations
Ask for: Program directors and information or resource coordinators.
Explore local senior centers, caregiver programs, and your Area Agency on Aging. The Eldercare Locator can help you identify aging resources in your community.
Ask about directory requirements, resource fairs, and educational opportunities. Some organizations share neutral provider lists rather than recommend individual businesses. Respect how their process works.
10. Churches and Community Organizations
Ask for: Pastors, senior ministry leaders, outreach coordinators, and community program leaders.
These organizations may know families caring for an aging parent, someone with a disability, or a relative recovering from illness.
Offer something useful, such as a short session about arranging respite or recognizing when a family caregiver needs support. Ask how the organization prefers to share community resources.
11. Disability Organizations and Caregiver Support Groups
Ask for: Program managers, support coordinators, group leaders, or family advocates.
Home care can support people beyond the senior population. If your agency is equipped and authorized to serve adults or children with disabilities, connect with organizations supporting those families.
Be specific about the ages, needs, programs, and locations you serve. Listen before presenting your services, and follow each group's rules about business participation.
Step 1: Prepare Your Agency Before Requesting Meetings
Before someone shares your agency's name, they need to understand what you do and feel comfortable directing a family to you.
Write a Clear Introduction
Prepare a short explanation that answers four questions: Who do you serve? What do you help with? Where do you provide care? How does someone get started?
For example:
"We provide non-medical home care for older adults and adults with disabilities in [service area]. Our caregivers help with personal care, meals, companionship, and everyday routines. Families can call us to discuss their needs and arrange an assessment."
Adjust that wording to your actual services. Add relevant details such as weekend availability only when you can reliably deliver them.
Create a One-Page Agency Overview
Include your services, geographic coverage, payment options, relevant credentials, and a direct contact person. Add your website address and a QR code that leads to a useful page.
Clearly explain how to refer or inquire. You can prepare a more detailed credential packet for organizations that request one, but your first introduction should be easy to scan.
Make Sure Your Website Supports the Introduction
An interested contact may search your name before replying. A family may visit your website after receiving your brochure. Make sure both can quickly find your services, coverage area, agency background, and contact information.
Use accurate credentials and genuine testimonials shared with permission. If your agency is new, explain your background and process honestly rather than implying a history you have not established.
Open the site on your phone. Can someone read it comfortably, tap to call, and submit an inquiry? Test the form yourself and confirm that your team receives it.
Prepare for your next introduction: Explore our home care website design and new agency website and branding resources.
Step 2: Build a Focused Local Contact List
Start with 20 to 30 organizations within an area you can realistically staff. Search Google Maps using phrases such as "rehabilitation center in [city]" or "home health agency near [ZIP code]." Review each organization's website before adding it.
Record the organization, address, contact name and role, phone number, email, last contact date, and next action. Add a short note explaining why it is a good fit.
Use a spreadsheet if that is easiest. A CRM becomes useful as relationships and reminders increase. The important habit is recording what happened and what comes next.
Group nearby organizations together so appointments and approved drop-offs fit into an efficient route. Choose your first five contacts and schedule time to reach them.
Step 3: Ask for an Appointment With the Right Person
Make a small, specific request. A 10- to 15-minute introduction is easier to evaluate than an undefined meeting about a partnership.
Calling the Front Desk
For a hospital or rehabilitation center, try:
"Hello, my name is [name], and I own [agency]. Who coordinates community resources for patients who need non-medical help at home after discharge? I'd like to ask about your process for introducing a local home care agency."
For an assisted living community:
"Who handles approval for outside caregivers who provide additional support to residents? I'd appreciate learning about your process."
Ask for the person's name, role, preferred contact method, and any vendor requirements. Treat front-desk staff respectfully; they are helping you navigate the organization.
Requesting the Meeting
Once you reach the appropriate contact, explain the relevance and propose a short introduction:
"We serve [area] and help with [relevant services]. I'd appreciate 15 minutes to learn what families commonly need and explain when our agency may be useful. Would Tuesday morning or Thursday afternoon work?"
You can also send a brief email:
Subject: Local home care resource for families in [area]
Hello [name],
I'm [name], the owner of [agency]. We provide [services] in [area].
I'd appreciate a brief introduction to learn about the non-medical support your patients or residents need and your process for sharing community resources.
Would you have 15 minutes next week? I'm happy to send our one-page overview first.
[Name, phone, and website]
Include your website link so the recipient can research your agency before responding.
When You Cannot Get a Meeting
Ask whether the organization offers vendor introductions, resource fairs, or educational sessions. A mutual contact may also be willing to introduce you.
If material drop-offs are allowed, leave a short note addressed to the appropriate person and follow up through the approved channel. Avoid arriving unannounced expecting a clinical team to stop work for a presentation.
Step 4: Make Your First Visit Useful
Prepare by reviewing the organization, confirming the appointment, and checking your current caregiver availability. Bring your overview, business cards, and any requested documents.
At the meeting, introduce yourself briefly and begin with questions:
- "What difficulties do families encounter when arranging help at home?"
- "Which needs are hardest to find support for locally?"
- "What information do you need before sharing an agency with a family?"
- "How do you prefer agencies to communicate availability?"
Listen for the needs your agency can actually address. If families struggle to find weekend care and you can reliably provide it, explain your availability and intake process. If you cannot meet a need, say so clearly.
Walk the contact through what happens after an inquiry: who answers, what information you need, and how an assessment is arranged. Keep any response-time promises realistic.
End by agreeing on one next step. That might be sending credentials, completing a vendor application, providing information for a resource list, or arranging an educational session.
Step 5: Offer a Lunch-and-Learn
A lunch-and-learn gives you a chance to educate a team or group of families while introducing your agency. Plan a short, useful session with time for questions.
Choose a topic that fits the audience. Discharge teams may appreciate a discussion about arranging non-medical support after hospitalization. Family caregivers may prefer a session on respite, caregiver burnout, or preparing for a home care assessment.
Ask your contact which topic would help before preparing the presentation.
To arrange the session:
- Confirm the audience and its needs.
- Agree on a date and a manageable presentation length.
- Ask about outside-presenter, meal, and gift policies.
- Prepare a practical handout.
- Reserve time for questions.
- Finish with your contact details and referral instructions.
Keep refreshments within organizational policies and applicable rules, without tying anything of value to referrals. You can also offer a presentation without food.
A useful handout might be a checklist families can use before a relative returns home. Include your website and a relevant resource page so attendees can revisit the information.
Keep your first session focused on one practical problem and leave time for questions; the goal is to be a useful resource, not deliver a sales presentation.
Step 6: Follow Up With a Clear Reason
After a meeting, send a short thank-you and deliver anything you promised. Record the next action immediately.
A practical starting routine is to follow up within one business day, complete the agreed next step that week, and ask how often the contact would like future updates.
Make later messages useful. Share relevant availability, a requested resource, or details of an upcoming educational session. "We have added Saturday coverage in [area]" is more informative than repeatedly asking whether someone has clients for you.
When a referral arrives, respond promptly. With appropriate permission, let the referring contact know that you connected with the family or arranged an assessment. Share only information you are authorized to disclose.
Your website can support these conversations. Send a relevant service or location page, and provide a clear inquiry route. Keep sensitive client details out of ordinary marketing forms; use an appropriate secure intake process when needed.
Need a more organized follow-up process? Explore our home care CRM and all services to connect inquiries, conversations, and next steps.
Step 7: Make Family Referrals Easy and Review Incentives Carefully
Give satisfied families an easy way to share your information: a website link, agency card, or simple page explaining how to get started. Let the referred family initiate contact, or obtain permission before reaching out.
Some owners consider paying a referral reward, such as a gift card. Before offering one, have the proposed arrangement reviewed by a qualified healthcare attorney familiar with your state and payment sources. A small gift card is still something of value, and private-pay status does not resolve every legal question.
Federal law can restrict rewards intended to induce referrals for federally reimbursable services. State rules may apply more broadly. For example, Texas HHSC describes restrictions concerning payment for client or patient solicitation; the application of those rules depends on the arrangement. Review the applicable requirements with a qualified healthcare attorney. See the HHS Office of Inspector General's guidance and Texas HHSC's explanation.
If a particular incentive program is confirmed as permitted, document its eligibility, reward, qualifying conditions, and recordkeeping. Keep referral incentives separate from reviews, and do not pay healthcare professionals or facility staff for referrals without specific legal review.
You can build a strong family referral habit through good service, personal requests, and easy sharing even without a financial reward.
Step 8: Help Families Find You Online
Local outreach and online visibility support each other. Someone may hear your name from a care manager, search for your agency, and visit your website before calling.
Maintain Your Google Business Profile
Keep your name, phone number, services, hours, and website accurate. Configure your address and service area according to Google's requirements. Request honest reviews without incentives or pressure, and protect client privacy when responding publicly.
Google says complete and accurate business information supports local visibility. Its local ranking guidance explains that results depend mainly on relevance, distance, and prominence.
Participate in Local Online Communities
Join relevant Facebook groups and explore Nextdoor. Follow promotion rules, answer questions helpfully, and share useful local resources when appropriate.
People seeking care may be older adults themselves, adult children, spouses, or other family caregivers. Write for the person making the decision, and direct them to a page that clearly explains the relevant service.
Test Paid Channels With Tracking
Paid search ads and referral directories can be additional experiments once your website and response process are ready. Track qualified inquiries, assessments, clients who begin care, and acquisition costs. Review directory terms and lead-sharing practices before committing.
Your First 30 Days of Home Care Outreach
Use this plan to turn the guide into scheduled work.
| Week | What to do | What you should have by the end |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Review your website, test inquiry forms, prepare your overview, and identify 20 to 30 organizations. | A clear introduction, useful materials, and a focused contact list. |
| Week 2 | Contact your first five organizations and request brief meetings. | Named contacts, recorded conversations, and next actions. |
| Week 3 | Attend meetings, complete approved visits, and propose an educational session where relevant. | A better understanding of local needs and specific follow-up commitments. |
| Week 4 | Deliver promised information, contact the next five organizations, and review results. | A repeatable outreach routine and an organized relationship list. |
Measure more than brochures distributed. Track conversations with relevant contacts, meetings completed, referrals received, assessments scheduled, and clients who begin care. Record where each inquiry came from so you can see which relationships produce clients your agency can serve well.
Choose Your First Five Contacts
Select five organizations from this guide that fit your services and coverage area. Find the right contact, prepare your introduction, and put outreach time on your calendar.
As you meet people, learn what families need and follow through on the commitments you make. Make sure your website, phone response, and intake process give those families a clear path to care.
Make your outreach easier to act on. KGY Digital helps connect your website, marketing, business email, phone, and CRM. Explore our services, see our portfolio, or talk with our team about your agency’s next step.