Christina Chartrand, SVP of Training at Senior Helpers, reveals why companionship is the unspoken "glue" of home care—even if no one pays for it directly. In this episode, she shares:

1. The sugarcoating mistake that backfired with new franchisees (and how brutal honesty builds better owners)

2. Why puppetry skills translate to dementia care (plus her past life as a professional puppeteer)

3. The 3-year rollercoaster rule—why early chaos is normal (and when it stabilizes)

4. Age-Friendly Care certification—how Senior Helpers is redefining senior independence

Lesson Takeaways:

1. Companionship > Tasks: Clients remember Dollar Store trips more than shower assistance.

2. Train ugly truths: Franchisees need reality checks about 3 AM caregiver calls upfront.

3. Delegate or stagnate: Micromanaging owners cap their growth at 20 clients.

4. "What matters most?" Age-Friendly Care flips the script from deficits to purpose.

Timestamps:

00:00 - The companionship paradox ("Nobody pays for $35/hr chats")

02:15 - From kindergarten teacher to puppeteer to senior care leader

05:30 - The franchise training fail: Glossing over the 3 AM emergencies

09:45 - Why the first 3 years feel like "Pong" (client/caregiver whiplash)

13:20 - Fixing cynicism: Scream in your car, then lead with positivity

17:00 - The industry’s image problem ("Stop depicting seniors as helpless")

21:30 - Life Profile: Predicting hospitalizations with 20 years of data

25:10 - Center of Excellence hack: Training in clutter-filled "apartments"

29:45 - Age-Friendly Care certification explained ("Medications + what matters")

33:20 - Plug: Senior Helpers’ risk-assessment apartments (floral couch included)

Quotes

1. "Nobody pays $35/hour for companionship—but it’s the glue of the relationship." — Christina

2. "If you’re the last to know a client’s moving to assisted living, shame on you." — Christina

3. "Delegate like your business depends on it (because it does)." — Christina

Resources:

1. Senior Helpers: https://www.seniorhelpers.com

2. Age-Friendly Health Systems: https://www.ihi.org/agefriendly

3. Connect with Christina Chartrand on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-chartrand-07b3587/

4. Connect with David Knack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-knack/

5. Connect with Zingage on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zingage/

6. Powered by Zingage: https://zingage.com/

7. Watch Episode on Zingage’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Zingage