The Future of Care is Preventative - Is Your Company Ready?
Families are seeking providers who help older adults stay well, independent, and out of crisis. If your services remain purely reactive, you risk being left behind, struggling to grow while providing the same service as everyone else in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
The problem: Reactive care is becoming less sustainable
Traditional domiciliary care models focus on responding to decline: supporting tasks people can no longer do themselves. While essential, these models face increasing challenges:
- Families delay engaging until crisis hits, leading to rushed decisions and short-term placements
- Carers struggle with retention when work feels reactive rather than rewarding
- Commissioners and self-funders look for providers offering more than basic ADL support
- Competition is fierce - everyone offers 'compassionate,' 'person-centred' care with glowing testimonials
Without a distinct model that addresses these challenges, growth becomes harder, margins tighten, and your team burns out trying to stand out in a crowded market.
The opportunity: Preventative care as a growth strategy
Preventative care flips the model: instead of waiting for decline, you help people maintain and even regain independence. This creates new opportunities:
- Earlier engagement: Families seek you out before crisis, when they're researching proactive support
- Longer relationships: Clients stay with you for wellness and prevention, not just emergency response
- Differentiated positioning: Stand out with a clear, modern service model that competitors can't easily copy
- Stronger outcomes: Measurable improvements in client wellbeing create powerful case studies and referrals
- Higher carer satisfaction: Carers see the impact of helping people thrive, not just survive
Preventative care isn't just good for clients - it's a strategic lever for sustainable growth.
Our solution: The 3-tier preventative care model
We've refined a practical, implementable preventative care framework through real-world pilots with care providers. The model has three tiers, each building on the last:
Tier 1: Flexicare (Light-touch wellness support)
For clients who need minimal support but want the reassurance of regular contact:
- Weekly or fortnightly check-ins (in-person or remote)
- Focus on confidence, connection, and early identification of risks
- Gateway service: natural upsell when needs increase
- Low-cost entry point that builds trust and pipeline
Tier 2: Prevent (Structured prevention programs)
For clients ready to actively work on strength, mobility, and daily habits:
- Personalized prevention plans (falls prevention, strength training, cognitive stimulation)
- Carers trained in coaching, not just task completion
- Regular progress reviews and outcome tracking
- Clear differentiation: you're not just providing care, you're building capability
Tier 3: Prevent+ (Tech-enabled prevention with remote support)
For clients who want comprehensive support with digital tools:
- Integrated tech platform (we recommend Everfit) for activity tracking, habit monitoring, and remote coaching
- Blend of in-person visits and digital engagement
- Stronger outcomes through data-driven adjustments
- Premium positioning: modern, proactive, outcome-focused
The three-tier model gives you flexibility to serve different client needs and budgets, while creating natural progression paths as clients' requirements evolve.
Implementation: The 90-day plan
Launching preventative care isn't about theory - it's about practical implementation. Our 90-day engagement includes:
Phase 1: Audit & Service Design (Weeks 1-4)
- Review your current service model and identify prevention opportunities
- Design your branded prevention tiers (Flexicare, Prevent, Prevent+)
- Define pricing, operational workflows, and carer training needs
- Identify pilot clients and referral sources
Phase 2: Pilot Launch (Weeks 5-8)
- Train carers on prevention-focused delivery
- Onboard pilot clients to test and refine your model
- Set up outcome tracking and feedback loops
- Create case studies and testimonials from early successes
Phase 3: Optimize & Scale (Weeks 9-12)
- Review pilot results and refine service delivery
- Develop marketing materials highlighting prevention outcomes
- Train additional carers and expand client base
- Build referral partnerships with GPs, physios, and community groups
Most clients continue with additional 90-day sprints to scale prevention across their service and integrate it fully into their marketing.
Success outcomes: What this looks like in practice
- New revenue stream: Prevention services create a distinct, profitable offering alongside traditional care
- Stronger pipeline: Families engage earlier, leading to longer client relationships and higher lifetime value
- Better outcomes: Measurable improvements in client mobility, confidence, and independence
- Differentiated brand: Stand out with a modern, evidence-based service model
- Carer retention: Teams feel more engaged when their work creates visible positive change
The cost of inaction
Delaying preventative care has real consequences:
- Competitors adopt prevention models, leaving you undifferentiated
- Families continue bypassing you in favor of providers with modern, proactive approaches
- Marketing costs rise as you compete on price and promises rather than outcomes
- Carer turnover increases as teams lose motivation in reactive-only roles
- Growth stalls as your service model becomes indistinguishable from the rest
The market is shifting. Preventative care is becoming table stakes, not a nice-to-have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to replace our current services?
No. Prevention sits alongside your existing domiciliary care. Many clients use both: prevention for maintenance, traditional care when needs increase.
What if our carers aren't trained in prevention?
We provide carer training as part of the pilot. Most carers adapt quickly - prevention work is often more rewarding than task-focused care.
How do we price preventative care?
We help you design pricing that reflects value, not just time. Prevention often commands higher rates because of the outcomes it delivers.
What if clients don't engage with prevention?
We position prevention as a choice, not a mandate. Pilot clients are self-selecting, so engagement is typically high. Marketing focuses on families seeking proactive support.
Do we need tech for Prevent+?
Prevent+ is optional. Many providers start with Flexicare and Prevent, adding tech later as they scale. We recommend Everfit but can adapt to other platforms.
Next steps
Ready to explore preventative care for your business? Here's how to start:
- Download the playbook: Get the Preventative Care Playbook for a detailed guide to designing your prevention model
- Book a discovery call: 20-minute call to discuss your goals, current setup, and recommended approach
- Start the pilot: If it's a fit, we'll map your 90-day plan and launch your first prevention clients