The Pickell Family Turned Senior Care Into a Franchise Success Story

For Mary Ann and Bob Pickell, running a CarePatrol franchise is about helping families find appropriate care for older loved ones while building a business rooted in trust. The couple purchased their eastern Pennsylvania franchise in January 2019 after Mary Ann began working with the business as a marketing director in 2014. Today, their operation serves families across Lehigh and Northampton counties and Upper Bucks County, guiding them through the often difficult process of choosing senior living arrangements.

Finding the right setting involves more than comparing facilities. CarePatrol advisors consider each older adult’s health needs, daily living requirements, personal preferences, social interests and budget before recommending suitable options. The team then helps families arrange visits and accompanies them on tours, offering guidance throughout the decision-making process. For families facing an unexpected hospitalization or a sudden change in a loved one’s health, that support can be particularly valuable.

The business completes more than 250 move-ins in a typical year and works with more than 100 senior care providers. Its services also extend beyond senior living recommendations, with referrals to nonmedical home care providers, attorneys, moving companies and real estate professionals when families need additional assistance. These relationships help the Pickells connect clients with resources that address the practical challenges of a major life transition.

Each family member brings a different strength to the operation. Mary Ann focuses on working with families and building relationships with care communities, while Bob oversees financial management, human resources and other business operations. Their daughter, Chloe Pickell, is also involved as a partner and director of operations, helping the family manage the demands of a growing advisory business. The combination of client-facing expertise and behind-the-scenes management allows the team to serve families while coordinating a complex network of professional relationships.

As the franchise develops, keeping information consistent and accessible becomes increasingly important for training, service delivery and day-to-day operations. The Knowledge Base feature available through Gorilla Dash can help franchise teams organize procedures, reference materials and internal guidance in one place. For businesses like CarePatrol, where advisors must understand service options and coordinate support across multiple providers, well-organized information can help teams work consistently while keeping their attention on the needs of the families they serve.