Home | Blog

Why Rural Areas Make Great Communities for Right at Home

Jeremy and Kristen Starkel built their careers in Omaha, but both came from smaller communities in rural Nebraska. Over time, they began thinking about what it would look like to return and build something in the places where they grew up, close to family, friends, and the people they knew best.

“We were really drawn back to home,” Jeremy said. “This is where we were born and raised, where our friends and family are. We wanted to do something that would give back to the community and align with our skills and our passion, whether that was healthcare from a staffing standpoint or more hands-on patient care.”

That decision led them to Right at Home, where they now operate five locations across northeast and central Nebraska, serving a wide range of rural and farm-based communities.

Meeting a Real Need in Rural Markets

Many residents in rural areas live miles from the nearest hospital or clinic, with limited options in some cases. This creates a real challenge for older adults who want to remain at home.

“We serve a lot of the farm communities, the gravel roads, the cornfield areas of Nebraska where people don’t have access to care as much,” Jeremy said. “We don’t have a lot of nursing homes or hospitals in some of these areas, so people have to drive a long distance. It’s nice to be able to go to them and help them in their homes.”

In many of these communities, home care is one of the only consistent options available, especially for seniors who are not ready or willing to relocate. That creates a steady, often urgent demand for Right at Home. It also allows providers to step in as a reliable solution where other parts of the healthcare system may be harder to reach.

“So it’s really rewarding to be able to give people that option,” Jeremy said. “There just aren’t a lot of choices out here, and if someone wants to stay home, we can help make that possible.”

Overcoming Logistics and Building Scale

Operating in rural markets comes with its own unique challenges. Travel distances are longer, hiring can take more time, and scheduling requires flexibility across a wide geographic area.

“It’s not unusual for someone to drive 45 minutes to an hour to get to a client,” Jeremy said. “We have to set that expectation upfront with our care staff. The clients are there, and they need the care, but you might not have someone right next door, so you have to be willing to drive.”

Having coverage in more remote areas can also be a challenge, especially when caregivers are not available nearby right away. But the team works to coordinate care as soon as possible, sometimes even collaboratively with other providers.

“You might not have a caregiver in those areas already, so it can take a little bit of time to get care lined up,” Kristen said. “At the end of the day, we want to make sure the client gets taken care of one way or another.”

The Advantage of Small-Town Trust

Though it can be more logistically challenging in rural areas, these areas offer trust that’s usually difficult to replicate in larger markets. Reputation spreads quickly in small towns and relationships carry even more weight.

“A lot of it is word of mouth,” Jeremy said. “If you have a good reputation in a small community, people talk. We’ve built trust over time by providing quality care, and people share their experiences with neighbors, friends, and family. That’s been a big driver of our business.”

That has allowed the Starkels’ locations to expand without relying heavily on traditional advertising. New clients often come in having already heard about the brand from someone they trust.

A Business That Feels Personal

In rural markets, the work often feels more personal because of how closely connected communities are. Many clients are not strangers, but people the Starkels and their team already know.

“I’ve taken care of school teachers of mine, and we’ve worked with friends’ parents and grandparents,” Jeremy said. “When people need help, they already know we’re here, and they know they can call us. That’s a really neat part of being in a small community.”

The team also actively participates in local events, partners with organizations and volunteers their time to support the people they serve. That involvement helps strengthen relationships and keeps the business closely connected to the communities it serves.

“We do a lot of volunteering and community involvement, whether it’s working with senior centers, partnering with the VA or helping with local fundraisers,” Kristen said. “We’ve been fortunate to be where we are, so we want to give back and be part of the community, not just operate a business in it.”

Why Rural Markets Are Worth the Investment

Rural markets may not always be the obvious choice for starting a franchise. Population size and geography can raise questions about scalability, but the Starkels’ experience shows that those concerns are often outweighed by opportunity.

“When we were first looking at it, people might say a market like Norfolk, Nebraska isn’t big enough or doesn’t have the population to support it,” Jeremy said. “But I think we’re a testament that that’s not necessarily true. It’s really what you make of it.”

In rural areas, where options can be limited, Right at Home provides a path for individuals to remain in their homes and communities. For many families, that option would not otherwise exist.