Seniors Helping Seniors expands in Hartville

The Wednesday, Jan. 21, meeting of the Lake Township Chamber of Commerce Morning Connections was held at the Lake Chamber Office and Welcome Center, with member Jim Benson of Seniors Helping Seniors featured as the Member Spotlight. The meeting was part of the chamber’s new Business Before Hours event, which allows for open networking, a one-minute business commercial and a featured Member Spotlight.

Jim Benson, owner and president, and his wife, Robyn, operate the in-home care services business. The husband-and-wife team launched the franchise by combining caregiving experience and corporate leadership to provide compassionate, experience-driven care for local seniors. The new Hartville location will serve communities in Canton, Akron, Green and Massillon, as well as surrounding areas in Portage, Stark and Summit counties. Their mission is “Neighborly Care for the Canton-Akron community,” with a broader goal of helping seniors maintain an independent lifestyle wherever they call home for as long as possible, with dignity and respect, by matching them with loving, caring and compassionate active seniors.

Benson explained that 60% of caregivers are employed and must rearrange work schedules, reduce hours or take unpaid leave to care for loved ones. In addition, 69% of caregivers report frustration, loss of leisure time, changes in family dynamics and feelings of isolation as their biggest challenges. Burnout and the strain caregiving places on families, he said, are among the most common reasons people enter nursing homes, rather than a decline in health.

Seniors Helping Seniors operates with guiding principles centered on love, compassion, dignity, respect and security. The goal is to go beyond meeting basic needs and help seniors feel valued, happy and loved. When seniors share mutual experiences of aging, Benson said, the care they give and receive often feels more compassionate. With the support of a companion caregiver, seniors can continue to live independently and age comfortably in their own homes while maintaining a sense of security.

Benson also spoke about recruiting seniors for caregiving roles, describing the opportunity as a job with a lifetime of benefits. He said he is seeking individuals who are active, compassionate and motivated to serve. Working for Seniors Helping Seniors allows caregivers to remain active, work flexible hours, earn supplemental income and give back with purpose. Benson encouraged anyone interested to consider becoming an in-home caregiver with the organization.

Jim and Robyn Benson believe aging should be a journey marked by dignity and purpose. The company distinguishes itself within the in-home care industry by prioritizing the hiring of active seniors to assist less active peers, creating stronger connections and higher-quality care through shared life experience.

With Jim Benson’s personal experience securing reliable care for his mother and Robyn Benson’s background in caregiving, the business felt like a natural fit. “We are thrilled to bring Seniors Helping Seniors to this area,” Jim Benson said. “It’s about more than a business. It’s about fulfilling a purpose to enrich the lives of seniors in our community through next-level care and compassion that comes from shared experience.”

Demand for in-home care continues to grow, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reporting that nearly 70% of retirees will require some form of long-term care.

For more information, contact the Bensons at 330-806-8044 or call or text 216-534-4155, or email jim@cantonakronshs.com.