CASE STUDY
How Seniors Home Care Grew Revenue 8% By Saving Time On Screening
By Haylee Warmerdam
Seniors Home Care in St. Louis has been family-run for over 36 years, offering personalized in-home care for families with complex medical needs. Founded in 1987 by Ryan Whittington’s mother to care for her own grandmother, the agency is now led by Ryan and his wife, Gretchen, who carry on that legacy with a deep commitment to quality care.
Since taking ownership just a year and a half ago, Ryan and Gretchen Whittington have focused on preserving the agency’s core values while scaling the business. Their approach centers on balancing growth with maintaining the supportive, family-oriented culture that has defined Seniors Home Care for decades.
Overcoming Recruitment Bottlenecks
As the agency expanded, Ryan and Gretchen encountered a familiar challenge: maintaining growth while preventing recruiter burnout. “Our recruitment process was stuck,” Ryan shares. “One person was handling everything from placing ads to onboarding, and it just wasn’t sustainable.” Despite their best efforts, the couple realized that without rethinking how they handled recruitment, the agency would struggle to grow beyond its current plateau.
"Our recruitment process was stuck. One person was handling everything from placing ads to onboarding, and it wasn't sustainable."
Ryan Whittington
Chief Executive Officer
Seniors Home Care
Why Ryan and Gretchen Chose Carework
Ryan sought advice from industry peers and was introduced to Carework. “What sold us was the idea that Carework could take over the initial recruiting workload, allowing us to focus on what we do best—building relationships and ensuring our team feels supported,” Gretchen says.
Carework stepped in to handle ad management, applicant responses, and initial screenings, quickly easing the strain. “We were getting 30-40 applications a week, but Carework filtered them so we could focus on only the most qualified candidates—saving us an incredible amount of time,” Gretchen shares.
When hiring numbers dipped, Carework provided data-driven recommendations to keep things on track. “They quickly identified issues and suggested tweaks like optimizing ads. Their responsiveness kept us moving forward,” Ryan notes.
With Carework handling the heavy lifting, Ryan and Gretchen could shift focus to engaging new hires. “We could concentrate on making new hires feel welcomed and supported, which has made all the difference,” Gretchen emphasizes.
"We were getting 30-40 applications a week, but Carework filtered them so we could focus on only the most qualified candidates—saving us an incredible amount of time."
Gretchen Whittington
Chief Care Officer
Seniors Home Care
An 8% Revenue Growth And A Unified Team
The results spoke for themselves, Seniors Home Care saw an 8% increase in revenue in the months after integrating Carework into their recruitment strategy. “It’s not just about the numbers,” Ryan says. “The growth allowed us to reinvest in our team, improve our culture, and provide even better support to our caregivers.”
The improvements extended beyond revenue. The couple saw a tangible difference in their team’s cohesion and satisfaction. “By freeing up our internal staff from the heavy lifting of recruitment, we could focus on the things that really matter—like ensuring caregivers feel valued and connected to the mission,” Gretchen adds.
One initiative they introduced was a “joy station” in their office, where caregivers could grab a snack, use the Wi-Fi, and feel more connected to the agency. Small touches like this have helped Seniors Home Care stand out and deepen the bond between office staff and field workers.
"By freeing up our internal staff from the heavy lifting of recruitment, we could focus on the things that really matter—like ensuring caregivers feel valued and connected to the mission."
Gretchen Whittington
Chief Care Officer
Seniors Home Care
Sustainable Growth Built on Trust and Compassion
With a consistent applicant pipeline, Right At Home Birmingham rapidly expanded its operations from nine to fourteen locations across Alabama and Tennessee, all while maintaining the high-quality care that has been their mission from the beginning.
"Carework provided valuable data and insights on hiring trends, applicant sources, and conversion rates, allowing us to strategically target our recruitment efforts and optimize our hiring process. Our ability to consistently hire and onboard caregivers has been crucial to our success," Justin concludes. “Thanks to Carework, we’re not just keeping up with demand—we’re growing every day.”