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Senior Care is regarded by many as one of the most likely growth sectors in franchising, as America’s population is graying. It even made Entrepreneur magazine’s list of the Top 10 franchise categories for 2011.

There are some complexities in the industry though, as senior franchises differ between medical care and non-medical care. It’s helpful to have a reliable source to go to when the time comes to choose a franchise to invest in. The Franchise King has gladly created a sort of questionnaire on the senior franchise industry. Anyone looking to learn more about the industry should visit his Ask The Franchise King site.

He’s already provided answers to a woman named Leslie looking for advice on how to pick a senior business. He offered the following three tips

1. Decide if you want to focus on medical or non-medical care
2. Contact 3-4 after you decide, and arrange some calls with the fran-dev directors
3. Ask lots of questions, and then contact franchisees and ask even more.

Ask your questions about the industry and keep an eye on the site in the near future for a response. You can’t beat free advice, ladies and gentlemen.

Further data has been released which indicates that senior citizens are actually more entrepreneurially-minded than young people.

Scott Shane of Businessweek has crunched the numbers and analyzed the figures. This research builds on work for early in 2009 performed by Dane Stangler, for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which states: “In every single year from 1996 to 2007, Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 had a higher rate of entrepreneurial activity than those aged 20 to 34.”

Trying to gain a sense of the present situation, Shane cites figures from November’s Bureau of Labour Statistics on corporated and incorporated self-employment. There are some staggering statistics: 75-year-old’s and over have the highest rate of unincorporated self-employment, a rate four times greater than 25-34 year-old’s.

As for incorporated self-employment, which may be a better barometer of real entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship rates are still four times higher than 25-29 year olds, and rising.

These figures do not explain why seniors are so drawn to self-employment, but it is even more proof for franchisors, especially of the home-based variety, that the senior sector is a group that must be seriously courted. This is a group of people with income and capital who are a far safer demographic to bank on than, say, recent college graduates.

The future, it seems, may lie with seniors.

While the health care debate has raged and raged this summer, one point that has been somewhat overlooked by all the talking heads is that there has been a subtle shift in the way Americans, especially  aging baby boomers, receive health care.

Time Magazine is certainly aware of it. There is a story in this week’s edition about the rise and rise of health and senior health care franchises. We can only presume this is the beginning of a trend. Experts predict the global population of people above 65 to double to 15% by 2050. The story profiles Home Instead, but they could be speaking for any senior care franchise when they say:

“With seniors’ numbers soaring, public care dollars shrinking and extended families geographically scattered, Home Instead is mining a virtually untapped and limitless market.”

What we’re seeing is the emergence of a range of social factors that are creating a greater need for senior care franchises. Families are divided and spread across the globe. Government dollars for public care are shrinking. A business that can provide immediate and constant care for senior citizens has a greater potential chance for huge growth than ever before.

And it’s not only in America where this franchise industry is growing. The story profiles the spread of health care franchises to Japan, who have the second biggest population of elderly people in the world. It’s a market primed for senior care franchising. Home Instead ranked #72 on the Top 100 Global Franchises (with Homewatch being the other senior care franchise on the list). This industry is a great franchise investment, certain to experience further growth in the coming year.

What would you say is the ideal age to start a business?

A so-called millennial who came of age in the era of the internet might say 19 or 20. Just look the multi-billion dollar success that young entrepreneurs have enjoyed with Youtube and Facebook.

A more battle-hardened Gen X-er, who’s witnessed the rise and fall of the dot-com bubble might say 35 or 40. Ten or fifteen years of climbing the business ladder can expose you to some common management mistakes and protect you – and your investment – from the dangers of business naivete.

But a new school of thought is emerging that the best age to start a business is in your 50s. I know, it’s an age when most people are taking the long view and looking to firm up their retirement plan as the golden years loom, but an interesting story in Business Week magazine profiles a few Baby Boomers who have taken the plunge in entrepreneurship quite late in life.

The story quotes this eye-opening statistic from the AARP: “according to the nonprofit AARP Public Policy Institute, in 2008, 21% of the self-employed were between 55 and 64, while 10% were 65 and older.” As ever, the recession here is the key. While, in the past, many professionals approaching 60 might just hang on until retirement day, Baby Boomers, along with millenials, are often the first people in the firing line once the B-word - buyouts - is mentioned.

Forced by sheer necessity into business ownership, many seniors are finding entrepreneurship is its own fountain of youth, as Wally Blume, who started his business in his 60’s, says.

“I always wanted to go into business for myself when I was younger. But I didn’t have the money. At 61 if I was trying to get into a business that I didn’t understand and spent that kind of money, someone should have put me in a home. But I understood this business, and I saw its potential.”

For those Baby Boomers with business knowledge and the desire to relaunch their career, there are many great franchises for sale with Franchise Direct. Franchising gives one the same joys of business ownership, while eliminating many of the risks.

Last week, we offered advice to young graduates who were considered starting a career in franchising. At the same time, it’s interesting to see that, as the economy declines, baby boomers are also turning to franchising for career stability.

This is an interesting trend that is not purely a by-product of the economic downturn. Franchising has a timeless appeal to middle-aged people who have a spent their careers working up the business ladder. Franchising allows them sought-after control in running an operation combined with the unflinching support of the franchisor.

Franchising becomes even more attractive to people in this economic climate because, unfortunately, some people can no longer afford to retire. With a bold range of different opportunities, franchising provides people with a chance to custom-tailor their workload in line with their own desires and time constraints.

Seniors who’ve turned to franchising are profiled in this recent story. There are interesting voices, including Kathy McAvoy-Rogalski, a 56-year-old New Yorker who’s found success as a dog-walking franchisee after taking a buy-out from her job in the pharmaceutical sector.

“For retirees that are active, that like walking or love animals, it’s the perfect way to earn some extra money,” she said.

Franchising can offer up remarkable opportunities. People who’ve spent their life building up a range of skills and interests are discovering that their golden years needn’t be a time to solely to ponder retirement. Thanks to a franchise opportunity, they can be the beginning of an exciting second career.

Explore the Franchise Direct website for the franchise that’s perfect for you.