What are aggregators and portals?

Lead aggregator sites, also referred to as aggregators and portals, are online platforms that attract families who are actively searching for senior care options. These platforms invest heavily in search engine optimization, online advertising, and content marketing to capture demand. They then distribute inquiries as paid leads to local providers like Qualicare franchise partners.

Benefits of using lead aggregators

1. Steady flow of high-intent prospects: These are typically not cold leads; they are families already looking for home care solutions, which means higher conversion potential.
2. Faster ramp-up for new locations: Aggregators shorten the time it takes to build your first client base because you are accessing families who are in need of care.
3. Predictable lead flow: When paired with disciplined follow-up, aggregators can give you a stable pipeline of leads.
4. Expanded visibility: Boost brand visibility in markets where Qualicare may not yet be known through word-of-mouth.
   

How they generate leads

1. Family inquiry: A family either calls the aggregator’s toll-free number or fills out an online request form describing their care needs, location, and timeline.
2. Qualification: On sites like Caring.com and A Place for Mom, Family Advisors follow up immediately to verify the details, confirm urgency, and ensure the inquiry is legitimate.
3. Distribution: The system then matches the family with a handful of providers in their area. These are shared (non-exclusive) leads, so the family is often introduced to 2–5 agencies at the same time.
4. Delivery to you: As a partner, you receive the referral instantly by email and through CRM integration. This is your moment to act quickly and stand out.
5. Hot transfers: In some cases, the Advisor will transfer the call live to your office. These are high-value opportunities that should be treated with top urgency.
   

U.S. Aggregators

Caring.com

One of the most widely recognized U.S. platforms. Works primarily on shared leads, and franchise partners have observed that higher spend levels may result in receiving more leads. Optimized profiles with photos and reviews improve visibility and performance.

A Place for Mom / AgingCare

     

The largest senior-care aggregator in the United States. It is also available in Canada, but it lists only assisted living facilities, not in-home care. The platform offers two lead types: vetted shared leads (about $50 to $60 each) and live hot transfers (about $90 each), where families are connected to you by phone. To convert hot transfers, answer immediately to capture intent.

Care In Homes

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A U.S. platform that generates home care leads through online advertising and matches families with local providers. Offers paid leads that are distributed to multiple agencies. Quality and volume can vary by market, so strong follow-up is critical.

Senior Care Finder 

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A pay-to-play directory where higher bids improve visibility, similar to Zillow-style placement. May generate website traffic but doesn’t always result in high-quality leads. Best treated as a supplemental strategy alongside Caring.com or A Place for Mom. A pilot program is currently being run to evaluate ROI from this site.

Canadian Aggregators

This is the primary aggregator available to Canadian franchise partners. US partners can use it as well. The platform is not care specific, but care inquiries do come through. Leads are relatively low cost but vary in quality. Franchise partners can purchase leads manually or enable auto-purchasing to automatically buy leads that meet chosen filters. Quick response is essential since leads are distributed to multiple providers.

Choosing where to start

New franchise partners should start with one or two platforms rather than spreading spend too thin across several. In the U.S., begin with Caring.com and A Place for Mom, then assess results after six months to decide whether to expand. In Canada, start with Bark, evaluate performance, and adjust spend as local referral networks grow. Base decisions on budget, ability to follow up consistently, and how much lead volume you can realistically manage.