A local Lafayette business is making caring for aging parents easier. With help from Louisiana Economic Development, it is also expanding into new Louisiana markets.

Amian Health Services provides personal care services for clients at home or in hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living environments. Amian’s services include everything from providing the friendship and social interaction the elderly need to helping with day-to-day responsibilities like grocery shopping and hygiene.

In 2003, when his company was three years old, CEO Phillip Papillion solicited assistance from LED’s Small and Emerging Business Development Program (SEBD) to adjust Amian’s business plan and website. Through the SEBD program, Papillion also attended the National Private Duty Conference where he interacted with owners of other companies like his and learned how to drive up customer referrals, boost caregiver retention and generate non-caregiver revenue.

“I started the business because of my experiences when my mom aged and I’ve always been inclined toward elderly people. I saw a need with the demographics for the future and went for it,” said Papillion.

Today, the business is still thriving. Papillion has expanded the company with branches in Lake Charles, despite delays caused by Hurricane Rita, and Alexandria. And he plans to expand further, to Baton Rouge and Shreveport, in the future. In fact, Papillion is contemplating expanding his business plan yet again to include management of adult day care centers.

To this day, Papillion continues to use his SEBD program contacts to help him strategically develop his company. If all goes as planned, Papillion will continue his passion to care for the elderly and become a national organization.

“We are at the point that we can franchise and go national. Do you take on investors? Or build with the money that comes in?” said Papillion. Working with the SEBD counselors, he feels sure he’ll be able to answer those questions successfully for his business.