Brazilian Franchise Network of LTCFs: Experience Report on Standardized Practices that Ensure Healthy and Dignified Aging
E. de Faria Ferreira.
Full text PDF 
( Download count: 1)
AbstractPURPOSE: Population aging represents one of the main contemporary challenges, imposing increasing demands on health systems and on the care provided to older adults (WHO, 2015). In Brazil, the growth of the elderly population has been accompanied by a significant increase in the demand for Long-Term Care Institutions for Older Adults (LTCFs), highlighting the need for care models that ensure quality, dignity, and continuous attention (UN, 2019). In this context, the standardization of care practices emerges as a key strategy to guarantee consistency, safety, and reliability in the care offered to residents, families, and professionals (WHO, 2015). Franchise networks of LTCFs, structured with clear and replicable protocols, represent an innovative solution aligned with international guidelines for healthy and dignified aging, enabling the large-scale dissemination of best practices (WHO, 2020). This experience report describes the implementation of a care model in a consolidated network of 150 franchised LTCFs in Brazil, with 10 years of operation. The experience was conducted by a multidisciplinary team and monitored through institutional indicators of satisfaction, safety, and qualitative reports from residents and family members. METHOD: The care model is structured around five pillars: humanized environments, elder-centered care, regionalized gastronomy, advanced technology and safety, and quality management with family participation. Technology is used to align and monitor evaluations and care practices through a corporate digital system that integrates data from all units in the network. The centralized camera monitoring system allows remote and continuous observation of risks such as falls and repositioning, promoting greater standardization and safety in care delivery. Qualitative analysis was based on institutional indicators, including the Net Promoter Score (NPS) for family satisfaction assessment. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results reinforce that personalized care and the strengthening of family bonds are fundamental to promoting quality of life and autonomy among institutionalized older adults. The franchised network ensures standardization, replicability, and sustainability of practices, establishing itself as an innovative and culturally adapted model aligned with global demands for elderly care. The integration between quality management, technology, and evidence-based practices facilitated the implementation of humanized care, improving residents' well-being, autonomy, and engagement. In the first half of 2025, the network achieved an NPS above 70, indicating high family satisfaction, and an NPS of 75 among franchisees, reflecting satisfaction with the model's support and standardization. Flexibility in visitation, perceived safety, and regionalized gastronomy-which helped restore emotional and cultural connections-contributed to these positive results. However, a significant challenge remains in the real estate and financial markets, which hinder the identification of suitable properties for opening new units, representing a limiting factor for the network's sustainable expansion.Keywords: Homes for the Aged; Aging; Longevity
E. de Faria Ferreira. (2026). Brazilian Franchise Network of LTCFs: Experience Report on Standardized Practices that Ensure Healthy and Dignified Aging. Gerontechnology, 25(2), 1-10
https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2026.25.2.1249.3