Piyush Vayeda founded The Family Member with only 2 people, and a philosophy that everyone deserves care, and everyone providing it deserves respect. In Ahmedabad today, over 5,000 families know what this means.
From Portfolio Manager to Healthcare Pioneer
Not many people walk away from a 12-year career in portfolio management to care for strangers’ grandparents. But Piyush Vayeda isn’t most people.
Born and raised in the small town of Dwarka and came to Ahmedabad for higher studies, Piyush founded The Family Member with a mission that’s equal parts business and social purpose to organise India’s deeply fragmented home healthcare industry, starting right here in the city he calls home.
“Healthcare needs to reach its last mile. My aim is to organise the home healthcare industry.” — Piyush Vayeda, Founder, The Family Member
A certified dementia care trainer, Piyush brings both heart and expertise to a sector that’s been crying out for structure for decades.
It all began with loneliness.
The journey of The Family Member began back in 2016, not with a business plan but with an interesting observation. Piyush observed that there were quite a few senior citizens who spent most of their days alone, deprived of any companionship or help. It inspired him to create a companionship model for them.
It was a beautiful thought. But, unfortunately, not the perfect timing.
“As a result of meeting several thousand elders and understanding that our ideas were too far-fetched, we decided to plunge into elder care and home health care in 2018,” says the founder.
This change proved to be fruitful since there was a huge demand for professional home healthcare services.
Why Ahmedabad? Because Care Is in the DNA Here
Ahmedabad has always been known for the close familial ties in its society. However, even the most caring families are facing some reality here. You simply cannot look after an ailing parent and go to work at the same time.
“Today it is nearly impossible to take care and do your job simultaneously. so the need is growing day by day.”
This is where The Family Member comes into play, filling the role of a family member extension rather than replacement.
5,000+ Families. Zero Spent on Marketing.
Starting with only two people in 2017 and growing into a team of over 80 individuals, helping more than 5,000 families along the way. All by word of mouth.
One of their most inspirational programmes is something that they call “Happy to Lose Customers”. This is when they celebrate the recovery of their patients enough to be able to stop using The Family Member’s service.
“If our caregivers’ services and support help customers get better and self-sustainable, we always celebrate that moment, and we have celebrated this hundreds of times.”
That’s a rare thing in any business. Celebrating the goodbye.
The Backbone Nobody Talks About: The Caregivers
What sets The Family Member apart from other home health care services is that they value their caregivers just as much as the people they take care of.
In 2023, Piyush introduced two initiatives to develop skills and provide support for caregivers, with the goal of empowering India’s largely overlooked caregiver labor force through better skills training and proper career opportunities.
“Don’t ever think they are doing a lesser job. They are doing the toughest job, which none are willing to do.”
It’s a message Piyush delivers with conviction, and it speaks to why the family member feels less like a company and more like a movement.
What’s Next: Going Deeper, Not Just Wider
When most startups tend to explore newer and newer cities at an ever-increasing pace, Piyush’s strategy has been to go deep in Ahmedabad itself.
They plan on developing micro-entrepreneurs within the company, conducting skill development drives on a massive scale among the caregivers, and ensuring that home healthcare becomes a respectable profession.
“We are constantly digging deeper in one city. We will have micro-entrepreneurs working with us for their own benefits and loyalty.”
This is a slow process since Piyush knows the importance of quality in such an industry.
Message to All Amdavadis from the founder.
In case you have parents at home but have been unable to find adequate help, this is what Piyush tells you:
The people who provide care at home do not perform any ‘lesser’ task. They come and serve every day for the people you love most. Give them respect, and in turn, they will respect your family.
This is what The Family Member stands for.
The Family Member is a local Ahmedabad-based home healthcare and geriatric-care company. For more details, get in touch.
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