Health Care Professionals Turn Passion for Senior Safety Into Promising Franchise Journey With TruBlue
As the aging-in-place movement gains momentum, a new wave of healthcare professionals is stepping up — not just in clinics and hospitals, but in homes across the country. Nicholas Maenza and Alexandra Balan, a husband-and-wife team with backgrounds in emergency medicine and oncology, are among them. Together, they are launching TruBlue Home Service Ally of the Mid-Hudson Valley, driven by firsthand experience and a passion for preventing the very injuries they've treated for years in clinical settings.
“We really connected with TruBlue because we’ve seen what happens when seniors have falls and injuries come from that,” said Maenza, an emergency physician. “It’s been quite the journey since. We’re excited to launch.”
TruBlue Home Service Ally is a national home services brand specializing in aging-in-place support, senior home safety modifications, and ongoing maintenance for busy adults. For Maenza and Balan, the brand’s mission was a natural extension of their medical work — a chance to take a proactive role in protecting senior health and independence, not just respond when emergencies happen.
Combining Clinical Insight with Community Impact
Having worked with large senior populations in both hospital and oncology settings, Balan, a former physician assistant, brings a deep understanding of the risks seniors face in their homes — from poor lighting and loose rugs to the absence of grab bars or wheelchair accessibility. With TruBlue, the couple can now address those risks before they become emergencies.
“Going into the community and making a difference in our own community is what I’m really looking forward to,” Balan said.
With services that include home safety assessments, handyman support, grab bar installation, doorway widening, and fall prevention planning, the duo is well-positioned to bring lasting change to Hudson Valley families. Their new business reflects a growing recognition: safe homes are essential to senior health, well-being, and dignity.
From Medical Professionals to Mission-Driven Entrepreneurs
Like many new franchisees, Maenza and Balan didn’t originally consider franchising as a path to making a difference. “I initially always thought of franchising as just food franchising,” Balan shared. But after discovering TruBlue, their perspective changed.
“It was one that had a backing and a philosophy that resonated with us,” said Maenza. “Helping seniors and helping them age in place — that’s the major thing. But also just the day-to-day handyman stuff, being able to help busy families. Even helping with a small task is rewarding.”
This mission-driven approach is part of what sets TruBlue apart from traditional home service providers. Each TruBlue franchise owner completes certification in senior home safety through the NAHB and Age Safe America, equipping them with the skills to both assess and modify homes for safer, more accessible living.
A Growing Vision for the Hudson Valley
While the couple is beginning with a focus on the Mid-Hudson Valley, their aspirations don’t stop there. “Long term, we’d love to expand and serve more of the Hudson Valley as a whole,” said Maenza. Their goal: provide trusted, high-quality home services that help everyone from young families juggling work and repairs to older adults hoping to stay in the homes they love.
“Helping anybody who needs home assistance — which is pretty much everyone,” Maenza added. “We’d love to offer that to people, from simple tasks to aging-in-place safety modifications.”
Creating Safer Homes, One Family at a Time
With more Americans choosing to remain in their homes as they age, the need for safe, accessible, and professionally maintained living spaces has never been greater. TruBlue franchise owners like Maenza and Balan are not only responding to that need — they are helping lead the charge in reshaping what senior support looks like.
Their journey is a reminder that home safety is healthcare. And with TruBlue, it's now more accessible, personal, and community-driven than ever before.