Reno Gets New In-Home Care Franchise

Families in Reno-Sparks can now compare non-medical companion care and skilled nursing from a locally operated BrightStar Care franchise.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Eldercare

Live Poll

Would you choose in-home nursing care over a facility for a family member after a hospital stay?

Karla and Kieran Leiper have opened a local franchise of BrightStar Care in Reno, providing assisted in-home care across Reno-Sparks and surrounding communities. The business offers non-medical companion care, light housekeeping and transportation, along with skilled nursing services from registered nurses who build personalized care plans.

Why it matters

For families weighing how to care for an aging parent at home, a local provider that coordinates with hospitals and assisted living staff can ease the move back home after a hospital stay or facility transition. The Leipers chose the franchise because their backgrounds in counseling psychology and finance and corporate leadership fit the opportunity, and the business comes as Northern Nevada, with four hospitals, grows and its aging population expands.

BrightStar Care of Reno employs about a dozen people, including registered nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants, and non-licensed caregivers, and it provides infusion services. The business is accredited by the Joint Commission and secured an SBA loan through Live Oak Bank.

The players

BrightStar Care of Reno

A local franchise of the national BrightStar Care home-care network, providing non-medical and skilled in-home care across Reno-Sparks.

Karla Leiper

Co-founder of BrightStar Care of Reno with a background in counseling psychology.

Kieran Leiper

Co-founder of BrightStar Care of Reno with a background in finance and corporate leadership.

Live Oak Bank

The lender that provided the SBA loan helping fund the Reno franchise.

Joint Commission

The accrediting body that has accredited BrightStar Care of Reno for healthcare quality standards.

The details

BrightStar Care of Reno meets with hospital case managers and assisted living administrative staff to identify patients ready to transition home. Families can choose non-medical help such as companion care, light housekeeping and transportation, or skilled nursing from registered nurses who create individualized care plans. Nurses can work part-time rather than committing to 12-hour shifts, and the founders plan to add occupational, physical and speech therapy as the business scales.

Spring: BrightStar Care of Reno welcomes a new state-supported healthcare operations intern.

The Home Front

The opening of a home-care franchise in Reno reflects a broader shift in which more older adults are cared for in their own homes rather than in facilities. Northern Nevada's four hospitals and its large aging population make the region a fitting market for in-home services that bridge hospital discharge and assisted living transitions.

If an older relative is preparing to leave a hospital or assisted living facility, ask the discharge team or case manager about in-home options and compare non-medical and skilled nursing services. Check whether a provider is accredited and how its nurses and caregivers are credentialed before scheduling care.

The takeaway

In-home care can bridge the gap between hospital discharge and independent living for older adults in Reno. Before signing with any provider, confirm credentials, accreditation and the exact mix of companion and skilled services your family needs.