<PAGE>

Exhibit 2.2









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                                           PLAN AND AGREEMENT OF MERGER


                                                        OF


                                         T.P.C. HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.,
                                              a New York corporation


                                                   WITH AND INTO


                                         EXTENDED FAMILY CARE CORPORATION,
                                              a New York corporation






                                       ------------------------------------

                                            Dated as of March 18, 1997





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                                           PLAN AND AGREEMENT OF MERGER

                                                        OF

                                         T.P.C. HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.,
                                              a New York corporation

                                                   WITH AND INTO

                                         EXTENDED FAMILY CARE CORPORATION
                                              a New York corporation




         THIS PLAN AND AGREEMENT OF MERGER (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan
and  Agreement  of Merger"),  is made as of March 18, 1997,  by and among T.P.C.
HOME CARE SERVICES,  INC., a New York  corporation  ("TPC") and EXTENDED  FAMILY
CARE CORPORATION, a New York corporation ("EFCC").


                                               W I T N E S S E T H :


         WHEREAS, EFCC is the legal and beneficial owner of 82.92% of
the issued and outstanding shares of TPC; and

         WHEREAS, the directors of each of EFCC and TPC deem it advisable and in
the best interests of each such corporation that TPC merge with and into EFCC as
set forth in this Plan and Agreement of Merger  (hereinafter  referred to as the
"Merger"), upon the terms and conditions herein provided.

         NOW, THEREFORE, for the purpose of prescribing the terms and conditions
of the Merger,  the manner and mode of carrying the same into  effect,  and such
other  details  as are deemed  necessary  or  desirable,  and for other good and
valuable  consideration,   the  receipt  and  sufficiency  of  which  is  hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:


                                                     ARTICLE I
                                        NAMES OF CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS;
                                               SURVIVING CORPORATION

        Section 1.1                Names of Constituent Corporations. The names
of each of the constituent corporations to the Merger are as
follows:


         (a)      "T.P.C. HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.",
                  a New York corporation,


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         (b)      "EXTENDED FAMILY CARE CORPORATION",
                  a New York corporation.

         Hereinafter,  TPC  and  EFCC  are  sometimes  hereinafter  referred  to
individually as a "Constituent Corporation" and collectively as the "Constituent
Corporations."


         Section  1.2 The  Surviving  Corporation.  The  name  of the  surviving
corporation  of the Merger is  "EXTENDED  FAMILY CARE  CORPORATION",  a New York
corporation (sometimes,  hereinafter, the "Surviving Corporation"),  which shall
continue to exist as the Surviving Corporation pursuant to the provisions of the
Business Corporation Law of the State of New York (the "New York BCL").

         Section 1.3                Filing of Certificate of Incorporation; etc.
                                    -------------------------------------------

(a)      The Certificate of Incorporation of EFCC was originally filed
         by the Office of the Department of State of the State of New
         York on May 10, 1978 under the name of M.A.E. Enterprises,
         Inc.  The name of the corporation was changed to Cosmetic
         Sciences, Inc. by filing a certificate of amendment to the
         corporation's Certificate of Incorporation on March 20, 1980.
         The name of the corporation was changed for the second and
         last time to Extended Family Care Corporation by filing a
         certificate of amendment to the corporation's Certificate of
         Incorporation on October 1, 1996.

(b)      The Certificate of Incorporation of TPC was filed by the
         Office of the Department of State of the State of New York on
         October 26, 1983.


ARTICLE II
DESIGNATION AND NUMBER OF SHARES
OF CONSTITUENT CORPORATIONS

Section 2.1 Capitalization. As to each Constituent
Corporation, the designation and number of outstanding shares of
each class and series are as follows:

Constituent Corporation Class Number Outstanding

T.P.C. HOME CARE SERVICES, Common Stock,
INC., a New York $.01 par value 1,750,000 Shares
corporation ("TPC Common Stock")



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EFCC FAMILY CARE Common Stock,
CORPORATION, a New York $.01 par value 32,000,226 Shares
corporation ("EFCC Common Stock")

         82.92% of the  shares of TPC  Common  Stock are owned by EFCC,  and the
balance  of the  shares of TPC  Common  Stock are owned by  approximately  1,100
shareholders.

Section 2.2 Voting Rights. The Common Stock of each of
the Constituent Corporations is entitled to one vote per share.
The number of outstanding shares of each of the Constituent Corporations shall
not change prior to the Effective Date (hereinafter defined).


                                                    ARTICLE III
                                       TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF MERGER OF TPC
                                                WITH AND INTO EFCC

         The terms and conditions of the Merger are as follows:

         Section 3.1 Merger;  Effective  Date. (a) Upon the terms and subject to
the conditions  herein  contained,  and in accordance with the provisions of the
New York  BCL,  TPC shall be  merged  with and into EFCC as soon as  practicable
following the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article V hereof,  but
not later than the Effective Date (hereafter  defined).  The Merger shall become
effective upon the filing with the Department of State of the State of New York,
in  accordance  with the  provisions  of Section  904 of the New York BCL,  of a
Certificate of Merger  substantially  in the form of Exhibit A attached  hereto.
The  parties  hereto  may  determine  a later  time that the  Merger  may become
effective. The date and time when the Merger shall become effective is sometimes
herein referred to as the "Effective Date".

         Section  3.2 Effect of Merger.  On the  Effective  Date,  the  separate
existence  of TPC shall  cease  and TPC  shall be  merged  with and into EFCC in
accordance  with the  provisions  of this Plan and  Agreement of Merger and EFCC
shall  survive such Merger and shall  continue in existence  and shall,  without
other transfer, succeed to and possess all the rights,  privileges,  immunities,
powers  and  purposes  of  each  of the  Constituent  Corporations,  and all the
property, real and personal, including subscriptions to shares, causes of action
and every other asset of each of the Constituent Corporations shall vest in EFCC
without  further  act or deed;  and EFCC shall  assume and be liable for all the
liabilities,  obligations and penalties of each of the Constituent Corporations.
No liability or obligation due or to become due, claims or demands for any cause
existing  against  any  of the  Constituent  Corporations,  or any  shareholder,
officer or director  thereof,  shall be released or impaired solely by virtue of
the Merger.  No action or  proceeding,  civil or  criminal,  then  pending by or
against any Constituent  Corporation,  or any  shareholder,  officer or director
thereof, shall abate or be discontinued solely by virtue of the


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Merger, but may be enforced prosecuted, settled or compromised as if such Merger
had not occurred, or the Surviving Corporation may be substituted in such action
in place of any Constituent Corporation.

         Section 3.3 Exchange and  Cancellation  of Shares of TPC Common  Stock.
(a) On the Effective Date, each issued and outstanding share of TPC Common Stock
shall, automatically, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part
of any of the Constituent Corporations or the holders thereof, be transferred to
EFCC and be  cancelled  and each share of TPC Common  Stock  shall  entitle  the
holder thereof to be issued 18.745545  shares of EFCC Common Stock,  such shares
of  EFCC  Common  Stock  to be  issued,  subject  to  Section  3.11,  as soon as
practicable  after the  Effective  Date.  TPC Common Stock owned by EFCC will be
cancelled  as a result of the Merger and no EFCC Common Stock shall be issued to
EFCC in respect  thereof.  No  fractional  shares of EFCC Common  Stock shall be
issued  in the  Merger;  rather  in lieu of any such  fractional  shares of EFCC
Common Stock,  each holder of shares of TPC Common Stock who would  otherwise be
entitled to fractional shares of EFCC Common Stock shall, upon surrender of such
shareholder's  TPC stock  certificate (the "TPC  Certificate") be paid an amount
(without  interest) equal to such shareholder's  proportionate  interest in such
fractional  shares  multiplied by the last quoted bid price of EFCC Common Stock
as supplied by the National  Quotation  Bureau,  Inc. at the Effective Date. The
shares of EFCC  Common  Stock  and cash in lieu of  fractional  shares  issuable
pursuant  to the Merger is  sometimes  hereinafter  referred  to as the  "Merger
Consideration."


         Section 3.4 No Impact on Capital Stock of EFCC. Other than with respect
to shares of EFCC Common Stock to be issued  pursuant to the Merger,  the Merger
shall have no impact  whatsoever  on the shares of EFCC Common  Stock which were
issued and  outstanding  immediately  prior to the Merger,  which  shares  shall
remain issued and outstanding after giving effect to the Merger.

         Section  3.5  Abandonment  of  Merger.  If,  at any  time  prior to the
Effective  Date,  events or  circumstances  occur  which,  in the  opinion  of a
majority of the board of directors of either Constituent Corporation, renders it
inadvisable  to consummate  the Merger,  this Plan and Agreement of Merger shall
not become effective even though  previously  adopted by the shareholders of the
Constituent Corporations. The filing of the Certificate of Merger referred to in
Paragraph  3.1 above shall  conclusively  establish  that no action to terminate
this Plan and  Agreement  of Merger has been taken by the board of  directors of
either Constituent Corporation.

         Section 3.6  Dissenters'  Rights.  Shares of TPC Common Stock that have
not been voted in favor of the  adoption of the Merger and with respect to which
dissenters'  rights shall have been validly and properly  demanded and perfected
in accordance with the New York BCL ("Dissenting Shares") shall not be converted
into the right to


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receive the Merger Consideration on or after the Effective Date unless and until
the holder of such  shares of TPC  Common  Stock  withdraws  his demand for such
appraisal in  accordance  with  applicable  law or becomes  ineligible  for such
appraisal, at which time such shares of TPC Common Stock shall be converted into
and  represent  the right to receive  the Merger  Consideration.  TPC shall give
EFCC:  (i) prompt notice of any written  demand for  appraisal,  withdrawals  of
demands for appraisal and any other  instrument in respect  thereof  received by
TPC; and (ii) the opportunity to direct all  negotiations  and proceedings  with
respect to demands for appraisal. TPC will not voluntarily make any payment with
respect to any demands for appraisal and will not, except with the prior written
consent of EFCC, settle or offer to settle any such demand.

         Section 3.7 Exchange of  Certificates.  As of the Effective  Date, EFCC
shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited,  with American Stock Transfer and
Trust  Company,  or such other bank or trust  company  which  shall be  mutually
acceptable  to the parties  hereto (the  "Exchange  Agent"),  for the benefit of
holders of shares of TPC Common Stock,  for exchange in accordance  with Section
3.3 through the Exchange Agent: (i) certificates representing the shares of EFCC
Common Stock (the "EFCC  Certificates") to be issued pursuant to the Merger; and
(ii) the estimated  amount of cash to be paid in lieu of  fractional  shares (in
each case other than with  respect to  Dissenting  Shares)  (together,  all such
certificates and cash being hereinafter referred to as the "Exchange Fund"). The
Exchange Agent shall deliver, pursuant to irrevocable instruments, the shares of
EFCC Common Stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares to be issued pursuant to
Section 3.3.

         Section 3.8                Instruction to TPC Shareholders.  As soon as
                                    -------------------------------
reasonably practicable after the Effective Date, the Exchange Agent
shall mail to each holder of record of a certificate or
certificates which immediately prior to the Effective Date
represented outstanding shares of TPC Common Stock, whose shares of
TPC Common Stock were converted into the right to receive the
Merger Consideration pursuant to Section 3.3: (i) a letter of
transmittal (which shall specify that delivery shall be effected,
and risk of loss and title to the TPC Certificates shall pass, only
upon delivery of the TPC Certificates to the Exchange Agent and
shall be in such form and have such other provisions as EFCC may
reasonably specify); and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the
surrender of TPC Certificates in exchange for the certificates
representing shares of EFCC Common Stock.  Upon surrender of a TPC
Certificate for cancellation to the Exchange Agent, or to such
other agent or agents as may be appointed by EFCC, together with
such letter of transmittal, duly executed, and such other documents
as may be reasonably required by the Exchange Agent, the holder of
such TPC Certificate shall be entitled to receive in exchange
therefor the Merger Consideration and the TPC Certificate so
surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled.  In the event of a
transfer of ownership of TPC Common Stock which is not registered
on the transfer records of TPC, the Merger Consideration may be
paid to and certificates representing the proper number of shares


<PAGE>



of EFCC  Common  Stock  may be  issued to a  transferee  if the TPC  Certificate
representing  such  TPC  Common  Stock  is  presented  to  the  Exchange  Agent,
accompanied  by all documents  required to evidence and effect such transfer and
by evidence  that any  applicable  stock  transfer  taxes have been paid.  Until
surrendered as contemplated  by this Section 3.8, each TPC Certificate  shall be
deemed  at any time  after the  Effective  Date to  represent  only the right to
receive upon such surrender the Merger  Consideration.  The Exchange Agent shall
not be entitled to vote or exercise any rights of ownership  with respect to the
EFCC Common Stock held by it from time to time hereunder.

         Section  3.9  Distributions  with  Respect to  Unexchanged  Shares.  No
dividends or other distributions with respect to EFCC Common Stock with a record
date after the Effective  Date shall be paid to the holder of any  unsurrendered
TPC  Certificate  with  respect to the shares of EFCC Common  Stock  represented
thereby and no cash payment (including, without limitation, cash payment in lieu
of fractional  shares) shall be paid to any such holder  pursuant to Section 3.3
until the surrender of such  Certificate in accordance with Section 3.8. Subject
to  the  effect  of  applicable  laws,  following  surrender  of  any  such  TPC
Certificate,  there  shall  be  paid  to the  holder  of the  share  certificate
representing  whole  shares of EFCC Common  Stock  issued in exchange  therefor,
without interest: (i) at the time of such surrender,  the amount of dividends or
other distributions with a record date after the Effective Date theretofore paid
with  respect  to such  whole  shares  of EFCC  Common  Stock;  and  (ii) at the
appropriate  payment date, the amount of dividends or other distributions with a
record  date after the  Effective  Date but prior to such  surrender  and with a
payment date  subsequent  to such  surrender  payable with respect to such whole
shares of EFCC Common Stock.

         Section 3.10 No Further Ownership Rights in Common Stock. All shares of
EFCC Common Stock issued, upon the surrender for exchange of TPC Certificates in
accordance  with the terms hereof  (including  any cash paid pursuant to Section
3.3) shall be deemed to have been issued (and/or paid) in full  satisfaction  of
all rights  pertaining  to such shares of TPC Common Stock and there shall be no
further  registration  of transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving
Corporation of the shares of TPC Common Stock which were outstanding immediately
prior to the Effective Date. If, after the Effective Date, TPC  Certificates are
presented to the  Surviving  Corporation  or the Exchange  Agent for any reason,
they shall be canceled and exchanged as provided in Section 3.3.

         Section 3.11 Possible  Merger with Star Multi Care  Services,  Inc.. In
the event that a currently  contemplated merger between EFCC and Star Multi Care
Services,  Inc., a New York corporation  ("Star"),  is consummated  (hereinafter
referred to as the "Star Merger"), EFCC shareholders and those holders of shares
of TPC Common Stock entitled to receive the Merger  Consideration will receive a
combination  of Star common stock,  par value $.001 per share,  and cash, or all
cash, pursuant to the terms of an Agreement


<PAGE>



and  Plan of  Merger  dated  as of  January  3,  1997  among  Star,  EFCC and an
acquisition  subsidiary of Star,  assuming that such persons are shareholders of
record  of EFCC  on the  record  date of the  Star  Merger  and do not  exercise
dissenters' rights with respect thereto.  In such event, the holder of shares of
TPC Common Stock who is entitled to receive the Merger  Consideration  hereunder
and does not dissent from the Star Merger,  as a matter of expediency and not in
alteration or derogation of the rights  granted to such holder  hereunder,  will
not be issued EFCC  Certificates in connection with the Merger,  but rather will
be deemed to have been issued such EFCC  Certificates.  Such  shareholders  will
receive  the  same  consideration  payable  to an EFCC  shareholder  in the Star
Merger,  in proportion to the number of shares of EFCC Common Stock  issuable to
such  shareholder  as Merger  Consideration  hereunder,  as if such  shares EFCC
Certificates had actually been issued.


                                                    ARTICLE IV
                                      CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION, BY-LAWS,
                                DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF SURVIVING CORPORATION

         The  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of EFCC and the By-Laws of EFCC as
they exist prior to the Effective  Date,  shall be and remain the Certificate of
Incorporation and the By-Laws of the Surviving  Corporation until the same shall
be altered,  amended or repealed as provided therein. The directors and officers
of EFCC  shall  continue  to be the  directors  and  officers  of the  Surviving
Corporation  and shall  serve until the  expiration  of the terms for which they
were elected and until their  successors  are duly  elected and  qualified or as
otherwise as provided in the By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation.


                                                     ARTICLE V
                                               CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

         Anything herein contained  notwithstanding,  the respective obligations
of each  Constituent  Corporation  to effect the Merger are  subject to, and the
Effective Date shall not occur until, all of the following  conditions precedent
have been fully  satisfied  or waived,  which  satisfaction  or waiver may occur
simultaneously  on the  Effective  Date:  (i) this Plan and  Agreement of Merger
shall  have  been  submitted  to the  shareholders  of each  of the  Constituent
Corporations  for adoption  hereof,  and shall have been adopted and approved by
the  shareholders  of  each  Constituent  Corporation  in  accordance  with  the
requirements  of Section 903 of the New York BCL, and  applicable  federal proxy
rules;  (ii) a registration  statement with respect to the shares of EFCC Common
Stock to be issued to TPC  shareholders  in the Merger shall have been  declared
effective and no stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the  registration
statement shall have been issued by the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the
"Commission")  or shall be continuing  in effect,  and no  proceedings  for that
purpose shall have been  initiated or threatened by the  Commission;  (iii) EFCC
shall have


<PAGE>



received  all state  securities  laws or "blue sky"  permits and  authorizations
necessary  to issue the shares of EFCC Common  Stock  pursuant to the Merger and
the transactions  contemplated thereby; (iv) no governmental  authority or other
agency,  commission  or court of  competent  jurisdiction  shall  have  enacted,
issued,  promulgated,   enforced  or  entered  any  statute,  rule,  regulation,
injunction or the order (whether  temporary,  preliminary or permanent) which is
in  effect  and has the  effect  of  making  the  Merger  illegal  or  otherwise
prohibiting  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Plan and
Agreement of Merger; provided,  however, that, prior to invoking this condition,
each party to this Plan and Agreement of Merger shall use all reasonable efforts
to have such statute,  rule,  regulation,  injunction or order vacated;  (v) the
receipt of the opinion of Meltzer,  Lippe,  Goldstein,  Wolf &  Schlissel,  P.C.
that, more likely than not, the Merger will constitute a tax-free reorganization
under  Section  368(a) of the  Internal  Revenue  Code;  and (vi) any  consents,
permits,  approvals or  authorizations  required by any third  party,  including
private parties and governmental or regulatory  authorities,  in connection with
the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained.


                                                    ARTICLE VI
                                                   MISCELLANEOUS

         Section 6.1  Counterparts.  For the  convenience  of the parties and to
facilitate  approval  of this  Plan and  Agreement  of  Merger,  any  number  of
counterparts hereof may be executed, and each such executed counterpart shall be
deemed to be an original instrument.

         Section  6.2  Further  Assurances.  If at any time after the  Effective
Date,  the Surviving  Corporation  shall  consider or be advised that any deeds,
assignments or assurances in law or any other things are necessary, desirable or
proper to vest,  perfect or confirm,  of record or  otherwise,  in the Surviving
Corporation,  the title to any  property  or  rights  of any of the  Constituent
Corporations  acquired  or to be  acquired  by reason of, or as a result of, the
Merger, the Constituent  Corporations  agree that the Surviving  Corporation and
its proper  officers and  directors  shall and will execute and deliver all such
proper deeds,  assignments  and  assurances in law and do all things  necessary,
desirable or proper to vest, perfect or confirm title to such property or rights
in the  Surviving  Corporation  and  otherwise to carry out the purposes of this
Plan and Agreement of Merger,  and that the proper officers and directors of the
Surviving  Corporation  are  fully  authorized  in  the  name  of  each  of  the
Constituent Corporations or otherwise to take any and all such action.

         Section  6.3  Amendment.  Subject  to  applicable  law,  this  Plan and
Agreement  of Merger may be amended,  modified or  supplemented  only by written
agreement signed by each of the parties hereto.



<PAGE>



         Section  6.4  Entire  Agreement.  This Plan and  Agreement  of  Merger,
including the certificates referred to herein, embodies the entire agreement and
understanding  of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter  contained
herein.

         Section 6.5  Assignment.  This Plan and  Agreement  of Merger  shall be
binding  upon  and  inure  to the  benefits  of the  parties  hereto  and  their
respective successors and permitted assigns, but neither this Plan and Agreement
of Merger nor any of the rights,  interests or  obligations  hereunder  shall be
assigned  by any party  hereto  without the prior  written  consent of the other
party hereto,  nor is this Plan and Agreement of Merger  intended to confer upon
any other person or entity except the parties any rights or remedies hereunder.

         Section 6.6  Governing  Law. This Plan and Agreement of Merger shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the internal,  substantive  laws of
the State of New York, without giving effect to the conflicts of laws principles
thereof.

         Section 6.7  Existing  Agreements.  TPC and the  Surviving  Corporation
shall insure and guaranty that the provisions with respect to indemnification by
TPC or any of its  subsidiaries  or affiliates in favor of any present or former
director, officer, employee or agent (and their respective heirs and assigns) of
TPC or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (the "Indemnified Parties"), as set
forth in their  respective  charters or bylaws or  pursuant to other  agreements
(including  any  insurance  policies),  shall  survive the Merger,  shall not be
amended, repealed or modified in any manner as to adversely affect the rights of
such  Indemnified  Parties  and shall  continue  in full  force and effect for a
period of at least six years from the  Effective  Date.  This  Section 6.7 shall
survive the closing of any of the transactions  contemplated hereby, is intended
to benefit the  directors  and officers of TPC and  affiliates  at the Effective
Date and each of the  Indemnified  Parties  (each of which  shall be entitled to
enforce


<PAGE>



this Section 6.7 against TPC and the Surviving Corporation,  as the case may be,
as a third-party beneficiary of this Plan and Agreement of Merger), and shall be
binding on all successors and assigns of the Surviving Corporation.

         IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  have  executed  this  Plan and
Agreement of Merger on this 18th day of March, 1997.


                                            T.P.C. HOME CARE SERVICES, INC.,
                             a New York corporation



                                            By:       Mary Ann Page
                                                     Name: Mary Ann Page
                                     Title:


                                            EXTENDED FAMILY CARE CORPORATION,
                             a New York corporation



                                            By:       Joseph Heller
                                                     Name: Joseph Heller
                                                     Title: VP