There is a lot to know about senior housing communities. From what care is provided and what amenities are included, to costs and restrictions. With dozens of possible communities, with differing services and costs for each, how does one easily navigate the search?
A housing placement or referral advisor is your absolute best solution, and contacting one should be your first step. It is their sole purpose to assist individuals and families locate the appropriate community for themselves or their family member.
As with many providers in the senior services industry, placement advisors have a heart for working with seniors and their families, and know local senior community options inside and out. They know what a big decision the move is, and they care and want to help.
The advisor or consultant’s process is to first meet with the family or individual to assess goals and criteria. Two of the most important criteria to consider are needed care, and social abilities, needs and desires of the individual. Other considerations are budget, location, size of the community and amenities, as well as whether or not a pet will be making the move. Answers to these questions will not only point the advisor to communities that best meet the needs of the senior, but also to the communities that currently have openings.
After suitable housing options have been identified, many advisors Professional Junk Removal Oakville at AleksMovingLinks to an external site. will accompany the senior and family on a tour of each community. Obviously, this is an invaluable service. During the tour, the advisor can point out factors that the senior may not think to consider. Be warned, online referral agencies are not full-service, and will not meet with the senior or family, let alone provide tours.
Not only will using a placement advisor save time and aggravation, but the service is typically FREE! Placement advisors get paid by the community, not by the senior or their family. In the few instances when that is not the case, there may be a nominal fee charged. Either way, using a senior housing placement advisor is a no-brainer.
A limitation of the advisor is providing assistance with housing for low income seniors, or those moving to a regular apartment complex. Most advisors can provide information on where to get additional information for these situations, but due to the complexities and abundance of options, this is not their focus.
For additional information, or for a referral to a great senior housing placement advisor in your area, contact your local Senior Real Estate Specialistยฎ (SRES). An SRES is a Realtorยฎ that specializes in assisting seniors with the sale of their home, and they have an abundance of information and resources to help navigate a senior’s next move.