To help families figure out which assisted living facility is ideal for their loved one, there exist businesses known as assisted living referral services or, before the internet, assisted living placement agencies. Those who are inexperienced with assisted living and who are currently caring for an elderly person may find the process of selecting a place to be rather challenging. People who are far away from loved ones who need care can also benefit from them. When trying to limit your options, referral services are a huge help.
Location, budget, present and projected care needs, and community amenities are just a few of the variables that come into play when choosing an appropriate assisted living facility for an individual. All of this information and more community-specific details can be obtained in a matter of minutes through the use of referral services. It would take a person many days of phone calls and in-person meetings to acquire this information from each of the many assisted living communities in their selected area. They would be bombarded with sales pitches from which they might not be able to extract the information they require.
Referral services have access to information beyond what a family would immediately think to ask about, making them invaluable. Details such as cost variations, occupancy rates, resident-to-staff ratios, hospital proximity, resident ratings, and complaints from families. In addition, referral services can help families save money by ensuring they sign up for the appropriate amount of care and understanding how to negotiate with the assisted living place. Most families will view a home before opting to move there. The tours are important, but they take a lot of time and energy and may be very taxing emotionally. A recommendation service might cut the required number of hours in half, from 5 to 6. Additionally, they offer aid with tour booking.
Though Assisted Living Referral Services (ALRS) provide a necessary and free service, it is important for families to know how ALRS generate revenue, as some individuals may be uneasy with the idea of their personal information being shared in order to support ALRS’s operations. Most referral services for an assisted living earn their keep when the person they’ve introduced to a facility actually moves in. Assisted living referral services are paid for by the assisted living facility. One month’s rent is the standard amount paid to a referral service. This is how referral services make money, but families also want to know the mechanics of how they keep tabs on new residents.
Information about a potential client is collected at the outset of each interaction with an assisted living referral service, whether it be over the phone or online. Typical questions include name, phone number, relationship to the person in need, and city/town where they are seeking a place to live. As soon as the call is finished, the referral service will forward the information to various local assisted care facilities. These retirement communities will start phoning shortly thereafter. Because the referral service wants credit for referring the person to the assisted living complex, everything happens extremely quickly. This is done so that the community will pay them when a family member moves in.
Regardless of which assisted care facility your family member ultimately picks, the recommendation service will still be compensated. As a result, you can trust the information they provide to be accurate and reliable. Whether or not you think their service was worthwhile, they will still get compensated. So, don’t be shy about putting them to work for you.
