Senior Placement Agency Near Me

When it comes to finding the best care and transition assistance for our elders, we want to ensure that they are placed in the most qualified and capable hands. For many families, this means seeking out a senior placement agency “near me,” so they can place their loved one in the right local assisted living facility that meets their unique needs. Senior placement agencies provide a variety of services that can be extremely beneficial for both seniors and their families, providing insights about the process that the average person might not have considered. In this article, we will discuss what a senior placement advisor is, whether or not you have to work with one, and the benefits of choosing to seek the counsel of a professional eldercare advisor.

At its root, a senior placement agency acts as a sort of guiding liaison between an elder seeking some sort of assisted living situation and the assortment of local facilities with which they might find a good pairing. Senior placement agencies hire senior placement or eldercare advisors whose main role is to actively listen to the needs of each senior in front of them and seek to connect them with a facility that can provide them with the best quality of life. They can also help to reduce the amount of time laboring over this important decision by vetting out less-applicable facilities and presenting their client with the most appropriate choices, so they can make an informed and empowered decision based on all available information.

There are definite benefits of working with a professional senior placement agency, which we will touch on below—but this does not mean that you must go through this type of firm in order to settle on an assisted living facility that feels right for the senior in your life. Indeed, the quality of service you receive decidedly depends on the senior placement advisor your family is paired with and their ability to exercise compassion and empathy and to act with the best interests of the client in mind. If approached incorrectly, some seniors may even feel that their senior placement advisor is pressuring—or even incentivizing—them to choose a facility that may not be where they really want to end up.

If considering this as a possibility of the experience bothers you, or you don’t feel you would be able to hold your ground with an advisor in asserting where you want to go, then there is the possibility of doing all the legwork yourself—researching local assisted living facilities, their different amenities and price points, checking out reviews for viable feedback, touring each facility and asking any questions that come to mind. Of course, this process takes a lot of time and energy and frankly is not suitable for every senior out there—so it truly comes down to personal preference and the amount of effort each family can dedicate to finding the right caretaking community for their loved one.

Some people prefer to do all the work mentioned above themselves, seeing with their own two eyes what they like about a facility and things that perhaps don’t appeal to them so much. While this is always a possibility for intrepid seniors with time to spare, it simply just is not an option for some American families, especially those who are also trying to balance raising children, work, maintaining their home and vehicle, and taking the family dog for a walk. This is when working with a senior placement agency can be quite a gift, and there are a few benefits associated with this method for folks who choose to go this route.

1.     Experience, intimate knowledge of facilities, and industry connections: A well-connected senior placement advisor is going to have the inside scoop on all the caretaking facilities in their area, which can prove invaluable to families trying to look from the outside in by attempting their own research. They may also have a better knowledge of special rates or deals that might lessen expenses down the road while offering a high-value living experience. Not only this, but senior placement advisors can even help advise their clients on budgeting strategies and ways to make the most out of their financial leverage given the local options.

2.     Great resource for answering any questions and putting minds at ease: This process, understandably, can incite a lot of emotions—fear, excitement, worry, hope, relief, or even grief—and a good eldercare advisor is prepared to sit with each client as they navigate this sometimes tough transition. Their role is to support the client by providing them with all the available information that can calm their fears, provide them peace, and even detail some enticing things to look forward to when they reach this level of care. Transitioning to an assisted living facility isn’t the end of the world, but the beginning of a new chapter—and ideally, one with far fewer worries!

3.     Helps you save time and energy: Touring and assessing every caretaking community can be exhausting in every sense—mentally, emotionally, and physically. It can take weeks and weeks to complete and at the end of all this research, your loved one still might feel certain which facility is right for their needs. A senior placement advisor practices active listening to the senior they’re working with and presents them with the possible choices that are likely the best matches for their desires.

4.     Provides information but empowers the senior to make the choice: As we touched on above, the role of the senior placement advisor is to empower the senior with information so they can make a choice that feels informed, confident, and right for their next chapter.

5.     Can negotiate costs and terms on your behalf: Your senior placement agent is not only an advisor and an information provider, but they are also advocates on behalf of their client with the ability to reduce costs, add amenities, or set terms within the interest of their clients. This type of leverage is not always available to the average senior seeking entry to a caretaking home.

Of course, it is always your choice if you should opt to work with a senior placement agency “near me” or not—though a good senior placement agent will always leave the choosing up to the senior without swaying them one way or another. Should your family decide to work with a senior placement agency, keep in mind that the agent you work with can have a profound impact not only on your experience of narrowing down the options, but on the overall experience of the transitioning process. Look for a senior placement agent with compassion, active listening skills, and a desire to put the best interests of the client first. Finding an eldercare advisor that makes your loved one feel seen can make the experience much more positive, easy, and warm for everyone, and if you’re interested in what to look for in a senior placement advisor, check out our recent article on the topic.

Are you looking for a senior placement agency “near me” that will work to find the best fit assisted living facility for the senior in your life? Passionate Senior Placement prides itself on finding the best solution for the unique needs of seniors, and their families. To see if we are the right fit for your loved one, contact us today!