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If you or a loved one are considering senior housing but are not sure where to begin, working with senior living locators can be a great place to start. The choices for senior housing are overwhelming and can range from assisted living to memory care to retirement communities and beyond. Senior living locators work closely with seniors and their families to help match a person’s specific care related needs to the type of housing that will best accommodate them.
What Are Senior Living Locators?
Senior living locators are referral services with an intimate knowledge of housing options for the aging. Their job is to closely match seniors with the best possible housing for their specific needs. Many of these locators offer free services nationwide and work diligently to research and find the housing facilities that will cater to an adult’s age and health restrictions.
Factors Addressed by Senior Living Locators
Senior living locators understand that every individual is unique and may require different services to be properly accommodated. When it comes to matching seniors with the right housing, staff typically take the following personal factors into account:
- Individual lifestyle
- Personal finances
- Independence level
- Physical health
In order to find the right housing option for an individual, senior living locators will also assess preferences related to the housing itself, such as:
- Location
- Cost
- Amenities
- Programs
- Services
- Levels of care (should an adult begin in assisted living but eventually need to transfer to something like memory care)
By matching up these two lists, senior living locators can provide individuals with a customized offering of housing options designed to best meet their needs.
Senior Housing Options
Regardless of what specific age related or physical restrictions an aging adult has, senior living locators have access to a wide variety of housing options that range in scope of care, such as:
Assisted Living
This type of housing arrangement is best for individuals who have some difficulty performing daily hygiene and doing physical activities like bathing or getting dressed.
Hospice Care
A facility that offers hospice care generally provides treatment for those who are either terminally or chronically ill. Their programs and services are designed to make individuals more comfortable while maintaining the best possible quality of life.
Independent Living
While still being part of a tight knit community, those adults in independent living have a higher degree of autonomy than those in assisted living and usually opt for this type of housing to escape the responsibilities of homeownership.
Memory Care
Seniors suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s may require the services of a facility geared specifically towards memory care.
Residential Care Homes
This type of housing is typically governed by a state and therefore must meet Department of Social Services regulations. Individuals in residential care homes usually require some daytime assistance with activities such as housekeeping, laundry, and eating.
Retirement Communities
Of all the housing options listed here, this is perhaps the most independent and flexible. These communities cater to adults age fifty-five and up and offer a more residential experience without the headache of being a homeowner.
Respite Services
Caregiving can be a full-time job with little leeway, which is where respite services can come in. It allows for an in-home or designated caregiver to help a senior temporarily in the absence of their primary caregiver.
Skilled Nursing Homes
Whether it is due to caring for a patient that has had extensive surgery or engaging in rehabilitation to get a patient back on their feet, skilled nursing homes usually offer an increased level of medical care for their patients.
Benefits of Using Senior Living Locators
The alternative to using senior living locators is to simply go it alone when looking for housing. While an undertaking like this is certainly possible, it can be a tremendous and time-consuming responsibility for loved ones and their seniors on top of their already busy schedules.
Some of the benefits to using senior living locators to find appropriate housing may include:
Free housing matching services
Most locators offer their services for free, which can save families time and money in the long run.
Knowledge
Senior living locators are industry experts when it comes to housing for aging adults. Not only do they know where to find out specific information about each facility, they may also have a personal working knowledge of a facility based on a previous senior’s experience.
Cuts down list of potential candidates
Without an efficient way to narrow the field of potential housing facilities, the list of places to research and tour can be lengthy. By letting these professionals match an individual’s needs to a provider’s offerings, that list can shrink significantly.
Resources
As leaders in the senior care industry, these senior living locators also generally have access to data and information that laypeople do not. These may include fee-based services that they then provide to a client for free.
If you or a senior loved one are considering more age appropriate housing options but are short on time and resources, we encourage you to reach out to Senior Estate Concierge today so that we can connect you with trusted senior living locators.
