North Star Senior Advisors- A Senior Placement Company

Why Credentials, Experience, and Passion Matter from your Senior Living Advisors!

Senior Placement companies like North Star Senior Advisors, are here to provide a Complimentary service that will help families and seniors navigate through senior living options. A transition into Assisted Living and or Memory Care is not an easy matter, and it typically occurs during a time of high stress and emotion.

It can be an overwhelming experience as most families have to address the needs of their loved one while having to take the time to search through countless communities that may or may not meet their needs, budget, and criteria. Without the proper guidance, this process can be costly and take more time than needed. When searching for senior living options there are five important factors that your senior living advisor will need to consider.

These factors will typically include:

• Geography
• The culture within the facility
• Amenities
• Monthly Rate and Community Fees
• and most importantly, level of care.

There is a clinical element in senior living, especially in assisted living and memory care as these communities may have different license types and may potentially be limited on what care they are able to provide for their seniors.

Selecting a community that does not match your needs and likes can be a costly mistake with the average cost of assisted living in Florida being around $3,200 per month. That rate will most likely not include specialized memory care (secured for those with Dementia & Alzheimer’s), and any move in fees associated with the selection of the community.

We highly encourage our families, caregivers, and referral sources in the community such as nursing homes, rehabs, doctors, elder law attorneys, and home health companies to really take the time and research their senior placement providers credentials, level of experience, professionalism, and reviews that reflect a history of providing successful transitions with attention to level of care and passion.

Not all senior placement companies are the same and unfortunately, as of today, senior placement companies as a whole are not regulated. We want to caution families and seniors to use extreme diligence on how they select a senior placement company and or senior living advisor with their senior living transitional needs. We would also encourage families to ask their senior living advisor about their credentials and background as these are extremely important in an industry that remains unregulated.

North Star Senior Advisors is part of National Placement & Referral Alliance, This board encourages uniting other Senior Advisors, defending the Senior Placement industry, and protection for seniors and their families from misrepresentation. For that reason, there are different approaches, intentions, variations in approach and services.

Things to ask your senior living advisor may include:

• Experience level. What type of credentials do they have? nurses, social workers, certified dementia practitioners, certified senior advisors etc. on staff that will take the time to conduct a thorough assessment and present options that match what the care needs are?
• Are they local and do they know the market they represent? Or are they based in another state providing virtual guidance?
• Are they charging you a fee, or are they complementary to you?
• How are they paid for their service?
• Will they be there with you side by side during the entire transitional process to help guide you and answer any questions you may have?
• Will they represent you as your advocate and have your best interest in mind?

Why should senior living advisors have experience and credentials? It’s critical for a proper assessment to be conducted in order to know which direction to guide you or your loved one. As mentioned previously, there is a clinical element when selecting an appropriate assisted living or memory care as there are four different senior living license types in the state of Florida.

We find that having a nurse on staff to help conduct an appropriate assessment is helpful as well as Certified Dementia Practitioners who have the expertise to understand the needs of those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia disease. It’s also best for Senior Living Advisors to know and tour each assisted living facility they refer to you.

Selecting a senior placement company that has the credentials, experience, professionalism, and passion for what they do will provide a positive overall experience and ensure that a proper placement has occurred. Let experienced experts guide you!