How to do Senior Placement in Central Florida the right way

Senior Placement is an up and coming industry that helps families and the elderly locate senior living options. As mentioned in previous blog posts, senior placement providers work as advocates. It’s important to note the different types of referral service companies such as the larger known national, online lead generators which will conduct a phone consultation and sell your information to multiple communities in the area or local on the ground placement firms that work closely with families as an advocate.

Being in the industry for over 5 years, North Star Senior Advisors, a local senior placement firm has learned to work both ethically and efficiently because we love what we do and our reputation means everything to us. So, when new individuals start their placement firm, we don’t feel threatened about the new competition. In fact, we see it more as another advocate who is willing to help seniors locate assisted living options in Central Florida. What concerns me is that there are many placement companies that work unethically and have no idea about laws and properly placing seniors.

Most Senior Placement Advisors just locate an assisted living for seniors and accompany families on tours. Then they simply wait for payment. This is NOT the proper way to work as an advisor. Senior Placement should be more than just tours. There are critical steps involved in transitioning from home, skilled nursing facilities, and of course hospitals to the assisted living facility. Different factors should be keep in mind such as license types that a community can accommodate when it comes to your loved ones levels of care. Your advisor should have knowledge of the license types in order to properly match you with a community. For example, if your loved has diabetes, not all facilities can help administer insulin shots, only the ones licensed to do so.  Also, Senior Placement Advisors should review the Agency of Healthcare Administration (AHCA) reports for abuse and neglect. Their website contains all licensed assisted living facilities in the state of FL and if they have been tagged with issues.

What we recommend is to ask your Senior Placement Advisor how long they’ve been in business. What certification or clinical skills do they have to help with working as your advocate and also, have them lay out the plan on how the transition will work until you or your loved one relocates into a new assisted living facility. Just like selecting a community, choosing the right advisor is just as important in the long term.

For more information about Senior Placement and our services, please contact us or call 407-796-1582!