Senior living may be a great option for retirees when you or your loved one starts requiring additional care, or would simply like to enjoy your golden years with more freedom that comes with not having to maintain a home. However, with so many retirement communities on the rise, you or your loved one may have difficulties deciding which community is best suited for you as well as other factors like cost, the level of care provided, etc. This is where the expert advice from a trusted senior living advisor can help guide you, advocate for you and find the perfect retirement community for you. Senior living advisors take into account your needs and budget and draw on their extensive ties and network of communities to find a senior living that will be fitting for this new chapter of your life. However, here are some things you should know about senior living advisors before proceeding to consult one.
Certification Status
It is important to make sure that the senior living advisor you are working with is CORE trained and has vast experience in the industry. Your senior living advisor should meet with you or your loved one to conduct an assessment and better understand the needs and care you or your loved one desires. Afterward, they should also accompany you on the tours of the retirement communities to make sure that you or your loved one are not misinformed or misguided along the way.
Location
Is your senior living advisor local to the area? If you or your loved one are planning on moving to a particular area, your senior living advisor should be familiar with the location so that they can not only advise you on the suitable communities around the area but also on the location beyond the retirement community. For example, if you or your loved one is a huge nature lover, your senior living advisor should be able to find an appropriate retirement community surrounded by hiking trails or lush greenery that you would enjoy.
How They Are Paid
A common misconception about senior living advisors is that they will only recommend communities that they partner with and drive up the price you have to pay with the fees that they take from the retirement community. However, this is false as most professional senior living advisors remain completely unbiased and only partner with communities that they have personally toured and have amenities and care that are up to standard. Sometimes, senior living advisors have also been able to help clients lower the price or have fees waived. It is important to remember that since not every senior community partners with senior advisor companies, senior living advisors may be less familiar with them and they might not be recommended as much. This does not mean that they are not good options and if you have done some research of your own, feel free to bring them up to your advisor and do not immediately discard them as an option for you or your loved one.
