A special thank you for this guest post from senior care specialist, Anna McMaster.
A particularly difficult part of getting older is the slow loss of independence.
For most seniors, this process is a gradual one. Perhaps adult children notice their parent’s reaction time is slower or sight is a challenge and driving is no longer a safe activity. As people age, there may come a point where living alone is no longer safe or it is hard to complete the everyday basic tasks that are necessary for self-care. What happens next? Determining where, when, and how to walk the journey from living independently to living with help or care for seniors is a delicate one.
The options for senior care can be overwhelming. A single Google search for “assisted living facilities” can yield hundreds of choices, all with unique offerings and dozens of beautiful photos. A professional called a Senior Placement Advisor can help.
What is a Senior Placement Advisor?
Thankfully, there’s a service available to help families find safe and affordable senior living options, whether that’s independent living, assisted living, memory care, or in-home care. A senior placement advisor is a local senior care expert who provides a concierge service to narrow down all the senior care options available and find the best fit for your loved ones.
A senior placement advisor works directly with families to determine care needs, psycho-social needs, and preferred locations. They aren’t going to provide a long list of assisted living communities; they will make personalized recommendations that fit your criteria. Because a senior placement advisor is local, they’re able to then help you and your loved one tour these pre-screened communities, ask questions you may not think to ask, and even assist with the move-in process.
The best news is that this is a completely free service to families, as senior placement advisors get paid by the providers in their network. While many people are unaware this service exists, once they find us, they are grateful for the support.
Care Patrol: Anna McMaster, your Partner in Senior Care Solutions
My father-in-law, Peter, suffered from both Alzheimer’s and Vascular dementia, two diseases our family knew nothing about. At the time of Peter’s diagnosis, my husband and I were working parents with two young children, and we were completely unprepared for the hours and hours of time consumed by serving as caregivers ourselves. When we finally found what we thought was a memory care community, Peter walked out the door in the first 24 hours. As it turns out, the facility we had found wasn’t a suitable facility for dementia residents.
Our search finally led us to the right community and Peter was able to receive excellent care even when he required hospice services. It was an emotionally draining and incredibly stressful time because we were on our own. This is what prompted me to open CarePatrol.
My goal with CarePatrol is to make sure that no family goes through what we went through. Unlike some of the larger, corporate placement agencies, we live where we work! We are local , Austin, Texas experts on the senior care options available to families. More than just showing pictures or looking at websites from miles away, we can provide insight into what it’s really like in these communities. It’s the details that really make the difference in every day life – from the food to the daily activities to the care.
We work with people in all sorts of situations and at varying stages of their search for quality senior care. Maybe you’re just at the beginning of your search for independent living or perhaps there’s been an event requiring hospital admission or a stay in senior rehab. Maybe your family needs help finding some in-home care or home health services. All these scenarios are the big life transitions that necessitate big life decisions. They’re important decisions that require research and a hands-on approach! CarePatrol helps educate families so that they can feel confident their loved ones are safe and well-cared for.
Accessibility to Resources for Seniors
Jbird Insurance Group is committed to protecting the senior community. In addition to providing accurate education and guidance on the Medicare program, we recognize many seniors have need for resources beyond our expertise. Partnering with organizations who adhere to similar values and can provide these necessary services to the community is important. We want our clients and our community to have continuity of care and service when referred to people and companies outside our expertise. Working with senior placement advisors like Anna is ideally an extension of the care and commitment to customer service and quality that clients of JBird Insurance Group are accustomed to.
CarePatrol of Austin
Anna McMaster is a Certified Senior Advisor and the owner of CarePatrol of Austin. She specializes in guiding families through the process of finding senior living and care options such as assisted living, independent living, and memory care. She has a particular soft spot for seniors diagnosed with dementia related illnesses, as she herself went through the daunting process of finding care for a loved one with vascular dementia.
Anna considers herself passionate about empowering seniors and their families during a time when many emotional and practical issues must be considered.