Local Senior Placement companies struggle with Online Competitors Policies
It has been over 3 years since our owner, Chelsea Sweeney, left the hospital setting to help on the community side of assisting seniors and start Maintain Me. Chelsea was a nurse case manager in the hospital and had recognized over the years that the hospital was starting to see more and more of the same people, seniors especially, back in the hospital due to inability to find a safe environment.
This was not due to lack of resources or not enough providers but came down to needing someone to break down a very complicated and emotional situation each step of the way until the desired outcome was reached. When Chelsea started Maintain Me is was VERY WELL RECEIVED. She knew the healthcare system and the hoops in each level of care. It wasn't long before Maintain Me started growing the team and serving seniors all over the Denver Metro Area.
Recently we have come across a new barrier for success. The way our industry works is Transition Services are free of charge to the family and seniors transitioning to independent living, assisted living and memory care. Placement services get reimbursed but the providers in these three settings. We are community consultants and represent the family and senior, not the providers. We do a comprehensive in-person assessment that includes medical, financial and social assessments. Then break down all the settings into 3-5 suitable matches.
Each of these independent living, assisted living and memory care communities have their own website with details on what they provide and we typically encourage families to do any additional research they need to help narrow down the options provided. Recently we have stopped recommending this as online referral companies are now capturing our seniors name and basic information and sending it out to these communities before getting any consent. Regardless of consent, if an online placement agency makes first contact with a seniors information we are then no longer able to represent that senior at those communities.
Its our job to educate our senior population on what type of services exist as we recognize there is not a one size fits all. We want our families to know they have choice of using an online services vs. a local placement agent. But it's important they don't accidentally sign up for an online referral system and limit themselves on resources through the process. Once you have signed up for online service, they have first rights to the transition regardless of the quality services they provide. We recognize that most families first inclination is to do their own research online, we just want to make sure they are getting direct links to the community websites and not signing up for a service they haven't agreed to.
We are lucky to have so many wonderful local agents in the Denver Metro Area and we all would be honored to help any senior and their family find a setting they can be proud of, and help with the stress of making the wrong decision. With a local agent you not only gain local knowledge but you are making a new friend to help you through your unique again process.