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My dad is out of state and reluctantly is working w someone. I don't know the person or his area at all and not sure they keep the seniors best interest in mind. I think they get commissions so I am apprehensive of trusting them but open to their service bc we need it for him. I'm looking for any thoughts, encouragement or warnings about
This.....thanks. BTW dad wants to stay in rental home but may eventually need placement and we are in process of applying for Medicaid on his behalf.

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I'm answering to bump this up, I have no first hand knowledge.
It is my understanding that placement agencies are contracted on a fee for service basis from the facilities which hire them. Possible cons would be
1 they only recommend those places they have a contract with
2 they are a third party so are not necessarily aware issues within the facilities
3 their business is in sales.
The pro would be that they have gathered information into one place and can help narrow down your options.
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Are you/dad dealing with a reputable place like A Place for Mom? Yes, they work on commission. There are geriatric care managers, who work on a fee for service basis. Getting a GCM might be a better idea, because they are certified, and because you are paying their fee, they work for YOU, not the facility.
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We are working with an agency, Serving Our Seniors. I feel good about the transparency. Yes, the fee is paid by the facility, but I think as long as they have a good reputation and show the appropriate degree of interest and understanding in the situation, that's okay. Real Estate agents also only get paid if they make a sale, but it is still a widely accepted practice and good agents stay in business.
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My mother had significant dementia and couldn't realize it. She could not live on her own. I called an agency to ask questions. I had no idea how to proceed. She had limited finances and refused to leave her home. She refused help from me and everyone else. The information they gave me was absolutely the wrong information. They told me to spend all her money down as fast as possible and get her on Medicaid so she could move to a nursing home. They sent me 10 facilities. Most were independent living places, which would never work for her. (I told them she could not cook, she would try to leave, she wasn't showering or eating...) I also asked that they not give out my contact information to the facilities yet because I was just information gathering. After hanging up, I immediately received 20 phone calls, on both my cell and home phone. Within 2 days, I was receiving endless mail to both my mother and my home addresses. I was not happy. Eventually, I did move her to an assisted living facility that I had worked at for 4 years previously, and had already visited before my call to the placement agency. Upon applying, the facility called and said they had to pay the agency fee. (I told the agency that I had already been to that facility because I used to work there.) The facility did not work for my mom, because she kept trying to escape. Within 4 days we transferred her to a locked memory care facility which is really a perfect fit. This facility was not suggested by the agency. It is 5 minutes from my house. I was able to figure out a way to make it work financially for about 3 years, which was totally the opposite from what was suggested by the agency. Unfortunately, my agency experience was not great, but I'm sure others must have good experiences. My situation was difficult because my mother was difficult. I would suggest getting different opinions. Good luck.
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Contact A Place For My m. They can be of assistance.
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When I was searching on the internet for a placement for my elder, they were all linked to a place for mom, which I was very reluctant to give my name and phone number to. They call immediately and did give me some leads, but then emailed and called me countless times after that always from different area codes. Also they cage my contact info to the NH so they contacted me too. I usually let calls I don't recognize go to voicemail and they'd always leave long messages. I never called back, they continued to follow up. Finally about a month ago I took a call from someone and just told them my dad died so they'd quit calling me. I know people are just doing their jobs and trying to make a living but it's annoying when they don't stop calling.
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Always return to any potential facility UNANNOUNCED. What you see, hear, smell can make a difference.
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I used an agency recommended to me by my contact at a local senior center. This is in a community north of Seattle. It is called Choice Advisory. I was looking for an Assisted Living place to move my father to that was close to my home. He has mild dementia, and didn't cook (even make a sandwich!) and was driving to restaurants and his local senior center for meals. His neighbors and the Senior Center had talked to my sister and me about his risky driving. At that time, I was handling all his bills, medical appointments, and house repair care. He lived an hour away from me. I made an appointment with one of Choice Advisory representatives. We had a long discussion about his life and what might be best for him. She went with me to tour three places. (I had previously toured two places in my area, and taken Dad to visit one. He is a kind person, but couldn't figure out why I had taken him to the place - he was okay with moving closer to me, but assumed that I would find him a new home to live in.) I live in a small condo and knew myself and that it wouldn't be good for him to live with me. He needs his own life and other people around him. The Choice Advisory person was wonderful, and we found a place that was smaller (not super big and fancy) and had Continuing Care, so that as he got older they had levels of care to match his need. It took a while for him to adjust - he has been there 6 months now - he made comments about "those invalid ladies" and at first he was still grieving his loss of his own home and driving his car. But now he thinks its been years since he drove and says he is nervous enough when I drive and can't imagine driving himself! (We laugh about him helping out with the brakes and clutch on his side of the car.) He has a good group of guy friends that the center brings together for lunch outings and weekly meetings. I believe we found a good match through Choice Advisory, and I would recommend them. (I see my Dad for lunch 3 days a week, and we occasionally go on cruises or short trips together.) I had tried A Place for Mom, and they were very kind and gave me referrals, but it was at a time when I was just exploring the potential options. They were persistent, but I received no mailings, only emails and phone calls from my one contact there. I appreciated Choice Advisory because my contact took me to visit places and she had a lot of wisdom about elderly care.
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I am the owner of a small local placement service in the San Francisco Bay area. As with anything I will tell you to do due diligence. Look for an agency that has a good reputation that has been in business for a long time and that is local to the area that you wish to place them. The agency will do an intake that will include questions regarding your parents or loved ones needs, wants, cognitive abilities, physical abilities, social needs and budget. They will have an understanding of which communities will be the best fit for your loved ones needs. Make sure that the agency you hire looks at state licensing and inspection reports prior to referral. reschedule tours and accompany our clients on the tour to ensure that they are getting all of their questions asked and if they are not asking the right ones then we know to ask for them. Small Agency will check back with you on a weekly basis and be available to answer any questions that you may have that arise during conversation with family.

We are not like A Place for Mom that has never seen the communities that they refer.
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How hard would it be for you to take the time to go where your Dad is to help him get situated. Even if of sound mine th elderly still have problems getting around stuff that is new. If u work, maybe you can take family leave.
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I contacted A Place For Mom and, yes, they called me immediately with locations in my area. I then took that info and did my own Google/Yelp searches for reviews which eliminated a few right away. They did not contact me relentlessly. I ended up going with a private person that dies referrals and helps with placements as a business. There was no charge to me. I did not care for the client/patient ratio in the larger facilities. I knew my mother would not be happy, for one, having to go to a dining room for all her meals. The woman suggested we consider a small, private care home and made appts to see 3 in town (all had good reviews). They are licensed by the State and do get checked pretty regularly. Problem might be that there are no immediate openings as most are 6 person facilities. They all offered semi-private or private rooms. Not cheap but would be the same or more in a larger facility (watch added extra charges!). Ended up placing my mother in a private home not too far from us. I go over about every other day abd call every morning to check on her. This home also has a person there at night. It has worked out very well, so far. They are more flexible and will cater more to my mother's needs or schedule. This is something you may want to consider but do your homework. When I told A Place For Mom that I had found my mother a place, they no longer contacted me. Good luck! Hard decisions.
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