Assisted Living - Carmel Monthly Magazine

July 2018 In the fall of 2017, Dave Holder’s family faced a dilemma: what to do with a loved one in failing health who could no longer be cared for at home. “My father-in-law’s health was deteriorating pretty bad,” Holder said. “He was showing signs of dementia which, I assume like most families, it was one of those things where ‘we can’t keep Dad in the house anymore.’ It was a lot of stress on my wife and her sisters and, of course, my mother-in-law, trying to figure out what to do.” It’s a problem that more and more of us will face as America’s population ages. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2030, more than 20% of Americans will be 65 or older, up from just 13% in 2010. That means an ever-increasing need to find appropriate care for our aging parents or even ourselves. Holder’s family was forced to do that on their own with mixed success. It was that experience Holder called upon in the spring of 2018 when he decided to make a career change. He found Assisted Living Locators. Assisted Living Locators provides NO COST elder care placement and referral services to seniors and their families based on their specific needs. They help choose the best fit for short- and long-term care options, including in-home care, independent living, assisted living, memory care and retirement apartments. The company generates revenue from referral fees paid by the facilities. “If we would have had something like this last fall, we could have saved ourselves an enormous amount of stress,” said Holder, Elder Care Adviser and owner of Indiana’s first – and so far, only – Assisted Living Locators franchise. “I really want to do this because I want to save other families from having to go through what we did.” The process is fairly simple. Holder does an intake interview with all those involved in the decision-making process. It can be conducted over the phone, but he prefers in person. “I go through the questions: Are they receiving care now? Are they being treated for that? Are they on any medication? Are there any issues with wandering or anything else associated with dementia? How far along is it? Are they at home or in another facility?” he said. “I talk to them about location and what’s important to them, including budget limitations.” Holder uses that assessment to search his inventory of elder care facilities, narrowing down to the ones he believes best suit the needs of the senior and his or her family, then schedules an appointment to visit those locations with the family. Assisted Living Locators has referral agreements with the full spectrum of care and housing options: in-home companion care, independent living, continuing care retirement communities, independent retirement options, assisted living, memory care and nursing homes. During the facility visit, he likens his role to that of a realtor. “I walk the facilities with them, talk to them about the features and benefits and get their feedback: what they like and what they don’t like,” he said. “Is it going to meet the budget and the needs of their family member? I just try to guide and be patient and know that this is a difficult time for the families.” Holder’s Assisted Living Locators franchise serves Hamilton, Boone and Madison counties as well as the northern half of Marion County but can stretch beyond that area if the need arises. “It’s basically from about Broad Ripple north to Tipton and from Anderson to Thorntown,” he explained. “But since this is the first franchise here, it’s pretty wide open.” Calling on his own experience searching for elder care last fall, Holder recognizes the need for a calm, knowledgeable resource that people can turn to in a time of stress. And he wants to be that resource. “Searching for elder care brings up a lot of emotions, from thoughts about our own mortality to ‘What are we going to do about Mom?’ to sibling rivalries. All of that is swirling around, and you’re trying to make a clear decision,” he said. “Hopefully I can wear that mediator/psychologist/guidance counselor hat and be that resource for everybody because it’s a tough time.” You can reach Assisted Living Locators at 317-854-9030 or online at northindy.assistedlivinglocators.com.

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