CareCrunch | Helping Families Find Long Term Care, Home Health, and Funding

Tips For Improving Referral Rates at Assisted Living and other Eldercare Facilities

CareCrunch — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:26:53 +0000

With all the new assisted living facilities popping up in the last 5 years, it is increasingly important to have a strong outbound marketing strategy to attract seniors and families. There are a few key components to a strong marketing program which include; a unique selling proposition, educating the potential resident, and establishing credibility early on.

One of the first things you want to do in positioning your eldercare facility is to have a unique selling proposition. What makes your facility better than the next facility? Do you differentiate yourself by having a more personalized style of care? Is there a small caregiver to resident ratio? Is your facility at a price point that is more affordable than other facilities. A unique selling proposition addresses one or more of the following: service, a guarantee, pricepoint, or a special program that makes you different such as specialized kosher dining programs.

Next, you need to make sure to educate your potential residents. Every ad, flyer, networking event, and basically any form of communication must contain a clear message about who you are as a company and how you can help them. With assisted living, it is especially important to educate prospects on what “assisted living” means. With all the terms floating around; board and care, assisted living, residential care facilities, independent living, senior housing etc. it is difficult to navigate. It is also important to educate prospects on payment plans and strategies for finding financial supplements. The big misconception is that Medicare pays for everything, which is simply not the case. There are additional options such as long term care insurance, reverse mortgage and other types of financial planning for prospects who do not fit the bill on government financial aid.

Another important factor is to sell solutions, not price. Assisted living and most elder care services are an investment in safety and independence. Keep in mind that when dealing with families of seniors, their primary concern most of the time, is safety. For seniors, the main concern is one of independence.

Whatever the marketing plan is, it is important to be open and honest in the communication. Long term care is a highly personal affair.

What Can A Geriatric Care Manager Do for You?

CareCrunch — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:21:30 +0000

If you are having troubling coordinating care for your elderly family member, one option may be to enlist the help of an experienced geriatric care manager. Geriatric care managers are usually people with backgrounds in nursing, social work, and gerontology who have a firm grasp on the financial, medical, and legal problems that people regularly encounter when planning eldercare. Most importantly, a geriatric care manager is able to identify the best situation for your family member with due consideration to safety and independence.

They are knowledgeable in public policy and benefits, being able to guide you through the financial aspects of long term care. A good geriatric care manager will also be able to identify additional financial supplements such as VA benefits, entitlements, and publicly funded program that can save you money. Most people think that Medicare pays for long term care, but the truth is that Medicare pays for very little long term care and is not suitable for many people who only need assistance with activities of daily living.

Collaboration between family members is a key element in planning out long term care. This is where a geriatric care manager can play a crucial role in being a mediator or facilitator. If a family meeting is required, the geriatric care manager will be there to answer questions regarding finances, types of care, entitlements, and offer recommendations as they see fit. With the advent of teleconferencing technology, many family members now choose to hold meetings virtually from their own homes using programs such as Skype or Gotomeeting.

For family members who find themselves becoming long distance caregivers, geriatric care managers can serve a crucial role in coordinating care. Most geriatric care managers charge a fee for the intial consultation and an ongoing hourly rate, so be wise to ask them about their pricing.

Diversify Your Elder Care Referral Sources

CareCrunch — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:03:00 +0000

It’s important to consistently market your community no matter what the occupancy level is. This is a seemingly simple concept, but it is still surprising that many elder care facilities’ lead generation activity falls the the wayside when occupancy rates are up. Here is an exhaustive list of referral sources which can supplement your current outbound marketing.

Doctors

Discharge planners

Home health agencies

Hospital volunteers

Nursing homes

Assisted living communities

Retirement communities

Case managers

Religious Community; Senior Bible study groups, Clergy, Ecumenical groups, Church social gatherings

Senior Networks, AARP, Area Agency on Aging Senior centers

All supports groups; Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, SCI

Senior educational programs (i.e., Donovan Scholars, Elder Hostel, Life Enrichment)

Legal and Financial Community, Bankers, Trust officers, Financial planners, Estate planners/Attorneys

Business Professionals

Employers

Media officials

Auctioneers

Morticians/Funeral home directors

Library

Chamber of Commerce

Real estate appraisers/Brokers

Philanthropic Groups

Universities, Vocational schools, College alumni

An Inside Look On How Merrill Gardens Operates

CareCrunch — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:38:46 +0000

Merrill Gardens is a consistently a top 20 performer in Assisted Living because of it’s operational excellence. It’s unique structure and the fact that it is a well capitalized private family company allow it to be a leader in the industry.

Regional Teams:

Merrill has seven regional sales and marketing teams that work very closely with each group of communities. Each region is grouped into a maximum ten communities. The regional team consists of the Regional Director of Operations, the Regional Director of Marketing, the Regional Director of Dining Services, the Regional Director of Quality services and the Regional Maintenance Superviser.

The Regional Director of Marketing visits the facility at least once per week and the Director of Operations visits the community a minimum once every two weeks. In order to meet their census goals, the regional team is accountable for all the communities in their region.

Sales and Marketing:

Merrill Gardens also does a comprehensive sales and marketing comparison study with new and existing properties. The monthly sales goals are examined including prospect calls, outreach, and home visits. Aggressive direct advertising is implemented to bring each community to stabilization. The regional teams work the with General Manager and the Community Marketing Director to provide additional assistance.

Communities that have not reached stabilized occupancy rates and lease up communities participate in a weekly call as to monitor the marketing performance. This call includes the General Manager, Regional Marketing, Community Marketing Director, Operations Directors, and Executive Vice President of Operations. During this call, the goal is to monitor progress and identify problem issues. The community is required to participate in the weekly call until one month after the community has reached occupancy stabilization.

Get Free Local Exposure for Your Elder Care Facility

CareCrunch — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:52:42 +0000

Here are a few easy ways to promote your eldercare service for free.

Google Places:

Go to google.com/places and submit your elder care service by entering the name, addresss, contact information, and business information on the site. You then verify the Google Places submission by answering a phone call or sending in a postcard. In a few weeks, you should have a map listing with all your information there on google ready to land in the top of the search results when people search for elder care services in your area.

Local Online Directories:

Many search directories will require you to do reciprocal linking or make you pay a listing fee, but there are plenty of online directories where you can submit your listing for free. Make sure to submit to vertical specific directories as well such as assisted living directories, home care directories, and the like.

Places to submit your local listing for free:

Address.com

Advertise.com

Advice.com

Alikelist.com

Allpages.com

AOL

Ask

B2Byellowpages.com

Boorah

Bing

Citysearch

DigitalPressConsortium

DirectoryM.com

DreamLocal.com

Elocal

Fizzlocal

Google

HelloMetro.com

Herald.com

Hotfrog.com

Immersfind

InsiderPages

JustDial

Kudzu

LikeMe

Local.com

LocalMatters.com

LocalSearch.com

LookSmart.com

MagicYellow.com

MapQuest

MediaPages/Canoe

Media News Group

MerchantCircle

MojoPages

Montavo

MyWebYellow

OpenList

SeccionAmarilla

Shop.com

Superpages.com

Switchboard.com

TheRedBook.org

Topix

TrafficEngine.net

US City.net

Where.com

WhitePages.com

YellowBot

YellowOne

YellowPages.com

YellowPageCity

YellowBook

YellowUSA.com

Yahoo!

Yelp

YP.com

Zingy

Press Releases

Does your company have interesting news that can help seniors? Do you want to promote a special community event for your assisted living facility? If you are doing something newsworthy and especially if there is a human-emotional element to the story, like its often the case with elder care services, consider submitted a press release to sites like PRWeb.com or PRLeap.com. Follow their strict press release criteria and write very compelling copy. Take time to write an eye catching title. Profile seniors, families, and residents that you work with in order to weave in the human element. If you do submit to a website like PRWeb or PRLeap make sure to check out their article on “Why localizing a press release to a zipcode and city matters.”

Redouble Your Assisted Living Occupancy Enhancement Efforts

CareCrunch — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:41:42 +0000

Redouble your occupancy enhancement efforts even if it means spending more money. The rationale for investing more in marketing is to fill your pipeline so that you can avoid the high opportunity costs of vacant units.

TIMING IS CRITICAL

Another reason is that timing is critical. Successful assisted living facilities invest continuously in marketing so that they can capture people at their time of need. Unlike, say purchasing a car, people who need assisted living do not have the luxury of delaying their purchase until their financial situation improves. They need assisted living NOW, and if you are not on their shortlist and they are not aware of you, you lose out on acquiring a new resident.

DIVERSIFY YOUR MARKETING

A successful outreach program now requires an informed blend of referral based marketing and the use of advertising methods such as internet, direct mail, and email marketing. For operators who are not accustomed to these more advanced marketing strategies, assisted living can be a formidable endeavor.

Do not limit your marketing to just local advertising. Often, the person making the “buying” decision is the son or daughter who is making the decision on behalf of their aging parent. They may live outside of the state or outside of the local market. For these reasons it is important to have a strong internet presence so that you can be found by people searching from outside the local area.

And lastly, your marketing efforts should include referral targets who play a crucial role in the assisted living decision.

Apply to become apart of our referral network HERE

The Gift of Music for the Holidays

CareCrunch — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:58:57 +0000

By Barbara Jacobs, M.S.

As a caregiver for someone with dementia, you may be wondering what gift to give your loved one for the holidays. Have you considered the gift of music this holiday season?

In my fifteen years of experience as a therapeutic musician, I have led countless musical sing-along programs for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. During these programs, I often witness music’s power to unlock memories. I find this to be true for all stages of the disease and current research confirms my experience.

One of my students, Edie, is 85 and has mid to late stage Alzheimer’s disease. She rarely speaks, but when I played “Home on the Range” on the piano, she went from sitting quietly to becoming quite animated. Edie shouted, “I had a horse named Buddy.” This type of reaction to familiar music no longer surprises me. Music can bring dramatic behavioral changes, encourages socialization, and improves the overall well being of those with dementia.

Research confirms the benefits music has for Alzheimer’s patients. It has been reported that music therapy and singing on a daily basis will raise the brain chemicals melatonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine in our blood levels, thus positively affecting our mental state. Testing of patients with dementia who sing daily shows that these elevated blood chemicals can help them to become more active, more cooperative, and may even improve their ability to sleep. Dr. Kumar with the University of Miami’s School of Medicine found that music provided lasting benefits for elderly men with Alzheimer’s disease who participated in a music therapy program for 30 to 40 minutes a day, five days a week, for a month. The research further found that music’s benefits continued for these men for several weeks after their participation in this music program had ended.

With evidence of the positive benefits of music and singing, wouldn’t it be wonderful if your loved one could sing every day? There are a variety of ways to bring old favorite music into their lives. Your local public library is a good resource for renting free musical CDs and old movies or operas on DVD that are sure to bring a smile to their faces and words to their lips, as they sing or hum with joy and recognition. There are a number of music and sing-along programs on the market that can be purchased through senior product catalogs, including my own sing-along programs, Front Row Seat Videos.

I have always known that music can open hearts. Through my teaching experience, reinforced by recent research, I have seen how it can open minds as well! So, as the holidays approach, consider a musical gift for your loved one. I know you will be happy you did, as it will be beneficial and enjoyable for them, and it just may give you some well deserved respite time.

For questions or more information you can e-mail me at: barbara@customvideosf.com

Happy Holidays!

Barbara Jacobs, M.S., is a therapeutic musician who has taught music classes at long-term care facilities for the past fifteen years. See her Web site at www.FrontRowSeatVideos.com

© 2010 Barbara Jacobs

Regular Walking Promotes Independence

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:51:57 +0000

Older adults can decrease their risk of disability and increase their likelihood of maintaining independence by 41 percent by participating in a walking exercise program, according to a new University of Georgia study. The study, which appeared in the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, also found that walking program participants increased their peak aerobic capacity by 19 percent and increased their physical function by 25 percent. In the past decade, researchers have focused on the benefits of strength training in maintaining independence, but until now we didnt have good evidence using an objective performance measure that a walking program would improve physical functioning, said study co-author M. Elaine Cress, professor of kinesiology and researcher in the UGA Institute of Gerontology. Our study found that walking offers tremendous health benefits that can help older adults stay independent. The researcher program group met three times a week for four months and would walk for 10 minutes continually. As the weeks progressed, they increased their walking time to 40 continuous minutes. Each session began with a 10-minute warm-up and ended with a 10-minute cool-down that included balance and flexibility exercises. Trudy Moore-Harrison, the lead author of the study, added that walking doesnt require any special equipment other than a pair of comfortable shoes, which makes it a simple and low-cost way for people to become active. Getting people to stick with exercise programs can be difficult, but the researchers found that every single member of the group stayed with the program for its four-month duration. Implementing strength training activities regularly, can lead to better retirement living. Great senior citizen housing can help create much better living standards for senior independent living with regularly scheduled exercises. People really enjoyed the program, said Moore-Harrison. It gave them an opportunity to make new friends and get to know their neighbors. We know that walking is good for you, but too many people still arent doing it, Moore-Harrison said. This study shows that just walking on a regular basis can make a huge impact on quality of life.

About the Author:
Horizon Bay’s assisted living facilities, senior independent living communities and assisted living services redefine life for seniors where they are respected as individuals and encouraged to live life more meaningfully.

Deteriorating Conditions Children Should Watch Out On Their Elderly Parents

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:51:52 +0000

Have you ever noticed your parents getting older by the day? It is no longer salt and pepper hair – but all white hair cap the head of your parents. Watching them in this condition is really hard to accept. Is it because we equate their getting old with our own aging process? Maybe not – we just dread the day when they would finally leave us.

There are many reasons why children could hardly delve on the issue of aging parents. We want daddy and mommy always active, healthy and mobile. Their physical deterioration, the debilitating health – all these hurt. We could hardly accept that their vision is too blurred to recognize us, they struggle with their hearing and what is more painful – they could not even remember our names. As we encounter these changes, health issues crop up.

What are the salient changes children should be alert regarding their aging parents.

Poor eyesight or loss of vision

Deteriorating eyesight and ultimate loss of vision is one of the first signs of old age. If they used to wear eyeglasses, the children should have their vision checked and refracted regularly. Inappropriate eyeglasses can do more harm than good to the worsening vision of dear mom and dad. Proper lighting in the house, especially the rooms they occupy, is one step to help them see better.

Loss of hearing

Would it be time for them to wear their hearing aid? Hearing loss is also common to people in their golden years. This could be very dangerous especially when the parents are still mobile and have the tendency to go out of the house and cross the street. This would also lead to misunderstanding between the oldies and the people around them. In case of weakening of the sense of hearing, try to speak slowly with the elderly. As much as possible you have to tone down the volume and pitch of your voice. When speaking to them, be sure you are facing them so that if they could not hear you adequately, they have a chance to lip read. Most of all, bring them to the ear specialist for check-up and monitoring.

Memory Loss

First, they would experience occasional forgetfulness. Be alert and check if they are already suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This is very frustrating because when afflicted with this illness, they might not even recognize you. To keep their mind going and their brain functioning, give them activities to get busy with. Let them read, let them talk to you and relate stories.

Loss of Balance

The elderly are prone to risk of falling and slipping. This is very dangerous.
There are instances that the fracture caused by a simple slipping can make them immobile for the rest of their last years. If their sense of balance cannot be remedied, it is best to have them use a cane, a walker or even a wheel chair, if warranted. Be sure to eliminate in your house tripping hazards – loose rugs, wires and extension cords. Technology has given us wireless so your cords and cables can be junked. Provide non-slip mats in the bathroom, patio or any slippery floors.

When your parents had reached this stage, it is best to hire a home health care professional for her – that is if they are left alone. These professionals can give them proper care in your absence.

About the Author:
Reliable Staffing is your number one source for nursing Tucson, home care Tucson, caregiver Tucson, home health Tucson and more. Call us today for more information;
Nursing Tucson

Respite Care Programs Encourage Healthy Sleep Habits For Seniors

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:52:28 +0000

What is the most pervasive health problem for the elderly? If you answered sleep, you would be right. Sleep, or more accurately, lack of sleep is the major cause of poor physical and psychological health for elderly individuals and elder care recipients. Without proper quality of sleep, everyone, especially senior citizens suffer from lack of concentration, poor memory function, and the body loses its ability to effectively repair physical ailments and prevent disease. This article examines how healthy sleep habits make a difference in the health and well being of senior citizens.

More then half of men and women over the age of 65 years complain of at least one sleeping problem, and many elderly individuals experience insomnia and other sleep disorders on a regular basis. Generally, the elderly population sleep less frequently and experience more fragmented sleeping patterns, spending less time in REM sleep (deep sleep) then the younger crowd.

What causes sleep loss or poor quality of sleep? The following list includes the most common reasons elderly individuals suffer from poor sleep habits.

Irregular sleeping hours.
Consuming alcohol just prior to bedtime.

Napping too much during the daytime hours.

The frequent need to urinate.

Pain from various ailments, including arthritis, diabetes, etc

A sedentary lifestyle.

Stress.

Life changes, such as the death of a loved one, a move, or physical limitations.

Sleep breathing disorders, including sleep apnea and snoring.

Respite care programs and other at home health care programs work to monitor and improve the sleeping habits of elderly loved ones and care recipients with the goal of improving overall health. Respite care programs can review a care recipients sleep patterns and then suggest changes to daily routine, then adjust and implement solutions that are most appropriate. These changes include:

Improving an elderly loved ones nutritional intake, preparing small, nutritious meals.

Encouraging the patient to sleep regularly, or setting up regular sleep hours (to prevent excessive daytime napping).

Monitoring naps a loved one is taking, and then trying different times and durations to determine which napping pattern works best and does not impede nighttime rest.

Encouraging social activities, family time, and companionship to keep up activity levels.

Monitoring medications, and limiting the use of sleep enhancing medications.

Assisting with daily living activities to reduce stress level. This includes housekeeping, taking care of errands, and assisting with personal hygiene.

Helping the patient enjoy active activities, ensuring they get as much sunlight as possible and spend time outdoors.

Reducing the intake of caffeine, stimulants, and nicotine.

Prompting the patient or family to have a physician review any medications their loved one is prescribed.

A poor sleep cycle may be linked to poor health. Disrupted sleep and restless nights can cause worse pain the next day, a problem for elderly individuals who experience back pain and arthritis. Respite caregivers and assisted living caregivers work with loved ones to reduce the symptoms of poor sleeping habits. They record the effects of any changes made to daily routine, and adjust activities as is necessary. Sleep is important to all of us, but especially for our elder population, and essential to physical health and emotional well being.

About the Author:
Erica Ronchetti is a freelance writer for Visiting Angels, the nation’s leading, network of non-medical, private duty home care agencies providing senior care, elder care, personal care, respite care, assisted living and companion care to help the elderly and adults continue to live in their homes across America. Visit the Visiting Angels website to find out more information on respite care programs.