Online matchmaking may work great for finding a spouse, but it’s not a good tactic for finding a senior living community for your loved one.

Some websites can match your family member with a senior living facility that has paid a fee to be included in recommendations on the site. But these sites don’t actually endorse any facilities—they simply match your loved one to a facility’s availability, not based on what your family member needs. While site administrators may do a cursory review of the facility, they don’t truly know what happens in the facility. And because nobody from the site has met with your parent, spouse or relative, they can’t tell you just how well the facility can care for their needs, if at all.

The result is your loved one gets cookie-cutter care that may not address his or her needs—at best. At worst, he or she gets horrible care that shortens their life. An individualized, personalized approach is far better.

Sid Gerber has personally vetted most of the senior living communities in and around Houston. His consultation includes an in-person needs assessment and discussion with the family, and recommendations for facilities based on his long experience.

 

S. Gerber & Associates, 9301 Southwest Freeway, suite 250, Houston, Texas 77074, 713-857-3227, sid@personalcaregiving.com.