The Internet is a logical place to start if you are one of the many people seeking to assist a parent in finding a care community for your loved one.
On the first page of search results, online directories like A Place For Mom and Caring.com are likely to appear. With the help of websites like these, you may search by area, the kind of accommodation you are looking for (independent living, assisted living, nursing care, or memory care, for example), read reviews, and consult a local expert.
According to a 2014 survey by market research company BrightLocal, 88% of customers trust internet evaluations just as much as personal recommendations. Do these websites, nevertheless, present a whole picture? On these referral strategies, industry experts provide their opinions.
The article explores how you can use review sites to find assisted living in Highland Park, TX.
Review and Referral Sites: Explained
While directories, also known as referral sites, may seem to offer a multitude of information in one place, they sometimes do not provide you the full picture.
Referral sites typically make a commission of one month’s rent at an assisted living community, which could sometimes amount to thousands of dollars. Therefore, it begs the issue of whether directories are first concerned with locating the greatest care and the ideal cultural match for your parent. Or do they care more about their bottom line?
That said, referral sites are still a wonderful place to start your research. However, that should only be the beginning. Locate a community, get in touch with them, and then go there.
You should cut out the middleman and speaking directly with the assisted communities you are interested in because providing your contact information to a referral site and working with an online advisor frequently results in you receiving frequent phone calls from the referral service and the assisted living communities they work with. However, you often learn more from a real person, not from a website.
Websites frequently lack crucial details, such as prices. The number of establishments that really publish their prices can be counted on one hand. When there is so much other information accessible, it may seem contradictory, but costs can vary substantially depending on the degree of care, the size of the living area, and other factors.
Next, the quality of a community’s meals is another crucial fact that cannot be learned from any website. Many individuals eat most, if not all, of their meals in a common dining room since eating is a significant aspect of socializing in many communities. You and your loved ones should always try the cuisine before signing on the dotted line. If the food is awful, it may make living there unpleasant.
Get Offline and Visit
Do not place too much trust in internet reviews of care communities for your loved one, despite the fact that they might offer some useful information.
Reviewers typically have strong opinions and are either too enthusiastic or underhanded. Use reviews to get answers to any queries or worries you may have, but ultimately, you are the best person to decide which neighborhood is ideal for your loved one.
Start your search online, carefully read the reviews to learn any details you might be unsure of, and then visit the neighborhoods you prefer. Bring your parent along for a second visit after you have checked out the neighborhood and asked the important questions — some of which you could get through reviews.
