Navigating map of elder care providers often requires assistance; Bonus Years

Want to make your head explode? Try to figure out all the different kinds of senior housing and elder care services that are available and which one has the best fit with your needs and your pocketbook - or, in the case of adult children, those you are caring for.

Enter Cindy Jahr Evans and CarePatrol, who say, "Actually, figuring out the housing and daily-living needs of a senior is a major problem because, in later life, needs for assistance will change frequently, often significantly and many times unpredictably."

She continued, "Just think about it. You are living alone. You break a hip as you fall off a chair while changing a lightbulb. You were totally self-sufficient one minute before. Now you are incapacitated with a broken hip. You can't walk to the bathroom. You are then scheduled for a hip replacement and facing months of rehab."

"Or think about the wife who, after years of walking a mile every day and doing resistance exercises two days a week at the local fitness center, has a stroke. She's unable to walk unassisted. Is her elderly husband able to care for her? If not, to whom can he turn for help? Will his adult children be close enough and have the time to step in - and if they do, will they have the knowledge to navigate the system? If not, to whom do they turn?"

The search for elder care facilities and programs is not always prompted by a health emergency. In fact, according to Evans, "The move to senior living is increasingly a lifestyle choice. Some seniors, especially those who are 'social' and in good physical condition, like the idea of living in a place where they can build friendships and camaraderie, participate in organized activities from shopping to museum tours, and engage in sports such tennis, pickle ball or swimming. Age-restricted communities - usually age 55 or more, such as Heritage Harbour - or continuing care retirement communities, such as Ginger Cove or Baywoods, are typically very lively, livable and engaging places."

Evans explained that money is a major consideration because, as you pass certain age milestones, your financial resources are likely to change. In addition to Social Security, you have to consider private pensions and/or personal savings - plus insurance (if you have it), government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid (if you are eligible) and financial assistance from other sources (such as adult children) that will be available to some.

According to Evans, "There are almost as many price points for elder care as there are for hotels - from Super 8 to the Ritz Carleton. That's why, when you put them all together, it can be very confusing. Then, you add onto that location preferences, the need for medical assistance or other special needs and you have a complex set of choices that are almost impossible for the lay person to navigate."

Evans is passionate about her work in the elder care field, though it took a while for her to find her groove. In her case, however, the solution to her needs as a mother and career woman ended up as a win for people in their bonus years.

Following an internship in a Capitol Hill Senate office and early employment in a group home for the mentally and physically challenged, Evans changed careers, spending more than 20 years in recruitment and talent management for major Washington, D.C., law firms.

Armed with staff development and management experience plus a degree in public administration, Evans rebooted again in 2014 - this time as a certified senior care adviser. The motivation to reboot was the unexpected death of her stepfather at age 65. His untimely passing focused her mind on the importance of family - and especially that she was spending three hours a day in a car, commuting to Washington and only an hour or so a day with her young son.

Seeking a more flexible work environment that would give her more time with her family, she and her husband, Bill, a software engineer who works in cybersecurity, purchased a CarePatrol franchise that covers Anne Arundel County and surrounding areas.

CarePatrol was founded in 1994 and is now the nation's largest senior placement service, "... helping families find safer care options, including assisted living, independent living, memory care, in-home care and nursing homes."

CarePatrol services are paid for by the senior care provider - as many as 40,000 by some estimates. Accordingly, CarePatrol advisory and placement services are free to its clients.

"I love what I'm now doing. I love helping people," Evans said. "I love that I have more time for my family and more flexibility. Now I can go to school functions. I can even take a vacation and keep on top of my business."

When I asked her about her biggest challenge, she said, "This is not a one-size-fits-all business. It is a relationship business built on trust and integrity - and a lot of listening. For example, we recently had a client who needed a caregiver who could speak Farsi and another who needed rehab more than home care. But whatever the need, in the end, you are helping vulnerable people solve a problem and that is very satisfying to me."

Phil Burgess is president of the Annapolis Institute and author of "Reboot! What To Do When Your Career Is Over But Your Life Isn't." Send your post-career story or nominations of interesting people with good stories or other comments to [email protected].

Credit: Phil Burgess - Phil Burgess is president of the Annapolis Institute and author of "Reboot! What To Do When Your Career Is Over But Your Life Isn't." Send your post-career story or nominations of interesting people with good stories or other comments to pburgess@annapoli