Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelia Larson.
Hi Amelia, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Growing up my grandpa was a paraplegic, so we spent a lot of time with him or at the skilled nursing, he would occasionally go to. We spent a lot of time volunteering there growing up. My grandma had a stroke when I was in college and went to skilled nursing in California.
Her experience there really fueled my interest in getting into the industry to make things better for seniors in these communities. I graduated from the University of Utah in health care administration and a Master’s in Gerontology. My career has grown from being a server in these communities to running them. After years of doing this, I saw a need in helping families and individuals navigate their senior living options. 3.5 years ago I started A life for Seniors, which is a local, no-cost service that helps people find the best communities for themselves.
When I work with a family, I find out what their needs, budget (I can only work with individuals who are Able to privately pay) and preferences are and will recommend communities accordingly. I have contracts with all the buildings, and they pay me when people move in. I have my fee set up as a flat fee so there is no bias of where I refer to.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
COVID. Wow! that was rough on the business. It has been a challenging obstacle to overcome to help people understand there is still the quality of life and additional safety in these buildings vs. keeping a loved one unsafe and isolated at home. In addition to that, there is such a stigma to assisted living, many people think it’s the same as skilled nursing where their grandparents went 50 years ago.
There are some amazing assisted living communities out there, and that’s what I help people see is that there still can be a quality of life if we find the right community. Lastly, many people don’t know that my services exist, so marketing has been extremely difficult to get families to know about it before they need it
As you know, we’re big fans of A Life for Seniors. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
A Life for Seniors is a local Salt Lake City-based company that educates individuals and their families about senior living while helping them navigate through the many options available to them across the Wasatch Front. This complimentary service is personalized and hands-on to ensure families receive all the information needed to make the most well-informed decisions.
Having received consistent 5-star ratings from our clients and their families, we are noted for greatly reducing the amount of time and effort involved in finding just the right fit. We have relationships with over 50 facilities as well as the legal resources to help guide you through the process. We are paid a flat referral fee by these partnered communities keeping us unbiased towards what facility a family chooses.
Amelia Larson is the CEO and founder of A Life for Seniors, a company that offers seniors and their families a step-by-step approach to finding the best senior care and living options. She is a Dementia Specialist and has been continuously recognized as a fearless leader in the senior living community. Amelia believes that giving back to our elders and supporting them through the difficulty of aging is of utmost importance.
She is passionate about cultivating the best life experience for seniors and nurturing a healthy environment with a strong human connection. Her decade of experience working in various facets of the industry and operations of senior communities has given her a unique understanding of how best to transition seniors as their healthcare needs progress. Amelia holds a Bachelor of Science in Health, Society, and Policy as well as a Master of Science in Gerontology from the University of Utah.
I have been in the business for 15 years, I have started ground level in these communities up through running them. I know what to look for, what to ask, how to recognize red flags. I am in constant communication with these buildings and know what they offer and what makes them great but different. I do not just take families’ contacts and email blast them to buildings like other companies.
I personally handpick communities that I feel would be the right fit based on the individual’s needs. I help throughout the entire process. I have my fee set up as a flat fee with communities vs a percentage like most companies, I believe this removes any bias. I am also a very big communicator, and try to be very responsive as I know how difficult of a decision this can be.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
It won’t be easy, not everyone is going to support you, don’t take it personally, use that as more power to put your head down and grind!
Contact Info:
- Email: amelia@alifeforseniors.com
- Website: www.alifeforseniors.com
