Finding an affordable place to live can be a daunting task. For senior citizens, it can be even more difficult because there is a potential need for assistance. That is where Greg and Julie Lynch step in.
The Lynches work with a company called CarePatrol of Fort Worth, a business whose primary objective is to help families find assisted living, independent living, memory care, and other forms of residential placement, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Greg, 67, said that he and Julie have been a part of CarePatrol for five years, and said their main goals are to know the types of facilities that are available to potential residents and do everything they can to get seniors placed.
“What we do is we go out to all of these types of places, and we know what’s out there and how much they cost,” Greg said. “We work with families that are looking for a place for a loved one, and we’ll set up the tour for them. We’ll even go with them and pick them up if we need to.”
The types of facilities vary, from independent living, where residents are totally autonomous, usually have a full kitchen and do not require any type of assistance, to assisted living facilities, where residents may or may not have a kitchen but can always rely on the facility to prepare hot meals, manage medication, provide housekeeping, and assist with grooming if necessary.
The Lynches also help seniors with placement in memory care and skilled nursing facilities.
Skilled nursing is provided by trained nurses in a medical setting under a doctor’s supervision. It’s similar to a hospital. The goal is to get well and go home.
A memory care facility is a long-term care unit geared toward seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Greg said that while there are many aspects of his job that he finds rewarding, one does stand out.
“The neatest thing about what we do is we’re a free service for the families,” Greg said. “We get compensated by the provider. That’s the best part about it. When families are kind of stressed out, I don’t have to try to sell them anything. I just find out what their budget is, what they can afford, what area they are looking in, and what level of care their loved one needs. Then we set up some places for them to go look at.”
Greg has had his fill of sales, working as a medical device salesman for 33 years before turning to senior care.
The Kentucky native said as retirement approached from his last job, he began looking at work in the senior care industry.
“We had been reading the papers and we knew about this big, gray tsunami is what they were calling it,” Greg said. “Ten thousand people a day turn 65 throughout the country, so I wanted to get involved in some way after I got out of the other industry I was in. I wanted to get into some kind of senior care, and I kind of discovered this placement agency. I thought, it would be a good way to go, and it was something I could do with my wife Julie, and so we’re partners.”
Julie, 62, who is originally from the Rio Grande Valley, said there is so much job satisfaction that goes along with being a senior care consultant that she is humbled, but also very happy that she and Greg decided to make the move.
“There have been several people that we have placed in residential homes, because they can’t afford where they are staying,” Julie said. “Assisted living is so expensive, and families don’t know where to turn, and we’ll take care of them. When we find a residential home in their price range, they just can’t believe it. It’s like we are their dream come true, because we’ll find a place for them—a nice clean place within their price range, and they are so grateful. That gives me a good feeling.”
Julie said that she and Greg will continue to do whatever they can to help seniors seeking residential placement.
“The most fulfilling thing for us is just knowing that they’re in a safe place that addresses their needs,” Julie said. “It just gives us so much satisfaction to help the seniors, because sometimes they don’t have anyone else to help them, and a lot of people will take advantage of them. We’re trying to prevent that.”
To reach Greg and Julie, call 817-803-6227.