A placement agent conducts a needs assessment, identifies appropriate care communities, arranges and accompanies families on tours, explains the pros and cons of each option, helps families evaluate contracts, coordinates the admission process, and provides follow-up support after move-in. A good agent is part advisor, part advocate, and part project manager throughout one of the most important decisions a family will make.

Yes. Senior placement agents are compensated through referral fees paid by the care communities where they place residents. Families pay nothing for the service. This commission-based model is standard across the industry. The fee is typically equivalent to one month’s rent and is paid by the facility after the resident moves in. No reputable placement agent charges families an upfront fee.

This is the right question to ask. The best agents build their reputations on matching families well — not on placing them in the highest-paying facilities. Ask your agent: do you recommend facilities outside your referral network? Can you explain why each recommendation is appropriate for my specific situation? How long have you been working in this market? What do you know about these facilities that is not in their marketing materials?

A placement agent specializes in identifying and securing the right care community. A geriatric care manager (typically a nurse or social worker) provides ongoing care management — assessments, care plan oversight, physician communication, and family advocacy — over an extended period. Some families benefit from both: a placement agent for the initial search and a geriatric care manager for ongoing oversight. Services and fees differ.

A good placement agent works across the full spectrum of care options: assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, independent living, and in-home care. They should not have an incentive to steer families toward one type of care over another. If your agent only ever recommends one type of facility or one provider, ask whether they work with other options and why those are not being considered.

Look for: deep local market knowledge (they know specific facilities, not just their marketing claims); a thorough assessment process before recommending anything; transparency about how they are compensated; a willingness to recommend facilities they do not have contracts with when appropriate; follow-up support after move-in; and references from families they have helped previously.

National referral services often work with limited, paid-subscriber facility networks and may have less nuanced knowledge of local options. A local placement agent like Erika Crossley has toured facilities personally, knows the staff, understands the culture and quality of each community in the market, and has long-standing relationships that allow for honest conversations about what each facility can and cannot handle.

Contact a placement agent as early as possible — ideally before a crisis forces an urgent decision. Even a preliminary conversation months before a placement is needed gives families valuable information about what to expect, what options exist, and what to do to prepare financially. In urgent situations — hospital discharge, sudden decline — a placement agent can work very quickly, but better decisions are made with more time.

Bring or be ready to discuss: current medical diagnoses and recent hospitalizations; current medications; functional abilities and limitations; cognitive status; behavioral concerns; current living situation and support system; insurance coverage (Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care insurance, VA benefits); monthly budget; geographic preferences; and any specific must-haves or must-avoids based on your family’s values and experience.

Yes, and memory care placement benefits especially from an experienced local agent. Memory care placement requires matching not just care level but behavioral profile, dementia stage, and facility culture. An experienced placement agent knows which Texas communities have strong dementia programs, low antipsychotic usage rates, experienced dementia caregivers, and appropriate secured environments for each stage of the disease.

You can. Medicare Care Compare, Texas HHSC, and local Area Agency on Aging resources are all publicly available. However, placement agents have first-hand facility knowledge, relationships that facilitate faster admissions, and experience identifying mismatches before they become expensive problems. Given that the service is free to families, most find the value of an experienced guide worth it during an already stressful time.

Erika Crossley provides senior care placement services across the Texas market — including Houston and all major suburbs. The process begins with a thorough assessment call, followed by personalized recommendations, facility tours, and hands-on support through move-in and beyond. The service is free to families. Contact Erika directly through the consultation booking on this site.