Guiding The Golden Years: How Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants Empower Seniors And Their Families

Aging is as enriching as it is transformative. It brings new opportunities, evolving priorities, and a deeper appreciation for the moments that matter most.

In today’s ever-changing world, staying informed and engaged is essential to living life to the fullest. From health and finances to travel and community connections, each aspect plays a role in shaping a vibrant and fulfilling senior lifestyle.

Noozhawk’s Senior Life: Living Well and Aging Wisely section is dedicated to celebrating this stage of life and providing valuable resources to help our readers navigate it with confidence. Our goal is to equip older adults and their families with insightful information, expert advice, and inspiring stories that enhance their daily lives.

Through interviews with local professionals, in-depth features, and expert contributions, Noozhawk delivers practical guidance on living well, staying active, aging wisely and making informed choices.

We believe that by sharing knowledge and experiences, we empower our readers to embrace this chapter with purpose and joy.

In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants, to learn more about how they support seniors in the community.

Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants

Question: Year the business was established?

Answer: Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants was established in 2003.

Q: What inspired you to start your business, and how does it cater to the needs of the 55+ community?

A: Families benefit from our free services when they need help caring for aging parents or relatives. Our expertise is in placement – finding the best Assisted Living or Dementia care home to meet the needs and budget of our clients. We also advise families who want to keep their loved ones at home.

Peggy Renker, who started our business two decades ago, was inspired by her visits to seniors when she accompanied her mother on her Meals on Wheels deliveries. Later, Peggy and her siblings cared for both their parents at home in their final years. Starting a placement agency helping seniors was a natural for Peggy.

Q: What unique products or services do you offer that help seniors live well and age wisely?

A: Our relationship with a family usually starts with a call from adult children who cannot care for their parent at home anymore, as their needs are too great. We conduct a thoughtful and thorough interview, finding out about the individual in need, their preferences, their budget, and what kind of care situation would best support them.

We meet the client in person, asking them questions, assessing their medical needs and cognitive abilities. Then we match the client to a community or care home in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area. We conduct the same kind of assessment for someone who will be cared for at home, developing a care plan to ensure their well-being and comfort.

Q: How does your business support seniors in staying active, healthy, or engaged in their community?

A: Each individual is unique. Some people thrive in a larger community – they want to socialize and participate in activities, outings, and exercise classes. Other folks prefer a lifestyle emphasizing solitude, reading, crossword puzzles, or the sewing arts. We recommend a community that will make them happy.

If someone has a dog or cat they want to bring to the senior living community, we find a place that will accommodate their pet and advise the family on how pet care is managed. We also encourage family members to visit as often as they can – it’s beneficial to all the residents to have guests drop by.

Q: Can you share a success story or testimonial from a senior who benefited from your services?

A: Success Story: A client we placed earlier this year is now thriving at a lovely board-and-care home, and her situation illustrates the care we take in helping our clients. We met her for assessment at a skilled nursing facility, where she was recovering from a stroke that resulted in difficulty using one arm and walking. Her nephew called us, wanting to find the best place for her after she was discharged – he was committed to supporting her as she had cared for his father in his final years.

Her rehabilitation took a couple of weeks, which gave us time to find the perfect place, a six-bed home where she would get close caregiving and continue all her physical therapy. We also suggested the family contact the church she attended, and ask for holy communion be brought to her on Sundays. We were pleased to learn that after two months, our client was able to walk again.

Testimonial from Client Mary E.: “A few years ago, my mother had a stroke, and I needed to move her up to Santa Barbara so she could be closer to me. I was working full time and didn’t know where to turn. Someone referred me to Senior Living Consultants.

Within days I had a “roadmap” of options, and they referred me to a place that best met my mom’s — and my — needs. My mother loved the community we chose, she loved the food and the staff. It was an emotional time and I got kind support and professional service from Senior Living Consultants.”

Q: What trends are you seeing in the senior market, and how is your company adapting to meet those needs?

A: The population of people needing assisted living is growing, and not all of them can afford private pay – Medicare pays for medical needs, not the board-and-care of an assisted living home. We help people figure out various resources, such as Veterans Administration benefits or long-term care insurance.

Some Medi-Cal recipients are eligible for a state program called the Assisted Living Waiver Program. We also refer people to our placement colleagues in other communities that are less expensive than Santa Barbara.

Q: What advice do you have for seniors looking to improve their quality of life or achieve their goals?

A: We make presentations to people who are planning ahead for the years they will need personal care. Some folks want to start their senior living journey as a resident in an Independent Living community – a place for retired people who can take care of themselves but want a social setting with other people in their golden years. We advise people to design their exercise program to improve mobility, balance, and strength.

Independence means being able to lift yourself out of a seated position and perform all your Activities of Daily Living on your own: showering, dressing, grooming, and toileting. We also advise our clients to ‘exercise’ their brains to improve cognition, and to discover now which opportunities will make them happy as they age. Aging is beautiful – everyone should plan to be fulfilled and content in their 80s and 90s!

Q: How does your business prioritize accessibility, affordability, or personalization for older adults?

A: Our reputation is built on finding just the right care home for our clients. We only refer people to licensed communities and care homes – all of which meet physical accessibility standards. For seniors needing support, accessibility also means they are able to partake in everything that brings them joy: arts and crafts classes, nutritious meals, seated yoga, help with technology so they can FaceTime with grandchildren, and transportation to doctors appointments and church services.

The affordability issue is huge with our clients – we work carefully with a family as they pencil-out their financial resources to take care of their loved ones. Personalization means we respect our clients as individuals who are special in their own way, and we match them to the home environment that’s best for them.

Q: Are there specific programs, events, or offers you’d like our readers to know about?

A: Some families don’t know that Assisted Living communities and care homes may offer ‘respite’ or temporary stays in their facilities. A family caregiver can get overwhelmed and need a break, or they might have to travel for work or vacation. Senior Living Consultants can help find a temporary arrangement for the elderly family member. Also, we are happy to answer any question related to senior services.

When our phone rings, we never know what kind of questions we’ll get. Some people are looking for senior housing in general – we send them a list of providers in our area. They might need a referral for in-home caregivers, a chair-lift installer, or real estate agents specializing in seniors moving out of their family homes — we know the best in town.

Q: How can readers learn more about your business or get started with your services?

A: We answer our office phone 7 days a week, and our service and advice are provided at no-charge. Our website has a link to download an app to your phone – you will be able to see all the care homes in the Santa Barbara area. Our website also offers profiles of our placement professionals that include their certifications, affiliations, and experience. Our office number is (805)963-6045.

Healthcare & Wellness

Q: How does your business support seniors in maintaining their physical and mental health?

A: We find the best Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care community matching the unique needs of our clients. Our personal assessments discover exactly what they need to improve and maintain physical and mental health. For instance, if a person walks for exercise (or has a dog), we know which communities have walking paths on their campus or are located in safe, walkable neighborhoods.

Preventing isolation is a top priority in Assisted Living – socialization and stimulation are the buffers against depression, inactivity, and cognitive decline. We encourage families to take their loved ones to their favorite places in the community, such as lunch at a beachfront restaurant or poetry-reading at the public library. After we place a resident, we visit to make sure they are thriving in their new home.

Q: What advice do you have for older adults looking to incorporate wellness practices into their daily lives?

A: Getting older is a special opportunity for someone to get to know themselves better. Without the obligations of a regular job or the constraints of other people’s opinions, a person can build their lives based on what makes them happy. That includes their choices related to physical exercise, eating healthy foods, and nurturing their souls through creativity, friendships, or volunteerism.

It all begins with an honest and joyful acknowledgement that time is precious at this stage in life. Now is the moment to clear the past and forge a future of independence, self-care, and good health.

Q: Are there any new healthcare innovations or services you’re excited to share with the senior community?

A: In the world of senior living, service providers begin with a client’s fundamental healthcare requirements. Before an Assisted Living community accepts a new resident, the primary care physician must produce a Physician’s Report, documenting the patient’s medical conditions, history, medications, and cognitive abilities.

A care plan is developed to meet basic medical needs, but also ensure mental and emotional health. Each resident has their own set of supportive activities to maintain their well-being: accessible yoga, book club, swimming, dancing. Off-campus trips include Santa Barbara’s outdoor spaces, museums, theaters, coffee shops, libraries, and senior centers.

Q: How do you make your healthcare or wellness services accessible to seniors with mobility or transportation challenges?

A: We are happy to meet our clients in their own homes or anywhere their mobility requires. Often, we assess folks in skilled nursing facilities and even in the hospital as they prepare to be discharged. As for senior communities, they typically provide transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and special outings.

Some organize trips to concerts or other community events using large vans that accommodate wheelchairs and walkers. Smaller board-and-care homes contract with companies that specialize in rides for seniors. Senior living communities take pride in meeting their residents’ mobility needs.

Home Services

Q: What services do you offer to help seniors age in place comfortably and safely?

A: Senior Living Consultants offers Elder Care Consulting Services to help families navigate the complicated healthcare system and ensure their loved one is supported in the family home, the place they have lived for so many happy years. Seniors can live at home into their 80s and 90s as long as their care needs are met and the home environment is safe.

In order to develop a personalized care plan, we work with our client’s primary care physician and professionals specializing in home health and caregiving. A care plan may include medications management, transportation planning, physical therapy and occupational therapy, as well as socialization elements such as visits from volunteers who attend the client’s church.

Q: Can you share any tips for seniors looking to make their homes more accessible or energy-efficient?

A: A safe, supportive home provides accessibility for the client aging in place. Someone using a walker or wheelchair must have easy pathways to all parts of the house they use. Our elder care consultant will assess the home with an eye to fall prevention and elimination of any kind of trip hazard. We make home improvement suggestions, such as railings in hallways, toilet assist handles and bidets, grab bars in the bathroom, walk-in showers, ramps to accommodate wheelchair access.

Other helpful items include a motorized scooter or recliner chair that lifts the person from seated to standing. We make referrals to non-profit organizations that provide no cost or low-cost energy efficiency upgrades or other improvements to a senior’s home.

Q: How do you ensure that your home services meet the specific needs of seniors and their families?

A: We offer years of experience in elder care – working with all the professionals who are engaged in creating and implementing a sustainable at-home care plan that ensures the client’s physical, mental, and emotional needs are met. We anticipate changes in our client’s condition as they age and provide guidance to families regarding medical treatment or additional support services.

Our elder care consultants are trained in the needs of clients experiencing dementia, Parkinson’s, and other afflictions common to the elderly. They are familiar with the dynamic procedures of emergency rooms, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and rehabilitation centers. We also offer in-depth knowledge of cost, quality, and availability of different facilities in the Santa Barbara community.

Caregiving Resources

Q: What resources do you offer to support caregivers of seniors?

A: As part of our Elder Care Consulting services, we coordinate with professional caregivers and care managers to create our client’s care plan. Comprehensive assessments are the starting point to identifying the daily tasks that promote good physical and mental health for clients living at home or in a care community.

As caregivers have the most contact with the client, they know when something is changing in medical matters or cognitive ability. Those changes require adjustment in care, medications, and physical or other therapies. We stay in close contact with caregivers, and they stay in close contact with us – this coordination helps everyone better perform their duties.

Q: How can caregivers balance their responsibilities while maintaining their own well-being?

A: Caregivers are trained in the basics of caring for their clients, and they are also taught to know when to ask for help or take a break if they are overwhelmed with situations of crisis. An experienced administrator schedules regular breaks for their employees, and knows when to step in to help if a caregiver is struggling to manage a client.

A sustainable care plan allows for the client to voice what they want from the person taking care of them. This kind of clarity helps the caregiver and makes for smooth interaction. Conversely, caregivers must be empowered to suggest refinements to the care plan. Overall, a caregiver must be supported in maintaining their own well-being while providing service.

Q: Do you provide training or education for families caring for aging loved ones?

A: We develop a relationship of trust with the families we serve. Adult children are often under pressure when they call us. They may be reluctant to move their parent into Assisted Living and need counseling as to the best timing and how to make a smooth transition from family home to care home. If the elder can stay at home with the help of part-time professional caregivers, we help the families create a plan for in-home care.

We have the experience to assist families navigate the health care system and figure out what Medicare pays for. If placement is the best course of action, we focus on producing accurate client profiles that guide care decisions. Our intake procedures are in-depth, caring, and empathetic.

We act as liaisons for families during a difficult time, and make referrals to organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association or the Parkinson’s Association that provide excellent resources for families.

Click here to learn more about Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants.

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