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How It Works

Five Steps, Start to Settled

There are so many senior living communities in the Portland metro and surrounding areas that tracking down the right one can be overwhelming. We do that work for you. Here is exactly what it looks like, from the first conversation through the visits after your loved one moves in.

Step 1 · Assessment

A face-to-face conversation with the whole family

We meet in person with the family and with the senior. Together we review what the senior needs across four areas: medical care, finances, geography, and personal preference.

  • Medical care: diagnoses, medications, mobility, and any behaviors that affect where someone can safely live.
  • Financial: what the family can sustain month over month, not just at move-in. We never ask for banking or investment account numbers.
  • Geographic: which neighborhoods work for the family members who will be visiting.
  • Personal preference: the things that make a place feel like home, from a garden to a private room to being near a place of worship.

Our goal is to make sure the senior will be comfortable, welcomed, and cared for in their new environment. This is the step families most want to skip, and the one that determines whether a placement lasts.

Step 2 · Research

We identify the right communities and check their records

We identify a number of appropriate communities, then schedule and coordinate the on-site visits. The options we put in front of you are ones we trust.

  • We know the environment, the amenities, and the personalities of each community.
  • We regularly check the license history, complaint records, and compliance records on every facility we recommend.
  • We confirm current, real availability rather than a waitlist that will not clear in your timeline.
  • We compare what each quoted rate actually includes, because two communities at the same base price can differ enormously in hands-on care.
  • We draw on 100+ vetted communities and relationships built since 2007.

You receive a focused shortlist with our reasoning, not a printout of everything within ten miles.

Step 3 · Tour

We come with you

We are available to accompany the family and the senior on tours of the communities, and to help with the decision that follows. Our job is to present you with appropriate choices that meet the needs and preferences of the senior.

  • We know which questions to ask and which answers deserve a follow-up.
  • We notice what a first-time visitor misses: staffing at shift change, how residents are engaged, whether the care matches the brochure.
  • If you live out of state, we tour on your behalf and tell you what we actually saw.
  • We help you compare options afterward and decide without pressure.

Step 4 · Ongoing Support

We visit after the move

We make periodic visits to the new resident following placement in a community or adult care home to make sure the senior's emotional and care needs are being met.

  • We check that the care being delivered matches what was promised.
  • We continue to consult with the family for as long as needed.
  • We assist with any concerns or questions that may arise as the resident settles.
  • If the fit turns out to be wrong, we help you address it or find an alternative.

Step 5 · Consulting and Referral

Referrals for everything else a move touches

Beyond housing, we refer families to trusted professionals across the related needs that come with a senior transition.

  • Counseling services for families
  • In-home services for care needs at home
  • Real estate agents who specialize in seniors
  • Estate sales and moving services
  • Elder law attorneys, guardianships, and conservators
  • Long-term care agents
  • Other senior resources

Our ultimate goal is to provide the best possible personalized care, and to make your transition as smooth and free of unnecessary stress as it can be.

What to Expect: our family guide

The questions to ask, the paperwork to gather, and what the first ninety days usually look like. Free, no email required.

Download the guide
Common Questions

What families ask us first

What does this cost us?

Nothing. Our services are provided completely free of charge to families in the Portland metro area. Seniors and their families never receive a bill from Golden Placement Services.

How do you decide what to recommend?

Golden Placement Services has no financial investment in any senior housing community. We are not here to convince you to move into a particular home, we are here to find the right one. Recommendations come out of the assessment, and if we are not the right senior resource for your situation, we will refer you to one that is instead.

How quickly can you move?

We work on hospital and rehab discharge timelines regularly, which can mean days. Call us as early as you can and we will tell you honestly what is achievable.

Do we have to decide anything to talk to you?

No. There is no obligation. Many families call us months or years before a move to understand their options.

What if our loved one is already on hospice?

A placement agency's role in hospice situations is specific, and we handle these cases. Call us and we will walk you through it directly.

Who will we actually be working with?

Diane Delaney, our founder and senior placement specialist, and Stephanie Brubaker, our administrative assistant. The same two people from the first call through follow-up. No call center, no handoffs.

Compare levels of careWhat to expect working with us

Ready to start with step one?

A conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Tell us what is going on and we will tell you what is possible.

Call 503-723-7145