The senior living space is experiencing a transformative shift as more families seek guidance in complex decisions regarding care and housing for their loved ones. As the population ages and the number of seniors increases, the demand for accessible, tailored information has never been greater. Many families enter this journey without a clear understanding of available options, often leading to anxiety and frustration when faced with overwhelming choices. This space necessitates informed advocacy and support to empower families during what can be a challenging transition.
Amy Friesen, Founder and CEO, has dedicated her career to addressing these challenges, using her extensive experience to educate and support families as they navigate the senior living setting. With a background in marketing and psychology and a deep understanding of the industry's nuances, she recognizes the pressing need for clear communication and resources tailored to individual circumstances. Her insights into the emotional and logistical hurdles faced by families drive her commitment to creating a more supportive environment for those in need.
Tea & Toast Inc. stands at the forefront of this emerging advisory sector, providing essential resources and guidance to families exploring senior living options. By focusing on education and empowerment, the organization aims to bridge gaps in knowledge and facilitate informed decision-making. As the industry continues to evolve, the mission to support families through their eldercare journeys remains a crucial element in ensuring that seniors receive the care and consideration they deserve.
Empowering Families in the Journey of Senior Living Decisions
When Amy launched Tea & Toast, she was working as a marketer in a retirement home. At that stage in her career, she had spent ten years with three different companies, observing a consistent challenge: families often arrived for tours with a blank slate regarding senior living options. Many seniors lack an understanding of the retirement industry, leading to uninformed decisions about their social and care needs, whether for immediate moves or future planning. Often, families select homes based solely on proximity, only to be disappointed by the services offered or the costs involved.
Amy felt compelled to assist these individuals and families. However, her role limited her to representing one home at a time, restricting her knowledge of other local options. The sales training she received was often superficial, focusing on high-level questions that failed to consider the holistic nature of the individuals involved. Over her years in retirement homes, she developed her own style and deepened her understanding of what mattered most to families and seniors, as well as the obstacles they faced. By the time potential clients toured with her, the primary challenge was often a lack of industry education. Many families lacked a background in senior living, resulting in stress and disagreements.
Compounding this issue, families frequently struggle with the logistics of the next steps in their lives. Many would reach out to multiple homes—sometimes as many as twenty—only to be bombarded with follow-up calls, emails, and promotional materials. This overwhelming influx created anxiety, leading some seniors to postpone decisions until they faced crises, such as health emergencies that left them with limited options.
In September 2014, an opportunity arose for Amy to establish her own company. Although the navigation industry was new and uncertain, she felt a strong calling to provide families with the information, advocacy, and guidance they desperately needed. Within two months, Tea & Toast was operational, and she quickly began assisting her first clients. With dedication and passion, Amy gained traction in the field and has continued to thrive ever since.
Empowerment Through Tailored Support
The principle of “being helpful” is a guiding philosophy that Amy underlines within her team. This concept was shaped by her observations of families navigating the senior living industry, often feeling as though they were merely spinning their wheels without direction. At Tea & Toast, every individual who seeks assistance, regardless of their specific circumstances or whether they can utilize the consulting services, leaves equipped with education, valuable resources, and additional contacts.
Amy has meticulously curated hundreds of resources over the years to ensure that families have access to the information they need. In instances where a client is seeking something not currently available, she takes the initiative to create it, demonstrating her commitment to providing tailored support and guidance. This approach reflects her dedication to empowering families during what can be a challenging transition.
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Circumnavigating Challenges
Two significant challenges persistently faced and overcome in the industry are creating a new sector and bridging communication gaps.
1. Creating a New Industry
The senior living advisory and navigation industry is still in its early stages, presenting difficulties in disseminating information to the public and establishing partnerships. For a long time, many doubted the viability of this industry; however, the mission has been clear: to expand its reach and influence. This is accomplished through the work at Tea & Toast, which serves as a credible and transparent resource. Additionally, the establishment of the Canadian Association – Eldercare Planners has brought together like-minded small business owners across Canada, united in their goal to assist families and seniors through their eldercare journeys in a holistic and respectful manner.
2. Communication Between the Private and Public Sectors
Significant barriers exist between the public sector—encompassing hospitals, government home care, and long-term care—and the private sector, which includes retirement homes and family-funded home care. This division often leaves families with fragmented information, requiring extra effort to connect the dots to access necessary services. To address this issue, efforts are made to communicate and educate public sector colleagues about the workings of the private sector. Moreover, a strong understanding of the transitional processes within the public sector enables the team to effectively coach families through the complexities of the system.
Considerate Advocacy
In one notable case, Amy worked with a family facing the complexities of caring for a mother with advancing dementia, where communication among family members had broken down. The situation escalated as the mother began taking walks and forgetting how to return home, losing the ability to make sound decisions. This behavior posed a significant risk of wandering and added to the family's distress; she frequently left the stove on, necessitating her children to unplug it and provide meals regularly.
The family was at their wits' end, unsure of how to navigate these challenges. When they attempted to discuss the dangers with their mother, she struggled to comprehend the risks and resisted the idea of leaving her home. When Amy arrived at their home to assess how best to help, the tension was palpable.
Through small talk, the mother gradually opened up about her feelings. She shared her attachment to the home she had shared with her husband, a place filled with cherished memories. Recognizing the significance of this emotional connection, Amy acknowledged her concerns, understanding that while short-term memory was fading, long-term memories remained vivid. The mother expressed anxiety about moving, fearing she would not know anyone in a new environment.
Amy took the time to discuss the obstacles and provide information about retirement living, validating the mother's feelings throughout the conversation. At the end of their discussion, Amy gently proposed, “Would you be willing to come on a tour so you can see what it looks like?” The mother's response was cautious: she agreed, but only if Amy assured her that she wouldn’t be left there after the tour.
Once they reached an understanding, the mother was willing to explore the new environment. After the tour, she felt excited and ultimately made the decision to move, alleviating the danger she had been facing and providing peace of mind for her children. This resolution also facilitated smoother communication among family members, transforming a challenging situation into a positive outcome.
Compassionate Listening
Amy believes it is crucial to listen attentively to the concerns and needs of clients and their families, recognizing that their journeys often involve multiple individuals. By understanding the perspectives of those involved and allowing space for clients to work through details and timing at their own pace, she empowers them in the decision-making process. This approach not only alleviates the overwhelm that families frequently experience but also fosters a sense of control and agency in a challenging situation. Through compassionate listening and support, Amy aims to create a more manageable and positive experience for all parties involved.
Building a Strong Foundation
In her approach to educating families about senior living, Amy always starts with a comprehensive industry overview. Establishing this foundational knowledge allows families to better grasp the complexities that follow, such as timing considerations, waiting lists, the nuances between public and private sectors, and specific strategies that may prove beneficial. Amy has found that diving directly into strategies without first addressing the basics often leads to confusion, necessitating a backtrack to clarify essential terminology and concepts. By prioritizing a structured educational framework, she ensures families are well-informed and equipped to navigate their options effectively.
Empowering Readers on Their Eldercare Journey
One of the primary motivations behind the publication—and subsequent republishing—of Amy's book, Breadcrumbs, is to reach a broader audience and provide essential information, strategies, and support to help individuals navigate their eldercare journeys more effectively. Recognizing that not everyone is prepared to engage directly with professionals, Amy designed the book as a resource to help readers become more comfortable with the concepts of eldercare. It serves as an educational tool that allows individuals to learn and explore these important topics from the comfort of their own homes, empowering them to take informed steps when they are ready.
Anticipating Growth
In the next decade, Amy anticipates significant growth in the senior living advisory industry as it becomes an increasingly essential component of the senior living journey. With a rising number of seniors entering the system and more retirement homes being constructed, families will increasingly rely on private care options due to the scarcity of resources and long-term care facilities in the public sector.
As the search for these options becomes more complex, a new generation of caregivers—primarily Millennials—will find themselves in the Sandwich Generation, juggling the responsibilities of raising children, working full-time, and providing care for aging family members. This balancing act leaves little time for research and minimal margin for error, highlighting the crucial role that advisory services will play in supporting families through these challenges.
Addressing the Rising Demand
As previously noted, the senior living industry must significantly increase the number of retirement and long-term care homes to meet impending demands. Currently, there is an unprecedented surge in seniors seeking housing, with the influx being the highest on record. This ongoing wave, compounded by the reluctance to move during the COVID-19 pandemic, has placed considerable strain on the system.
The situation worsens as the Baby Boomer generation enters the market, further overcrowding an already stressed system. Additionally, many seniors prefer to remain in their homes for as long as possible, opting for retirement living only when their care needs intensify. This trend necessitates that existing homes reimagine their business models to accommodate a higher care demographic, adapting to the needs of the aging population.
Essential Advice for New Business Owners in a Challenging Industry
Amy frequently offers guidance to new business owners, understanding the challenges they face, especially when entering a new industry. Drawing from her own experiences and missteps, she aims to provide valuable insights that can help others navigate the complexities of starting a business.
Her key pieces of advice include:
Invest in Professional Support: New business owners should prioritize securing a qualified accountant and lawyer. Mistakes in these areas can lead to significantly higher costs in the long run. It is crucial to have contracts and other important documents prepared by professionals.
Establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Creating SOPs early in the process and updating them regularly is essential, particularly for streamlining the onboarding of new team members.
Acknowledge Limitations: Amy highlights that no one is a wizard—unless, of course, they truly are! It is important to recognize that not every problem can be solved, nor can everyone be made happy. It's perfectly acceptable to decline inquiries from individuals whose needs may not align with the business, especially if such interactions impact mental well-being.
