Billing itself as the Airbnb of assisted living, San Francisco-based company Seniorly offers an online directory of assisted living options for older people.
Now they have just launched a new tool designed to make finding a short-term stay as easy as booking a holiday rental.
The site shows rooms available for short-term stays at nursing homes that usually only provide longer-term accommodation, saving families from calling around facilities.
Each facility has an online profile, which usually includes a video tour, reviews and daily or monthly rates. Customers can also book tours and pay for stays – ranging from three days to three months –through the site.
An alternative option
It’s not quite as simple as Airbnb – customers do need to provide a health assessment from their doctor before they can book. However, the company screens all the facilities before listing them on its database.
It’s also easier and less expensive than finding 24/7 in-home care, with stays generally priced from $100 to $300 a day.
CEO Arthur Bretschneider, whose grandfather and father are veterans of the US retirement village industry, says the service gives carers a much-needed respite.
“Fifteen million family members are taking care of an aging relative, and they’re still working or have kids,” he told Mashable. “They need to travel for work or take a vacation and have a safe environment for a loved one to stay during that time.”
It’s certainly attracted a lot of interest – since it started up in January 2015, Seniorly has received over $1.2 million in seed funding and now plans to move into other states.
