 |
Membership Questions and AnswersFAQ
I thought your services were free? Why do I have to pay now?Access to our web site is free. To connect with a Certified Senior Approved Service is free. To verify the history of quality care of a Certified Senior Approved Service, is free. Advocating on your behalf after you've contracted with a Certified Senior Approved Service, is free.Your yearly members' fee provides you with additional services over and beyond helping to match your needs, desires, geographical location, and budget to a Certified Senior Approved Service. The details are on each membership description page Senior Level Membership, Individual and Family Caregiver Membership Back to QuestionsWhat if I'm not a senior but I sign up as one so that I only have to pay the 1/2 price offered to seniors?Initially, we won't know that you were dishonest, but of course, you will. Can you live with that?We provide the exact same service for a senior that needs our help as we do for individuals. An individual is typically the adult child of a senior. We've generously provided the senior (age 65 and over) with a 50% discount simply out of respect to our seniors. An individual may be an adult child that will need our services on several occasions throughout the year. This adult child, sometimes referred to as the family caregiver, is often times in search of services for their parents, their spouse's parents, and grandparents. So. We expect that with an individual membership, the individual will use our service more often than a single senior would. Back to QuestionsI'm 65 but I would use your service to help my parents who are in their 80's. Can I still sign up at the senior level?Yes. We've discounted the fee by 50% for those 65 and over. We recognize that usually at this age, you're not employed at the same level as you once were. We also recognize that many folks in this age group, are indeed, in search of services and assistance for their parents. Back to QuestionsIf I sign up at the business level why won't you endorse my business to your clients?We will only recommend and endorse a Certified Senior Approved Service to our clients. We appreciate the fact that you and your business want to support our senior advocacy mission. We thank you by giving you a direct link from our Advocates for Seniors PageBut until such time you apply for and successfully complete the required survey/certification process we cannot endorse your company. We promise our clients that we will only recommend and endorse a business that has proven that it is a safe, reliable service to contract with. Until we see the survey results (which consists of the feedback received by surveying your client base) we cannot attest to your ability to properly care for and serve the senior and his or her family members. Back to QuestionsI want to join, but I do not want to pay online with a credit card. How do I proceed?Complete the application and check off the option to mail a check. You then send your check (or money order) to: Senior Approved Services, P.O. Box 47, N. Olmsted Ohio 44070. As soon as we are in receipt of your payment, we will send you the welcome email containing all instructions on how to access and use our services.Back to QuestionsIs my fee tax deductible?You are paying for a membership that includes receiving a valuable service. Most businesses will deduct this on their taxes under the category of Professional Membership Fees and Dues. The senior level membership and the individual level membership fees are probably not tax deductible since you are not 'donating' anything to us. You are paying for a service. The best idea is to check with your tax accountant to be sure.Back to QuestionsI want to join to show my support but I don't really need the service right now. What can I do?Bless you! This is actually a very common question. Quite often, people land on our site and recognize immediately what a valuable service we provide for seniors. The comments we typically receive are ones that say (so-to-speak) "I don't need this now, but I sure hope you're around when I do need it."To show your support you can actually sponsor at either a senior or individual level as you elect to 'adopt' a senior or a family caregiver. For those individuals that need our service right now and for one reason or another cannot pay the modest fee we're now asking for, we can then extend to them a one year free membership 'Courtesy of YOUR NAME'. When we send the welcome instructions to this senior (or individual) we explain that his or her membership was paid in full by an advocate and will provide them with your name so that he or she can properly thank you. Back to QuestionsI need your help but I can't pay the membership fee. Will you still help me?Yes. We've been helping seniors and family caregivers at no charge since 2003. However, we do hope that you will consider the fact that our help saves you time, money, and stress. And isn't that worth 'something' to you?The reason we're not charging a flat fee per person for our expert services is so that we can make this affordable for everyone. Paying a small yearly membership fee ensures the fact that we can continue to help you and just as important - we may continue to help others. What do you have (talent, time, hard goods?) that you would be willing to share with us in exchange for our expert assistance? We can always use stamps, paper, laser ink cartridges, and envelopes. We would make good use of your time if you'd like to commit to a few hours a week volunteering with us. For this type of bartering, you need to contact Barbara Mascio directly. Call her at 440-471-4179 with your proposal. Back to QuestionsWhat if I join and then don't use your service, or maybe only use it once?Your membership fee supports our mission to advocate for the right of all seniors to receive excellent care - and to remain safe while receiving this care.By paying a yearly membership fee, we then can also offer you our services for one year at no additional fee. Should you use our service during this year, just one time, we'll save you hundreds of dollars, not to mention hours of time. Each time a senior or an individual signs up, we are then armed with additional persuasive power with health and elder care businesses. We have 'proof' that you indeed want an independent report of a business prior to contracting with it, entrusting them with your loved ones. Our goal is to have a directory of services that you can choose from, that are all Certified Senior Approved. As you know, you can access any Certified Senior Approved Service at no charge. You are, by joining us, pledging your support as a consumer of health and elder care services. Whether you actually use our service or not, your membership fee is used to help others, and it offers proof to the industry that you want a service such as ours. Back to Questions
|
