On a recent episode of Caregiver Crossing, the Podcast, we sat down with Dave Holder of Assisted Living Locators North Indy to talk about the work he does in guiding individuals and families through the process of exploring options for senior living and services.

While it only takes a few minutes of being around Dave to know that he’s perfectly fit for his job – a great listener and gentle speaker with a comforting smile and sense of humor – his past career was in horticulture and included a unique connection to Joy’s House.

“I’ve known Joy’s House for a long time,” Dave says. He worked as a Branch Manager for a company that would mow the lawn and mulch at the Broad Ripple house every Spring. “And when the garden was redone we took that on as a regional project and we planted that back in 2009, we had like 20 people there. It was such an awesome day, I’ll never forget it. And so hot, I was sweating everywhere,” Dave reminisces with a smile. “I think maybe my knees were the only part of my body NOT sweating.”

After Dave decided to leave horticulture and being under the control of Mother Nature, he turned to a career coach for guidance in his next chapter, which led him to Assisted Living Locators. Looking at the work he could do by owning a franchise of Assisted Living Locators touched him personally as he and his family had just gone through the process of exploring living options for his Father-in-Law who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several months earlier.

Going through that process without guidance, without knowing what questions to ask and what to look for in each potential option, gave Dave the insight into how stressful and overwhelming that journey can be. He was moved to step into a career that took away some of that stress from individuals and families, and to help them ask questions and make-well informed decisions, without being completely overwhelmed.

So what exactly does Dave do? “You could say I’m a realtor for senior living,” he starts, “but it’s much more than that.” The way his work looks is completely different from family to family, individual to individual. From the approach, to the pacing, to the timeline, he is focused on doing what is best for each case, and to make sure everyone feels good about what is happening throughout the process, from beginning to end.

In addition, his services are completely free to the people and families he serves. Once he gets the initial picture of where the individual and family are coming from, and what they’re looking for, “I really am their partner in this journey,” he says.

It’s being a partner to these families that makes Dave Holder feel like a kindred spirit here at Joy’s House. As we walk hand-in-hand and side-by-side with our Guests and their caregivers, people like Dave are also serving as a guiding light. We are both in the people business, where nothing happens without trust and understanding happening first.