Meet your Certified Senior Advisors^® at Stay In-Home Mortgage:

 

 

What is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)^®?

 

A Certified Senior Advisor is a professional who has received specialized training in aging and the important issues that affect seniors. CSA candidates must pass a challenging national exam to demonstrate their comprehension of what is taught in the CSA curriculum. Typically, CSAs already have expertise in a professional discipline; and while many are licensed in a specific profession it is only after they pass the exam, meet all the requirements and agree to live up to high ethical and professional standards that they may use the designation Certified Senior Advisor.

 

What is the Society of Certified Senior Advisors^®?

 

Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) is the world’s largest membership organization educating and certifying professionals who serve seniors. SCSA was founded in I997 with the input of doctors, attorneys, gerontologists, accountants, financial planners and other experts who believed there was a need for standardized education for professionals who work with seniors. SCSA requires its members to take continuing education emphasizing ethics and volunteer service to seniors.

 

Certified Senior Advisor Education

 

Typically, CSAs have expertise in a professional discipline, such as insurance, financial planning, real estate, law, health, homecare or the clergy. SCSA’s education program complements and adds to a CSA’s specialty by teaching prospective CSAs about the aging population, its challenges and opportunities, and how CSAs can be of service to seniors. The CSA course of study covers these subjects:

 

• Principles of aging • Social aspects of aging • Trends in aging • Social Security and taxes • Financial and estate planning • Care giving

• Health, nutrition and fitness • Alzheimer’s and dementia • Chronic illness in seniors • Medicaid planning • Ethical marketing to seniors • Business ethics with seniors • Senior housing and assisted living

• Long-term care • Grief and loss • End-of-life planning • Senior spirituality • Resources and    networking • Funeral planning

 

SCSA provides its members with updates on leading-edge developments in the field of aging to continually enhance and expand the CSA’s skills in working with seniors.

 

 

CSA Code of Professional Responsibility

 

To become and remain a CSA in good standing, a CSA must sign the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility, pledging to adhere to the following principles and standards:

 

• Competence. CSAs are obliged to keep their professional training, skills and knowledge current and comprehensive to competently provide professional services to clients.
• Honesty. CSAs shall not lie, cheat or steal and must accurately communicate to clients their
professional licenses credentials and other business qualifications and must be clear in their
communication.
• Trustworthiness. CSAs must act in a trustworthy manner by promptly and courteously addressing client questions and concerns and performing their services in the client’s best interests.
• Fairness. CSAs shall conduct their professional activities fairly and impartially and must disclose all potential or perceived conflicts of interest that may arise. CSAs must rigorously safeguard client, potential client and business associate information.

• Professionalism. CSAs must serve with the highest degree of professionalism, use due diligence and act in good faith in all matters upholding both the standards of the CSA designation and any other licenses or credentials they hold.

 

 

Why should You Work with a Certified Senior Advisor?

 

When you work with a professional who has added the CSA designation to his or her credentials, you know you’re working with someone who has invested time and effort in learning about the things that are important to you. CSAs become CSAs because they want to
learn more about the health, financial and social aspects of being 55 or older.  They have made specific efforts to earn your trust. And they have committed to ongoing CSA continuing education standards that encourage volunteering for activities that help seniors and that
require regular training in dealing with the specialized ethical challenges of working with seniors.

 
Insist on working with a Certified Senior Advisor; work with someone who wants to work with you.