Several times a week, teachers at Tiny Images, an early learning program in Fairmont, Nebraska, load up babies and toddlers into four- and six-seater carts and take the children on “buggy rides” through the building.

They stop first to visit residents in the assisted living wing before continuing on to those in the nursing home.

“Just walking down the hall and seeing kids’ faces light up — or residents’ faces light up — it makes your whole day,” says Kaci Brandt, director of Tiny Images, which is located inside Fairview Manor, a city-owned, nonprofit nursing home in the rural community of about 600.

Assisted Living Referral Services or Assisted Living Placement Agencies (as they were called before the internet age) are organizations that help families identify which assisted living residence is best for their loved one. Choosing a residenceis a surprisingly difficult process, especially for persons unfamiliar with assisted living and who are currently caring for an elderly person. They are also helpful for persons who live far from their loved ones that require care. Referral services provide significant assistance in narrowing down the choices. And they provide their services to families free of charge. Read article here.