Additional Certifications

What You Need to Know

The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® is the leading certification for professionals serving older adults, and is a designation awarded to qualified individuals. Earning the CSA certification requires individuals to pass a rigorous exam and to uphold the highest ethical standards for the benefit and protection of the health and welfare of seniors. CSAs are multidisciplinary professionals who have demonstrated advanced knowledge in the multiple processes of aging.

Certified Senior Advisors (CSAs) are professionals, who in the course of their practice, apply multidisciplinary knowledge of the aging process and aging issues to identify the most appropriate options and solutions for seniors’ individual needs and best interests to improve their lives.

Who We Are

The Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) educates and certifies professionals who work with seniors. The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)® credential applies to professionals who are able to demonstrate their competence and knowledge of working with older adults into their professional practices. By creating a network of qualified professionals, SCSA strives to create a strong and safe environment for seniors and those working with them.

CSAs are required to agree to the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility as a component of certification and must complete the Roles, Rules, and Responsibilities Ethics (RRR) module before they may be certified. The CSA Code of Professional Responsibility requires CSAs to place the needs of older adults first and foremost. Upon recertification, the CSA must reaffirm they will abide by the CSA Code of Professional Responsibility and the public should feel confident that the commitment to older adults remains throughout the period when the CSA is certified. Additionally, the CSA’s competence upon initial certification will continue to grow as they continue to practice and maintain certification as the knowledge associated with being a CSA includes knowledge of building networks of experts for professional advice.

The CSA certification and education programs are developed through a rigorous practice analysis/research study involving hundreds of professionals who work with older adults from the academic community, industry practitioners, regulators, business, and non-governmental organizations. Accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the CSA credential applies to professionals in all areas of the aging industry. SCSA is committed to maintaining the high standards of ANSI and NCCA accreditation by continually improving its certification and education programs.

In order to maintain the CSA certification, individuals are required to demonstrate a commitment to high standards, continuing education, professional ethics, and trust. This sets the CSA credential holder apart from other practitioners working with older adults.

The Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) designation program teaches the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifications for the aging-in-place.

The baby boom generation has many choices as this large population of potential clients for remodelers, builders, contractors and occupational therapists considers where to live — but overwhelmingly, seniors would prefer to stay in their own homes. The CAPS designation offers your potential clients what they need most: reassurance that you’ll help them make the choices that will help them stay in their homes safely and securely.

In addition, the CAPS designation helps you make your clients’ homes more “visitable.” Even if the home owners don’t think they need additional task lighting, grab bars, and other home modifications for their own use, their family members and visitors might. CAPS helps you help your clients make the right choices, and it gives you more security in remodeling market niche that’s continuing to grow in popularity.

Patti Gerke is a real estate salesperson licensed by the state of California affiliated with Compass. Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the state of California and abides by equal housing opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage.


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