Options for Seniors

Heidi Sheldon

Founder & Owner, Options For Seniors LLC
Founding President, Association of Senior Referral Professionals of Washington

Heidi Sheldon began her career in 1990 as Marketing Director of a 190-unit retirement and assisted living community, helping seniors and families navigate the difficult decision of when and where additional housing and care might be needed. By the end of the 1990s, she had moved into corporate leadership, working with owners, budgets, and staff, but realized her passion was working directly with seniors and families.

Rather than represent a single community, Heidi wanted to represent the senior and help families navigate the full continuum of senior housing and care. In 1999, she founded Options For Seniors LLC, an independent senior housing and care referral service focused on helping families find the best overall fit for their individual needs, preferences, and circumstances.

In 2010, Heidi was a founding member and founding President of the Association of Senior Referral Professionals of Washington (ASRPWA). She has served as Legislative Chair continuously since 2010 and has served five terms as President.

As Legislative Chair, Heidi has devoted years to monitoring legislation, educating referral professionals, and advocating in Olympia on issues affecting seniors, consumers, and the senior housing and care industry. Her work has included helping the profession navigate Washington's regulatory landscape following the passage of the Elder Referral Agency Act, RCW 18.330, in 2011, which established state regulation of elder referral professionals.

Heidi's commitment to advocacy extends beyond legislation. She has worked to promote ethical practices, consumer protection, professional standards, and greater transparency within the senior referral industry. She regularly assists fellow referral professionals and agencies in understanding their responsibilities and operating within Washington's regulatory requirements.

In addition to her leadership with ASRPWA, Heidi has served on boards and supported numerous nonprofit and community organizations, including the Coordinators of Patient Services (COPS) and the Alzheimer's Association, where she chaired the Memory Walk and Annual Auction. She continues to support causes important to seniors, veterans, and their families, including the Puget Sound Honor Flight.

Heidi believes that serving seniors is about much more than finding a place to live. It is about listening, understanding what matters to each individual, protecting their choices, and helping families make informed decisions.

Her professional philosophy is simple: give freely of your time, knowledge, and resources to help seniors and their families. Through Options For Seniors and her work with ASRPWA, Heidi continues to advocate for a stronger, more ethical, and more professional senior referral industry—one that puts the senior and family's needs at the center of every decision.