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Spring 1997 , Vol
1 , Issue
1
Who is a Geriatric Care Manager?
The first issue of this newsletter is dedicated to the most frequently-asked questions we receive about geriatric care management. It is our hope that this newsletter will be a resource to you and your clients.
A Geriatric Care Manager is a professional (has a clinical or graduate degree in social work, nursing or psychology) who specializes in assisting older adults and their families with long-term care arrangements. A Geriatric Care Manager is trained and experienced in the assessment, coordination, monitoring and direct delivery of services to older adults and their families.
What Does a Geriatric Care Manger Do?
The goal of a Geriatric Care Manager is to assist the family in providing care which respects the autonomy and dignity of the older adult and address any issues regarding safety. The Geriatric Care Manager accomplishes this goal through the following process:
- Assessing a person's physical, environmental, financial, cognitive and functional levels;
- Identifying what needs and problems are present;
- Developing a care plan by determining what services are needed and making recommendations based on cost effectiveness and quality;
- Locating and coordinating the delivery of services;
- Monitoring the provision of services and adjusting service as required; and
- Keeping the family informed of the status of their relative.
What Are the Benefits of Care Management Services?
One Stop Shopping—A Care Manager will know all of the services in their community and the cost and quality of those services. This will save family members who live at a distance time and money.
Personalized Services—A Care Manager will address the individual needs of the older adult and their family by meeting and talking with everyone involved.
Accessibility—Geriatric Care Managers are available to their clients on a 24-hour basis; they are accustomed to responding to crisis or emergency situations.
Continuity of Care—The Geriatric Care Manager can represent the older adult and their needs to service and health care providers in a consistent and reliable manner, saving time and preventing miscommunication.
Quality and Cost Control—The Geriatric Care Manager prevents inappropriate institutional care and the overuse of services. The Care Manager matches services to the clients" needs and thereby contains costs. Through ongoing client monitoring the Care Manager can ensure the quality of the care and prevent crises.
What To Look For in a Geriatric Care Manager
- Credentials and Experience
- Reputation in the Community
- Rapport
- Results-oriented: Who, what, where and when
Questions to Ask a Care Manager
What is your educational and working experience with older adults and families?
How long have you been in business? Is this a full or part-time practice?
What licenses do you hold that permit functioning at the independent practice level?
What are your hours and availability during crises?
In a one-person practice: How do you provide backup or coverage during illness or a vacation?
In a larger practice: What are the staff's professions and qualifications? Do they work under supervision?
What are the fees for services?
What services do you provide directly? Which are arranged through outside providers? What is your role once a referral is made?
How to Locate a Care Manager
- The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, 520-881-8008.
- The New Jersey Chapter of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, 609-795-8001.
- Central New Jersey--Senior Care Management®/Bristow & McCurdy, (609) 882-0322.
Case Study
(This is a fictional case.)
Our case study concerns an 83-year-old woman who lives alone in her home. She has one daughter who lives in a neighboring state with her husband and two children.
The daughter called our office after being referred by the local Office on Aging. The daughter reported that she was concerned after a weekend visit about her mother"s ability to take care of herself. The daughter said that in the past her mother had been an immaculate housekeeper and was very well-groomed. She now noticed that there had been a change in both these areas. She also was unsure if her mother was cooking.
We asked the daughter to make an appointment with her mother and to join us in an initial assessment at her mother’s house. We explained to the mother why we were there and we asked if she would talk with us to see if we could help her in any way. She agreed to an interview but felt that help was unnecessary.
In our interview we found that she ap- peared healthy but had not been to her doctor for two years. She was eat- ing cereal and going to a local deli for all other meals. She was driving occasionally and had reported getting "turned around.” She was isolating herself by declining invitations from friends. Throughout the interview, the daughter kept prompting her mother and saying "Don’t you remember?” A mini-mental status exam was administered and indicated moderate dementia.
The first recommendation we made as Care Managers was for a geriatric assessment with a team that specializes in Alzheimers and related dementia. We felt that both the mother and daughter were denying and minimizing the cognitive problems, and that an experienced team could help assess the mother and educate them both about the disease. An appointment was set up for the assessment and the results were sent to the family physician. The mother was entered into the Alzheimer’s Association’s Safe Return Program.
The mother was counseled by the Care Manager and her physician that she could no longer drive. The daughter was referred to an Alzheimers support group in her area. The mother was connected with an Adult Day Care Program specializing in dementias and attends daily, which provides her with opportunities for socialization and stimulation, as well as a hot meal. The Care Manager monitors the case weekly, talking to all parties.
At some point in the future, the Care Manager will interview and coordinate home health care. In addition, the Care Manager has also helped the family select a residential placement and complete the application—the mother is on a waiting list and will be assisted with placement when and if she can no longer be maintained at home.
Resources
American Association of Retired Persons, 55 Alive Defensive Driving.
For courses in your location, call: 800/424.3410
St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center, 2381 Lawrenceville Rd., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.
Conducts Clinical Pre-driver Evaluations and Behind-the-wheel Assessments.
609/896.9500
Senior Care Management®/Bristow & McCurdy, 261 Upper Ferry Road
Ewing, NJ 08628.
In-home Assessments, Home health aides and Care management.
(609) 882-0322.
If you would like copies of this newsletter, or copies of our previous newsletter Who is a Geriatric Care Manager?, please contact Senior Care Management® at (609) 882-0322, or email us at srcaremgt@earthlink.net.
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