Topics on Geriatric Care Manager
Care for Life Celebrates our Clients
Posted by: | DateWe like to celebrate with you, our client! Our caregivers are compassionate and thoughtful people who enjoy seeing you succeed in remaining at home for as long as possible with their care.
We can help you stay in touch with your friends and family by helping you write notes or plan a party!
It is very important that we help you accomplish your personal goals and dreams. We can help you record your memories in a journal, through video or au-dio recordings or scrapbooking your family photos.
Our desire is to serve you in your own environment and help you make everyday a celebration of your life. As your nurse care manager, I am eager to hear from you at any time you think we can make things better for you.
Kristin Akins, Care for Life Care Manager
Can you explain Geriatric Care Management in plain English for me? In
Posted by: | DateWe found this explanation of Geriatric Care Management from From www.agingwisely.com Tampa, Florida
Care managers can assist individuals with all aspects of their lives, including medical, social, emotional, familial, and, in some cases, spiritual well-being. Care managers help clients to locate the best possible services for them by being an advocate for the client and thoroughly researching the best choices for each client. Care management does not replace the services of home health agencies, assisted living or skilled nursing facilities, or other care providers. A care manager can help to ensure that all of the involved parties are working together for the benefit of the individual.
Choosing an Assisted Living Facility part 2
Posted by: | DateWhen you are considering a move to assisted living here are several more points for families to consider:
•Have a family meeting (adult children with or without parents) with a Geriatric Nurse Care Manager to explore the above three options. Work together to create a flexible, written plan for aged parents’ holistic well-being.
•Moving is a stressor on all ages, but even more so for an aged parent who has lived in the same house for decades. Be kind and considerate, but assertive, if needed, to do best thing for parents.
•A deep and very real fear of loss of control of own life is a tremendous obstacle to moving to new environment
The Search begins:
•Tour several facilities, take notes and do comparisons. Try to visualize your parent or yourself in the residence
•Be mindful of proximity to your home or work so that seeing your parent is made easier
• Trust your senses, feelings and your initial reaction to what you see, hear and smell
•Discuss whether your cognitive parent will be placed with persons with dementia. It is best not to comingle the two groups.
•Visit facilities during lunch to see how residents interact with staff and others. Also, is the food fresh and the right temperature?
•Does there seem to be adequate staffing?
•Is the kitchen clean and pantry well-stocked?
•Does the overall atmosphere seem pleasant? Cleanliness is essential!
•Are patients “parked” at nursing stations or in front of televisions with little or no interaction?
•Are pets allowed? Sometimes keeping a pet helps aged person adjust more quickly!
•Do residents appear to be clean, groomed and odor-free?
•Does the staff treat each other with respect?
•Meet the clinical director (not just the marketing person) and ask questions
•Make sure you understand levels of care available and what determines when your parent moves from one level of care to another (and the difference in cost!)
•What occurs in a medical emergency? Will you be the first to be called after 9-1-1?
•Talk to residents. Engage them about the care they receive and the activities they enjoy (or not).
•Ask for references—other families with parents there. They can get permission to give names.
•Ask to take home information on admission criteria and house rules
•Take the time to review materials and ask questions
Work with your Geriatric Nurse Care Manager every step of the process for her professional and practical input. She will know available facilities and will help you assess which residential community will best meet your parents’ needs as well as desires for a certain lifestyle as they age. Use your professional Geriatric Nurse Care Manager’s expertise
How to hire a Geriatric Care Manager:
Posted by: | DateWe found this article from www.Bestassistedliving.com.
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION LANGUAGE
1. Does your geriatric care manager have the right credentials?
The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers has strict requirements for membership. Members must have a Masters degree in a relevant field like nursing or social work, supervised experience, and certain accreditations. Members of this association are usually a good bet. Care For Life’S Founder Mary Peters Is A Certified Care Manager And Member Of NAPGCM.
2. Get referrals.
Asking for referrals from nurse professionals, therapists, rehab practitioners, attorneys, friends, and geriatricians is always a good idea – you can learn a lot from other people’s experiences.
3. Look for relevant skills
If your elder has a lot of medical issues you might want to find a care manager with a nursing background. But if there are social issues, a social worker background might be more useful. [Care For Life Has Two Nurses On Staff To Oversee Our Caregiving.]
3. A consultation or an assessment
Most geriatric care managers charge by the hour or by the project. You could begin by arranging a consultation to help you get started evaluating the care needed for your elder.
From there a geriatric care giver might provide you with a more detailed assessment. That will give you a baseline to see if the elder’s current facility is the right place for him or her, plus a care plan for your elder. If a move is recommended, they can help you find a qualified facility that suits your loved one.
4. Nurse Care Manager as your elder’s advocate
All elders need an advocate acting on their behalf. The care manager can be especially useful as an interface between the assisted living facility and family members. For example, is your loved one getting the right help with daily tasks, preferred recreation, and medical issues. So if you can’t be there to oversee these mattes, the geriatric care manager can provide a valuable resource to help improve your elder’s quality of life and care.
5. Flexible service as you need it
Some families use geriatric care managers to manage extra care help. For example, the elder might need help getting to meals, dressing, or bathing. Or they just might be lonely and need someone to visit with them. [Care For Life Has Screened, Trained And Compassionate Caregivers On Staff.]
For further reference:
New York Times article: “When Elder Care Problems Escalate, You Can Hire an Expert“