As our loved ones get older, it becomes increasingly important to ensure they get the care and support they need. However, navigating the complex world of senior care can be daunting. This is where geriatric care management services step in. A professional geriatric care manager (GCM) can assist families in making informed decisions, coordinating care, and ensuring the well-being of their elderly loved ones.
Advantages of Geriatric Care Management
Seniors frequently require a variety of healthcare services, including medical treatments, therapy, and daily living assistance. A GCM serves as a liaison between doctors, caregivers, and family members to ensure clear communication and coordinated care. This prevents lapses in treatment and lowers hospitalizations.
Other advantages geriatric care management offers include the following:
Personalized Care Plan: Every senior has different needs, whether it’s memory care, chronic disease management, or mobility assistance. GCMs conduct thorough assessments to develop customized care plans that address medical, emotional, and daily living needs, ensuring the best care and quality of life.
Family Support and Stress Reduction: Caring for an elderly loved one can be both emotionally and physically demanding. A GCM provides expert guidance, helping families navigate difficult decisions while reducing caregiver stress. They also mediate family conflicts and offer solutions that best suit the senior’s well-being.
Advocacy for the Senior’s Best Interests: Geriatric care managers advocate for seniors, ensuring they receive appropriate medical care, social support, and legal protections. They also know the signs to watch for regarding elder abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect, intervening as necessary.
Financial and Legal Guidance: Understanding insurance policies, long-term care expenditures, and government benefits can be overwhelming. GCMs help families negotiate Medicare, Medicaid, and veteran benefits while linking them with elder law attorneys and financial planners for estate preparation and asset protection.
Crisis Management and Emergency Support: Unexpected medical emergencies or unexpected reductions in health can leave families looking for solutions. A GCM provides immediate care, helping arrange hospital stays, rehabilitation, and transfers back home or to an assisted living facility.
How to Find the Right Geriatric Care Manager
Selecting a skilled and experienced geriatric care manager is essential to ensuring the best possible care for a loved one.
Here are a few things to consider when looking for the right person for the job:
Look for Proper Credentials: A qualified GCM should have qualifications from respectable organizations such as the Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) or be certified in nursing, social work, or gerontology. Verify their credentials and experience in senior care before making a decision.
Assess Their Experience and Specialties: Different GCMs specialize in various aspects of senior care, including dementia care, chronic disease management, and end-of-life planning. Choose someone who understands your loved one’s special needs.
Request References: Ask for referrals from healthcare practitioners or friends who have used geriatric care management services. Online reviews and testimonials can also provide information regarding reputation and service quality.
Evaluate Their Communication Style and Approach: A good GCM should be compassionate, sensitive, and proactive in addressing issues. Schedule a consultation to determine their approach, availability, and willingness to work with family members.
Geriatric care management is a valuable resource for families dealing with the complications of senior care. A professional GCM offers individualized assistance, advocacy, and peace of mind, ensuring that seniors receive the best possible care. By carefully selecting the correct geriatric care manager, families may make informed decisions that improve their loved one’s quality of life while reducing their caregiving burden.
Sources: https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/basics/info-2020/geriatric-care-manager.html
https://www.guardianlife.com/deciding-on-a-geriatric-care-manager
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/caregiving/services-older-adults-living-home
If you or an aging loved one are considering Geriatric Care Management Services in Linden NJ, please contact the caring staff at Helping Hands Homecare today. Call (908) 418-4299
Helping Hands Homecare provides Senior Home Care Services throughout Northern and Central New Jersey, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside, Short Hills, Millburn, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Kenilworth, Chatham, Madison, Metuchen, and surrounding areas.
After graduating from Seton Hall University with a BS in finance Helping Hands Homecare’s Owner / President, Robert D’Arienzo, went to work on Wall St. for six years. However, after Robert’s grandmother became ill with stomach cancer Robert and his family needed to find assistance in the home for her. After many trials and tribulations Robert could see that there was a great need for quality home care services here in NJ and loved the idea of being able to assist other families who were going through what his family went through with his beloved grandmother.
Thus, Robert had found his passion. After almost a year of preparation Robert opened Helping Hands Homecare in 2003. Robert wanted Helping Hands Homecare to focus on providing the highest quality of caregivers, exceptional customer service, and providing a service that familys could depend on in their time of need. Since then Helping Hands has assisted hundreds of individuals with the simplest of needs to more complex cases while preserving those standards set out many years ago.
Robert is a Google Verified Author
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