CAre Management Services

Geriatric case managers remain a central point of entry for families. Care managers are the GPS to navigate through the labyrinth of services for older adults. Care managers help older adults and their families make difficult decisions and implement the solutions. Care managers act as a surrogate family member with a special expertise in the phases and tasks of care management and a long standing personal relationship with clients. Care managers deliver the kind of old- fashioned customer service that many older clients remember with nostalgia.

The cognitive assessment is an integral part of detecting dementia. With age the prevalence of dementing disorders increase. It is necessary to assess the older adult’s cognitive status to determine if the current living arrangement is appropriate and safe. Research has shown the failure of physicians to perform mental status testing routinely. The knowledge gained from a comprehensive psychosocial assessment provides objective, measurable information about the cognitive, social, psychological, spiritual, financial, and legal dimensions of the client system as well as important subjective information about the entire client’s systems coping mechanisms and relationships.

The potential for conflict in families may be greater today, not because there is less love shared or because older family members are neglected, but rather because the demands and expectations on families as a source of personal identity and satisfaction in life are greater. These demands often exceed the family’s ability to meet them, creating a potential source of guilt and conflict. (Connidis, 2010)”. When life becomes more complex, these issues can become exasperated. Aging in place is difficult for both the client and their family as they face new health diagnoses’, decline in ability to perform activities of daily living, encounter role reversal, tackle home modifications, and work to establish care plans. As older adults develop increased needs, family availability and living arrangements often become a source for conflict. Boundaries and sibling conflict are also a common problem encountered  with aging parents. A case manager can assesses complex client, family, and caregiving relationships to find solutions that are amicable for all parties.

If an older adult is needing care he or she is most likely facing loss— physical loss, mental loss, the loss of a spouse, or the loss of independence. Accepting help might mean relinquishing privacy and adjusting to change. Older adults often as a result feel angry, frightened, and vulnerable because they need help. Some may feel guilty about the idea of becoming a burden to family and friends. Some individuals resist care because they feel it is a sign of weakness if they accept the help. Individuals receiving care may feel worried about the costs of care.