Geriatric Care Management in New York & New Jersey

Geriatric Care Management involves caring for elderly individuals and the challenges they may face as they grow older. These programs usually center around the client and are tailored to each individual’s specific needs.

Care Managers work with families and elderly individuals to guide them in difficult times and ensure they receive quality care when needed most. Home care managers solve problems, assess and monitor situations, and educate, advocate, and coach families and elderly clientele daily.

There are a few different areas within which geriatric care management services can be focused. They include; health and disability, finance, housing, family, local resources, advocacy, and crisis intervention. Each of these areas is important because geriatric care management does not always function in one area of an elderly individual’s life. A manager who is skilled in solving problems across multiple focus areas has a better chance of successfully impacting clients’ homes and families.

The first focus area is health and disability.

As elderly individuals age, they often show increased signs of physical and/or mental struggles. These problems can relate to old age, injury, or possibly can even be dementia-related. Geriatric managers can help to facilitate doctor and nurse visits and appointments and can work within the health field to aid individuals when it comes to their physical and mental health. Additionally, geriatric care managers can be useful in deeming it fit to recommend if an elderly individual may need hospice care and/or home care.

As elderly individuals grow older more time and attention are needed to focus on finances. Geriatric care managers may assist in setting up services for elderly individuals with paying their bills. Additionally, they may be required to occasionally work with a pre-existing accountant in helping to review or oversee any bills or finances. Elder Care Managers can also help families with any applications or programs that they are interested in when it comes to financial management and ease any concerns that may come about.

Housing is another area in which geriatric care management can play a role.

Whether it be aiding elderly individuals and their families in selecting a home care agency, helping to find a client suitable housing, or assisting with problems within the home, geriatric care managers can wear many diverse hats. Evaluation and problem-solving skills are critical here as the majority of elderly individuals spend large amounts of time in their homes throughout the day.

Working with elderly individuals and their families is extremely important as often both parties need time to adjust to new challenges and problems that come with aging. Geriatric care managers can assist with coping mechanisms, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. This can come into play largely when families attempt to sort out long-distance and in-home care solutions. Many home care agencies throughout the New York City metro area have trustworthy, long-lasting relationships between care managers and families as a result of working together for many years.

Geriatric care managers have mastered local resources within the areas they are located. Having access to these resources helps family and friends know which services are available for their loved ones. These services can range from hospitals, doctor’s offices, home care agencies, physical therapists, and even local community centers.

Geriatric care management often relies on managers advocating for their loved ones.

This involves making sure that the wants and needs of the client are fulfilled while also addressing issues such as safety, etc. Care managers often may need to advocate in the medical and political industry. Without the rights of the elderly being advocated for, many of the advances we see in-home care and geriatric management today may not have been possible.

Care managers may occasionally deal in the legal realm as they work with assistants, attorneys, and the power of attorneys. While this focus area does not happen as often as others, it is still important for those working in senior care management to become familiar with those close to their clients from a legal perspective.

Finally, the last focus area is crisis intervention.

While crisis intervention is not often needed, occasionally, care managers must act as a mediator when it comes to times of crisis. This can happen if a patient falls and needs to go to a hospital or emergency room, if they are checking in to a rehab center, or when dealing with caregivers in a home care situation. This can be especially important when a family member is not able to care for their loved one on a closer level due to distance or work commitments.

In New York and New Jersey, finding the right geriatric care management team or care manager is important to ensure individual, and family needs are met. We encourage those interested in learning more about our geriatric care managers to seek out resources both in the local community and online. There are also many resources within hospitals, doctor’s offices, and the health community dedicated to geriatric care management to help you decide whether this is the right fit for your family.

Contact Alvita Home Care today for more information on hiring a geriatric care manager for your loved one in New York and New Jersey.