What Is Geriatric Care Management?
Geriatric Care Management is a comprehensive, strategic series of steps, taken by a professional care manager to help solve problems and challenges of older clients and their families. You may hear the abbreviated term "GCM" also, which is either a nurse, social worker, or other health care professional that is directly hired by the client or their caregiver to deliver highly individualized services increasing the client's quality of life.
These services include:
Comprehensive Assessment
Monitoring for Clinical Changes
Home Safety Assessment
Development and Initiation of Plan of Care
Provide all necessary resources
Coordination of services
Medication Management
Accompany to Physician and Health Care Visits
Liaison for family and physicians
Ongoing caregiver support and education
Relocation services
Hospital Discharge Planning
Transition Management
Crisis Intervention/Management
Are you feeling overwhelmed with a loved one's changing physical and emotional needs?
Is it becoming more difficult to manage the challenges of aging your loved one is experiencing?
Are you a long distance caregiver trying to manage an aging parent's health, personal, and financial matters?
Professional Nurse Partners are professional nurse care managers who are experts in the field of senior care. Through careful assessment, care planning, identification of appropriate resources and knowledge of senior care issues, we are able to meet the needs of our clients and their families, promoting good health and quality of life.
Benefits Of Care Management
Initiating care management saves money and reduces family burden by coordinating appropriate care and resources while avoiding unnecessary expenditures. One of our goals is to avoid crisis, unnecessary hospitalizations, and inappropriate placements. This is accomplished through fostering a trusting relationship by working together as a team while preserving respect and dignity.
Process Of Care Management
We will set a time to come to the client's home to complete a comprehensive assessment of the client's physical, emotional and psychosocial status. At this time, your Nurse Care Manager willalso assess the home for safety. Following the visit, the Care Manager will develop a plan of care that identifies the client's needs and then share it with both the client and family or primary caregiver. Once the client and family review the plan of care, we begin working as a team to implement the approved plan. Of course, this plan is flexible, as we understand the changing needs of this population.
Did You Know?
Depression is not a normal part of aging.
However, unexpected changes are common including decline in health, loss of roles, loss of independence and loss of friends and relatives.
As part of our comprehensive assessment, we will utilize standard screening tools to identify any depressive symptoms your loved one may be experiencing. These Depression Scales are not diagnostic, however, following evaluation of abnormal scores, your Nurse Care Manager will communicate with the family the need for further follow up with the client's physician.
How To Determine When Mom Or Dad Is Ready For A Care Manager
Increased forgetfulness and confusion
Seemingly more frail and weak
Multiple falls or signs of falling
No longer able to manage finances
Medication errors or forgetting to take prescribed medications
Signs of uncontrolled diabetes
Unable to manage household chores
Spoiled food or lack of food in refrigerator
Unintentional weight loss or weight gain
Chronic or acute medical conditions
Frequent hospitalizations
Withdrawn or changes in behavior
Changes in sleep patterns
Traffic violations or accidents
Where Can I learn More About Geriatric Care Management?
For more information about Professional Geriatric Care Management, please visit the Aging Life Care Associations Website at: www.aginglifecare.org
