A geriatric care manager can be a helpful partner in the care of a senior loved one.
Family care providers realize that navigating the journey of choosing appropriate care resources for a senior loved one can feel like trying to cross the ocean in a rowboat – blindfolded, and blindsided by the buffeting waves and winds. The probability of making it safely and securely to your destination are pretty slim without the recommended tools, and someone to show you the best way to utilize them.
That is where a geriatric care manager (also referred to as an aging life care professional) can step in and save the day. Geriatric care managers are specialists in the countless intricacies of the aging process, available resources, resolution of issues related to family dynamics, and more.
Readily available for short-term consultations up through and including full-time help and support, there are several key instances when a geriatric care manager is particularly helpful:
- Distance separates both you and your family member. Residing in Washington while your aging parents are in Florida, even with today’s technology, makes it challenging to make sure they are thoroughly cared for and safe. A geriatric care manager can provide supervision of care, regular visitations, and help with decision-making.
- A complicated behavioral issue is at play. When a senior is challenged by dementia or any other diagnosis that creates behavioral concerns, a geriatric care manager can be an integral part of the older adult’s care team, providing information about recommended specialists and helping to find a solution to alleviate troubling behaviors, which can include aggression, wandering, or sundowning.
- The senior won’t open up about medical conditions. Elderly parents commonly want to protect their adult children from worrying, and as a result, withhold vital health information – but in many cases are open to speaking with a professional geriatric care manager about their worries.
- There are living condition concerns. For example, if a senior loved one resides in an assisted living community that refuses to allow you to hire a private caregiver when additional assistance is needed, a geriatric care manager can provide detailed information regarding both the community itself along with your state’s relevant laws, and will help mediate a resolution.
- You are just at a loss. Determining the very best care solution for a senior can certainly be challenging, and it’s common for members of the family to feel uncertain about what the best solution will be. A geriatric care manager can provide you with what your choices are, and what the advantages and disadvantages may be for each option.
If you are interested in finding a geriatric care manager to help improve care for a senior loved one, get in touch with Generations at Home at 727-940-3414.
