Question: My parents (81 and 84) have been living together in an elderly community for several years, but, of late, my father has begun to deteriorate quickly. He is now more than my mother can handle, and my brother and I both live in other states. My mother does not want to be separated from him, but my brother and I think this is inevitable. We have tried to get information from local resources, but have been met with being put on hold, not having our calls returned, and a lack of meaningful solutions. How can we, as concerned out of state children, help our parents make the proper decisions?
Answer: In dealing with problems facing the elderly in today’s mobile society, it is necessary to tap into networks of professionals who specialize in these areas. Geriatric care management is a fast-growing field made up of professionals who specialize in helping elderly persons and their families cope and deal with the medical and social complexities of aging. These professionals assess situations and develop care strategies that allow the elder person to remain independent for as long as possible and to assist in arranging for and assuring the quality of long term care when it becomes necessary. To attain membership in The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, a Geriatric Care Manager must have a minimum of a degree in social work, nursing, psychology or gerontology, and a commitment to helping the elderly.
Because of their training and commitment, Geriatric Care Managers are useful to both families and elder law attorneys who work with them on a regular basis. In your situation, a Geriatric Care Manager can be hired to evaluate your parent’s home environment and make suggestions about their physical and medical needs. It is the Care Manager’s responsibility to know what resources are available in the community to assist the elderly person in daily living. For these reasons, Geriatric Care Manager are the ideal persons to initially assess the need of the elderly person before a plan of care is established.
We first suggest that you seek out a Geriatric Care Manager by checking the telephone book where your parents live. If you can’t find one, find an elder law attorney who can help make the referral for you. If you strike out on both counts, call The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers in Tucson, Arizona. In our view, without taking this step, you will be shortchanging your parents.
Taking The Next Step: Geriatric Care Managers can provide institutional care management which includes a) quality of care visits and reports to family, (b) assessment of patient care plans, (c) making sure the institution follows the care plan, (d) acting as a liaison between institution, family, and physician, (e) advising patient and family as to patient rights, and (f) Auditing of monthly bill from institutions.
Geriatric Care Managers also provide noninstitutional care management and services (some with the assistance of an elder law attorney) which includes (a) performing needs assessments for elderly persons; (b) making quality of life visits and reports to the family; (c) working with the physician in developing a private care plan and consulting with the family about adherence to the care plan; (d) assessment of availability of local services; (e) arranging for provision of local services; (f) assistance in filing Medicare and insurance forms for reimbursement; (g) assessment of the adequacy of a person’s insurance program; (h) consultation with hospitals regarding discharge planning; (i) assisting hospitals or families in locating housing or nursing homes; (j) assessment of mental ability; (k) assessment of the ability to handle finances; (l) assessment of medical eligibility for Medicaid; (m) assessment of financial eligibility Medicaid; (n) assisting family in obtaining Medicaid;
(o) monitoring quality of home health services; (p) assessment of care plan and adherence to plan by home health agencies; and (q) acting a liaison between home health agencies, patient, family and physician.
Jan Collins is an award-winning writer and editor. Jan Warner is a matrimonial, elder, and tax attorney. Both are based in Columbia, South Carolina.
Please send your questions to P.O.Box 11704, Columbia, S.C. 29211 or send your questions by email to janwarner@nextsteps.net.
