The process of looking for long-term care services, whether for ourselves or for loved ones, can sometimes prove stressful and time consuming. Everyone will eventually face this challenge as we grow older. Long-term care usually conjures images of nursing homes to many people. However, the phrase actually covers a wider range of personal, medical and social services for the elderly, the chronically ill or disabled persons. As a professional service, care management helps senior citizens and families meet their long-term needs with the least anxiety, confusion and frustration.

Save Time, Money and Stress
Each senior citizen and family has varying needs and thus need specific services tailored to preserve independence, safety and a decent quality of life. Care management helps in assessing the needs of senior citizens and caregivers; deciding the best way to meet these needs in accordance with the financial and emotional resources of the family; planning, coordinating and monitoring services; evaluating how things are going, and making the necessary changes.

Care Managers
Care managers are professionals trained and experienced in nursing, social work, counseling, gerontology or related fields. They must have the expertise, knowledge and networking skills to identify options; plan, coordinate and evaluate care; and advocate for senior citizens and their families. Proficient care managers stick to strict ethical standards, providing the best quality care without compromising the client’s resources. They dedicate themselves to strengthening the caregiver’s ability to support loved ones through changing circumstances and helping senior citizens stay in the community or at home for as long as possible.

Practical and Emotional Support
Care management proves vital to senior citizens with various health or psychosocial concerns; those living alone with no one to support them; and caregivers who work far away or have limited time, deteriorating physical condition or increasing stress levels.

You can find help available, but the average person has limited knowledge of resources and can find himself overwhelmed by the choices and decisions he must make. The different systems that provide health care, transportation and other necessary services sometimes appear unresponsive, fragmented and perplexing. Competent care managers can cut through the red tape; minimize frustration and confusion; and help you get the support, care and services for your particular needs and situation.

Accessible and Affordable Care Management
Public agencies, hospitals, private care management services, and some insurance carriers offer care management services. A growing need has arisen for private care management services for senior citizens and families who do not meet guidelines for some publicly funded programs; whose health insurance no longer cover certain services; or who prefer to work with client-driven care managers.

They Answer Directly to You
Private care management has the major advantage of ensuring better continuity of care. The private care manager has the ability to work with the client continuously in different settings, such as by helping the senior citizen maintain independence in the community or providing different levels of care from the hospital to the rehabilitation facility to the home. Ultimately, private care managers answer to the client and family rather than to the facility at which the client resides temporarily or the insurance company; thus they can put the client’s needs ahead first and foremost at all times. You can lean on an empathetic and competent care manager in times of crisis, knowing that person will be there over time. Care management brings peace of mind to senior citizens and their loved ones, providing cost-effective, personalized service to the client.

Show Me More Articles

© 2010, Senior Citizens Directory