GERIATRIC CARE MANAGEMENT: Comprehensive Eldercare Solutions

East Valley Estate Planning Council

Heather Frenette, RN, MSN, CMCArizona Care Management

www.azcaremgt.com

480-633-1831

CurrentSituation

• America is graying and graying fast. By 2030, 1 of 5 people in the U.S. will be over the age of 65.

• Elders are living longer and as they age, they need increased assistance – 50% of those over 85 need support and assistance.

• About 40 million Americans provide unpaid family care to someone over the age of 50 (1 out of 6 Americans is involved in providing care).

Source: MetLife Caregiver Study

The Professional GeriatricCare Manager

The Professional Geriatric Care Manager (PGCM) is focused on maintaining the well-being, independence and dignity of elders and dependent adults, while balancing the special needs and problems of families caring for them. All NAPGCM professional members have advanced training, education and experience in gerontology, social work, nursing, and/or counseling.

Professional Geriatric Care Managers can provide…

• Objective evaluations and plans• Coordination and supervision of in-home care and companion

services• On-going management and oversight of care• A single point of access to the range of eldercare options• Assistance at times of crisis• Liaison service for families at a distance• Consumer education, advocacy and promotion of independence• Time and money saving expertise• Counseling and support • Private services tailored to meet the needs of the client and family

UNDERSTANDING: Assessment

PLANNING: Customized Plan of Care

On-Going Reassessment

MANAGING Part I: Implementing Needed Services

MANAGING Part II: Follow-up/Monitoring

OUR PROFESSIONAL PROCESS:With a focus on understanding

Who are our Clients?Geriatric and Special Needs

• Older adults and special needs populations, their family members as well as professionals with whom they work

GERIATRIC AND SPECIAL NEEDS• Older adults, Dependent Adults, Developmentally Disabled Adults,

Psychiatrically Impaired Adults, and those who could benefit from professional oversight and care – as well as their family members who could benefit from support and guidance

PROFESSIONALS

• Trust Officers, Financial Planners, Long Term Care Insurance Agents, Estate Planning Attorneys, Private Bankers, Facility Administrators, MDs, Psychiatrists, Therapists and Clergy

ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED SERVICES:

In addition to the traditional services provided by a PGCM, Arizona Care Management offers the following services:• Medication set up by an nurse• Additional client populations served:

• Mental Health/Court Ordered Treatment• Rule 11 Hearings• Closed Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury• Autistic Clients• Clients with Complex Medical Issues

Case Study

Ms. Jane Doe76 yearsAlzheimer’s Disease (chronic condition)Lives at homeHusband, 78 years old3 adult children living at a distance

PROFILE:

SITUATION:

• Miserable experience w/ paid caregivers in past• Husband increasingly overwhelmed• Each child is getting conflicting information • Ambivalence around placement - feels “guilty”• Needs help but reluctant to ask• Increased social isolation• Adequate finances and LTC insurance to cover care

needs• Everyone feels stuck

Interventions

• Initial assessment & consultation with Care Manager • Conference call with all children and parents outlining

needs, preferences, and cost-effective options• Secured commitment of all involved in process to the

customized plan of care • Initiated intermittent in-home care for Jane as a means

of respite -- matched caregiver and set up monitoring schedule via home visits

• Day Care = socialization for wife / respite for husband• Support group for husband and family• Set up a means for regular communication for family

members

Results

• Jane is getting the care and support she needs• Husband can be a partner again; he attends support

group weekly; and sees some of his old friends for breakfast 1x week

• Care manager deals with any problems resulting from having care in the home – relief for husband

• As situation progresses, greater peace of mind for all that there is a professional advocate that will stand by them to help them through the process

• Satisfied family is grateful to the referring professional

National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers

Our Mission…

GCM is dedicated to the development, advancement, and promotion of humane and dignified care for the elderly and their families delivered by qualified professionals.

Additionally, GCM is committed to working towards the highest quality of care for the elderly and their families through education, advocacy and high standards of professional practice

Professionalism at its bestGCM offers

•Qualification requirement

• Education

• Experience

• Certification

•Standards of Practice

•Pledge of Ethics

CARE MANAGEMENT:A Distinctive model

• Proactive approach• Professionally led• Recommendations reflect

balance of assessed needs with values and preferences

• “Whole family” / “whole person” approach• Improved communication with all involved

TRIGGER POINTS…When to Call a PGCM?

When you have a client who…… has a limited support system… needs support and resources to maintain independence… is stressed by the caregiver role… has multiple diagnoses/difficult situations that complicate

decision making and care coordination… requires a “road map” after a new diagnosis or

hospitalization… has family that can not reach consensus, needing

information and objectivity… struggles with balancing safety and independence issues… needs consistent unbiased accurate communications… requires supervision and on-going training of existing care

providers and…

TRIGGER POINTS…When to Call a PGCM?

When you …

… need consistent accurate information

… require a comprehensive professional assessment of your older client’s situation

… want the best care for your clients

… notice a change in your older clientele, perhaps indicating a need for intervention

… are concerned about an older client

… get a call from an elder’s family member, who is turning to you for eldercare advice

The Value of PGCM for the Professional Community

- Experience working with older adults along with the knowledge of how to effectively work through complicated systems to ensure quality outcomes

- Increased client and family satisfaction reflecting well on you - Reduced turnover of caregiving staff, with professional oversight care runs

smoothly leading to increased “peace of mind”

- PGCMs can be your resource for eldercare services, thus saving you time due to our knowledge of available quality services

- Greater sense of control due to us keeping you in the communication loop

- Cost effectiveness achieved due to on going re-evaluation process / customized approach