2021 Senior Resources Northeast Directory

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C ARE M ANAGEMENT /C ARE C OORDINATION S ERvICES care or other services • Provide information and refer- rals to specialists in other areas of expertise • Be a liaison or “extended family” to distant or working family members or other professionals • Assist in determining, selecting, and coordinating moves to or from a single home, retirement community, assisted living, hos- pital, or nursing home • Coordinate and escort to and from appointments • Review financial, social, legal, and/or medical issues and make appropriate referrals • Provide crisis assistance and intervention • Provide Caregiver Coaching, support, and education • Act as an advocate for the client regarding care, wishes, and needs • Provide client and/or commu- nity education Many professionals call themselves Care Managers, but a Certified Aging Life Care Professional™ must meet requirements for education, experi- ence, professional references, and certification, and adhere to strict professional Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. In looking for an Aging Life Care Manager, you may want to inquire of the following: • What is the person’s education-

inding the best type of person to assist you in the aging and/or caregiv- ing process can be challenging, emo- tional, and exhausting. This very Senior Resources Directory has an abundance of options for that purpose. However, the question commonly asked is, “Where do I begin?” or “What do I look for in this book?” or “…on a list?” An Aging Life Care Professional™, often called a Geriatric Care Manager can help you to determine and narrow down all of these resources to the best potential options to fit your specific needs and at the best times. An Aging Life Care Manager is a health and human services specialist who helps Older Adults and/or their fami- lies with their care and daily living needs. Aging Life Care Managers are trained and experienced in any of sev- eral fields related to long-term-care, including but not limited to nursing, therapy, or social work with a special- ized focus on issues relating to aging, elder care, and/or disabilities. They assist older adults and persons with disabilities in attaining their maximum functional potential and safety. In addition, the care manager is an expe- rienced guide and resource for Older Adults and/or their families or other professionals. Care managers have an extensive knowledge about types, costs, quality, and availability of ser- vices in their community. Care management can include, but is not limited to the following: • Knowledgeable and objective assessment to identify needs, strengths, wishes, problems, safety • Determine eligibility and refer, coordinate, and monitor in-home

al background and work experi- ence? How long have they been pro- viding care management services? Why are they qualified to do this? • What are their professional cre- dential/s? • Are they independent or a part of a larger organization? Are they working primarily for you, or the organization? • What are the referral relationships with other service providers? Do they accept referral bonuses? • What are the rates and billing structures? Services provided by non-professionals or for free are not always a value, as a knowl- edgeable expert can save time, stress, confusion, and money by finding the best options for you. Care management is usually pri- vately paid at an hourly rate, though some services are flat or bundled rates, and some long- term care insurance plans will pay for services. • What are their professional mem- berships? To find a certified Aging Life Care Professional™ in your area and learn more about the ben- efits, refer to the Aging Life Care Association™ (formerly National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers) website at: http://www.aginglifecare.org/. Article submitted by Sue Coyle. Sue is a Certified Aging Life Care™ Manager, and is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant by background. She is the owner of Coyle Care Management and Consulting, LLC, which provides services in the Fox Valley and surrounding areas.

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