When you need help to manage the care of a frail elder call

1-800-375-0595

Our experienced staff of professionals can ease the  stressful processof navigating the confusing network of elder              
service options by helping caregivers of frail elders to make informed eldercare decisions.

 Are You a
"Long Distance Caregiver"?

Living far away from aging parents has become a growing phenomenon in our increasingly mobile and global economy.  When your parents or other family members become to frail to manage their daily activities without help, it can be very difficult to oversee the care they need and to be sure that they are living in the right setting and getting the services they need.

"Long distance caregiving" can include everything from staying in touch by phone to making, sometimes frequent,  trips back home to help parents or aging relatives.

Becoming a long distance caregiver is a relatively new responsibility that adult children and often grown grandchildren, must assume.
children and younger family members. Families used to live closer together,When I grew up in the 1950's and early 60's my siblings and I could walk to the homes of our aunts ,uncles, and grandmother all of whom lived within a 3 mile radius of our home. Today family members, often by necessity are more distant from each other.

Because the conflicting pressures of managing work and caring for family members at a distance is both difficult and a source of significant stress, it is wise to consider making use of the services of a Professional Geriatric Care Manager.

Professional care managers represent a growing trend to help working and long distance family caregivers provide care for loved ones. Care managers are often highly trained nurses and social workers who can take a significant burden from the shoulders of caregivers, friends or family members and help them to navigate the increasingly complex and confusing array of services, financial resources and eligibility requirements to pay for the costs of the care needed.

Care management professionals can assist family caregivers and the elders who are in need of service with the following:

•  Assess the level and type of care needed and develop a care plan.

•  Take steps to start the care plan and keep it functioning.

•   Make sure care is in a safe and disability friendly environment.

•  Resolve family conflicts and other issues with long term care.

•  Become an advocate for the care recipient and the caregiver.

•  Manage care for a loved one for out-of-town families .

•  Conduct ongoing assessments to implement changes in care.

•  Oversee and direct care provided at home.

•  Coordinate the efforts of key support systems.

•  Provide personal counseling.

•  Help with Medicaid qualification and application.

•  Arrange for services of legal and financial advisors.

•  Provide placement in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

•  Monitor the care received in a nursing home or in assisted living.

• Assist with the monitoring of medications.

•  Find appropriate solutions to avoid a crisis.

•  Coordinate medical appointments and medical information

Call us Today at 1-800-375-0595

For more than 20 years, Informed Eldercare Decisions has provided services to family caregivers who have sought our assistance while they were faced with difficult decisions concerning an aging family member. Due to the pressures of work, geographic distance, or other demands, it’s not always possible for concerned family members to manage the many tasks involved in care giving. Those not well acquainted with the fragmented service delivery system, often find it confusing and difficult to negotiate.  It can be especially difficult when a family member has suffered a serious stroke, has a complex diagnosis such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s or other dementia, or is being treated for a prolonged mental illness that may be further complicated by difficult to manage behavioral issues.

These caregiving issues can also be the source of friction among extended family members resulting in disagreements over the best course of action to take among many care options. The uninsured costs of such care can place a strain on the financial resources of those needing care, as well as those caring for them.              

Our health and human services specialists help families who are caring for disabled older relatives. Our care managers are trained in several specialties related to long-term care, including, but not limited to, nursing, gerontology, social work, and psychology, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care as well as the care needs of older, non-geriatric adults with physical or mental health needs.

The care manager acts as a guide and advocate; identifying problems and offering solutions, from assessment of an aging parent's needs to addressing the life changes on a family affected by Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease,or symptoms of dementia.

With more than two decades of experience in the management of complex and difficult caregiving situations, our team can provide a

• Thorough assessment of each situation and create a care plan that addresses the full range of medical, emotional, financial and legal needs.
• For long-distance caregivers, we can also help to implement the care plan and monitor its effectiveness.
• Sometimes the most valuable service we provide is the peace of mind our services bring to our clients and their families, allowing them to proceed with their lives.

We also provide services needed by law firms and Trust departments when they are involved with guardianship and conservatorship issues and need clinical services or family counseling and mediation to resolve difficult situations concerning a serious diagnosis or help for family members who are struggling to find the most suitable solution and the optimal care plan for their aging family member.

To learn more about our specialized services and the credentials of our professional staff please click here.

http://elderlifeplanning.co/about_us/

What is a Geriatric Care Manager?

A Geriatric Care Manager is a health and human services specialist who helps families who are caring for older relatives. The Geriatric Care Manager is trained and experienced in any of several fields related to care management, including, but not limited to nursing, gerontology, social work, or psychology, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care.

The Geriatric Care Manager assists older adults and persons with disabilities in attaining their maximum functional potential.  In addition, the Geriatric Care Manager is an experienced guide and resource for families of older adults and others with chronic needs, including helping those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinsons or exhibiting symptoms of dementia.

Geriatric care managers who are members of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) are committed to adhering to the NAPGCM Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

Do I Really Need a Professional Geriatric Care Manager?

When you are considering whether you need the services of a Geriatric Care Manager, you should evaluate whether you have the time, inclination, or skills to manage the challenges of geriatric care by yourself.  If you are not sure, ask a trusted advisor to help you decide if an elder care expert may be helpful.  Enlisting the support of other family members to consult a professional is a good way to build a consensus on the solutions.

Questions that you may wish to consider:

• Are the problems that you or your loved ones are facing becoming larger and more complex than you can comfortably manage?
• Are other demands and responsibilities now so great that you are not able to provide the desired level of supervision and attention to your loved one’s problems?

There are many places to find a Geriatric Care Manager in your area. This web site includes a searchable directory of geriatric care managers who belong to NAPGCM. You may also want to check with local agencies or hospitals to obtain a list of local referrals. Health professionals and elder law attorneys are other excellent referral sources.



What are the Benefits of Using a Geriatric Care Manager?

Professional Geriatric Care Management services are offered in a variety of settings. Geriatric Care Managers can serve the needs of their clients by providing:

• Personalized and compassionate service — focusing on the individual’s wants and needs.
• Accessibility — care is typically available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Continuity of care management – communications are coordinated between family members, doctors and other professionals, and service providers.
• Cost containment — inappropriate placements, duplication of services, and unnecessary hospitalizations are avoided.
• Quality control – care management services follow NAPGCM’S Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.





FACTS ABOUT FAMILY CAREGIVER STRESS

•More than 34 million unpaid caregivers provide care to someone age 18 and older who is ill or has a disability (AARP, 2008).

•An estimated 21% of households in the United States are affected by caregiving responsibilities (NAC, 2004).

•The typical caregiver is a 46 year old woman with some college experience and provides more than 20 hours of care each week to her mother (NAC, 2004).

• About 37% of caregivers for someone age 50 and older reduced their work hours or quit their job in 2007 (AARP, 2008).

•Caregivers report having difficulty finding time for one’s self (35%), managing emotional and physical stress (29%), and balancing work and family responsibilities.

 •Half (53%) of caregivers who said their health had gotten worse due to caregiving also said the decline in their health has affected their ability to provide care.

•Caregivers said they do not go to the doctor because they put their family’s needs first (67% said that is a major reason), or they put the care recipient’s needs over their own (57%). More than half (51%) said they do not have time to take care of themselves and almost half (49%) said they are too tired to do so.

•Unpaid caregivers provide an estimated 90% of the long-term care (IOM, 2008).

•The majority (83%) are family caregivers—unpaid persons such as family members, friends, and neighbors of all ages who are providing care for a relative 

Source: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)http://www.cdc.gov/aging/caregiving/facts.htm

Eldercare in an Age of Scarcity: Who Will Care and Who will Pay?



America is rapidly moving to a two-tiered system of long-term care services. One provides a range of high quality services for those who can afford to pay; while the other offers very limited services and often poor quality care. This is, perhaps, the major domestic issue facing Americans today and will loom larger as the impact of caring for a rapidly aging population becomes more urgent.

"I have never met anyone who didn’t ask, with shock and dismay, “What do you mean Medicare doesn’t pay for it?” They assume, as I did, that.. {elders} have universal health care . Alas, Medicare covers only medical or surgical procedures.

If what an old person needs,  is custodial care, they, and their children, are on their own. [There are]... traps in choosing a long-term-care insurance policy, a residential facility, a home health aide or in applying for Medicaid when their funds are exhausted, among other complicated decisions"
 

Facts About Families Caring for an Alzheimer’s Patient

Caregiving for Alzheimer’s Disease or other Dementia

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that gets worse over time and currently has no cure. It is the most common type of dementia and accounts for 50 to 70 percent of dementia cases. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, mixed dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. As many as 5.3 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells, causing problems with memory, thinking and behavior severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies or social life. Today it is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. For more information, see www.alz.org.

What is known about caregiving for a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other Dementia?

•An estimated 25-29% of caregivers of persons age 50 or older provide assistance to someone with a cognitive impairment, a memory problem, or a disorder like Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia (NAC, 2004).

•For Alzheimer’s disease alone, in 2008 there were an estimated 9.9 million caregivers providing 8.5 billion hours of care at a value of $94 Billion dollars (Alzheimer’s Association, 2009).

•The average age of a caregiver to a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other is 48 years old. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2009).

•18% of children 8 to 18 years old provide unpaid care for someone (Alzheimer’s Association, 2009).

•The vast majority (87%) of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease are cared for at home by family members (Alzheimer’s Association, 2009).

•Caregivers provide assistance to a person with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia who is their parent or parent-in-law (57%), grandparent (11%), or spouse (6%; Alzheimer’s Association, 2009).

•10% of family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or an other dementia are doing so long distance.

Source: Alzheimer’s Association, 2008: Alzheimer’s Association, 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, http://www.alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf  [PDF-1.5Mb]

 NAC, 2004: National Alliance for Caregiving/AARP, Caregiving in the U.S., 2004, http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/il/us_caregiving_1.pdf  [PDF-1.1Mb]   

 For more than 20 years, Informed Eldercare Decisions has provided services to family caregivers who have sought our assistance while they were faced with difficult decisions concerning an aging family member.

Due to the pressures of work, geographic distance, or other demands, it’s not always possible for concerned family members to manage the many tasks involved in care giving. Those not well acquainted with the fragmented service delivery system, often find it confusing and difficult to negotiate.  It can be especially difficult when a family member has suffered a serious stroke, has a complex diagnosis such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s or other dementia, or is being treated for a prolonged mental illness that may be further complicated by difficult to manage behavioral issues.
When you need help to manage the care of a frail elder call              1-800-375-0595.

Our experienced staff of professionals can ease the stressful process of navigating the confusing network of elder service options by helpincaregiveof frail elders to make informed eldercare decisions.

What are the Benefits of Using a Geriatric Care Manager?

Professional Geriatric Care Management services are offered in a variety of settings. Geriatric Care Managers can serve the needs of their clients by providing:

• Personalized and compassionate service — focusing on the individual’s wants and needs.
• Accessibility — care is typically available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Continuity of care management – communications are coordinated between family members, doctors and other professionals, and service providers.
• Cost containment — inappropriate placements, duplication of services, and unnecessary hospitalizations are avoided.
• Quality control – care management services follow NAPGCM’S Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics