About Care Management

Geriatric Care Management (GCM) is a service that supports older or disabled adults and the people who care about them. GCM services are provided by specially trained healthcare professionals who work in partnership with families, caregivers and medical/legal professionals. The goal of Care Management is to ensure that each older adult is living fully, and that those responsible for their care have the information, referrals, guidance and support they need.

Is Geriatric Care Management an option for you? Learn about these key features as you make your decision.

When Is Care Management Needed?

Care Management is needed when you feel you can no longer manage care of an older or disables adult alone. Changes in health status, family situation, or care needs are common precipitants for seeking Care Management.

How Can Care Management Help?

Beginning with a comprehensive assessment, a Care Manager develops a Care Plan, finds the resources to implement the Plan and monitors care over time.

Who Uses Care Management?

Anyone who has responsibility for an older or disabled adult may use Care Management. Most often, Care Management services are used by families, friends, caregivers, healthcare professionals, attorneys and wealth/trust managers.

If you think Geriatric Care Management could help you, contact ElderCare Solutions (ECS) at 630-416-2140. One of our Nurse Care Managers will help you decide if you and your elder could benefit from our Care Management services.

  • The needs of older adults can be significant and often increase over time. For some caregivers, the need for Geriatric Care Management services may occur suddenly. For others, the need may evolve over time.

    Some of the common reasons people seek help with Care Management include:

    Increasing care needs

    Older adults may need more care due to failing physical or mental health. Dementia and confusion may not only increase care needs but may also increase the elder's resistance to help.

    Medical emergency

    Stable living and health situations may be upended by a medical emergency, which may result in increased immediate care needs and changes in long-term planning.

    Changing family situation

    Loss of a spouse or other caregiver is a common precipitant for seeking Care Management services. Another common cause is a change in the family living situation, such as adult children moving away.

    Overwhelmed caregivers

    As care needs increase, family members may become overwhelmed physically, emotionally and financially, particularly as caregivers may be juggling careers, children and other life responsibilities.

    Lack of information or information overload

    Too much information can be as much of a burden as too little information. ECS Care Managers filter through the maze of geriatric care information to find the right solutions for the situation

    For many caregivers, more than one of these situations may exist. If these scenarios sound familiar, call ElderCare Solutions at 630-416-2140 to speak with one of our Nurse Care Managers.

  • Geriatric Care Managers provide many vital services, all designed to help older and disabled adults and their families with the many health and life decisions they face each day. The range of services offered is wide, but can be generally described in three categories.

    Assessment

    To ensure the best possible outcome, care managers usually begin with an assessment of the older adult's medical, emotional, housing, family and social situation. The assessment may involve contact with family members, current caregivers, staff of medical facilities, healthcare professionals and other professionals.

    Care Plan

    Drawing on information from the assessment, care managers work with the older adult and family to create a plan for care. The plan may involve arranging in-home care, relocation, change in medical care and addition of care resources.

    Ongoing Management

    Care Managers may be involved in the initial implementation of the Care Plan, including locating resources and altering the Plan as needed. Often Care Managers have a continuing role as monitor, liaison and support for the older adult and family.

    Each person and situation is unique, and requires a unique combination of Geriatric Care Management services. To learn more about how our specific Care Management services may help you and the older adult in your life, call ElderCare Solutions (ECS) at 630-416-2140 speak to one of our Nurse Care Managers.

  • Who uses Care Management? Anyone who has responsibility for an older or disabled adult and who finds that the loved one requires more time, skill and resources than they can offer.

    In general, Care Management services are used by four groups of people.

    Families & Friends

    Adult children are often responsible for the care of aging parents, but siblings, cousins, neighbors and friends – all may find themselves caring for an elder adult.

    Healthcare Professionals

    Physicians, nurses and social workers – in office practices and in hospitals – are often the first point of contact for an individual requiring specialized services.

    Attorneys

    In their role as counselor and advisor, attorneys who have legal responsibility for an older adult often need specialized assistance in advocating for the care of their aging clients and in managing their health care services and living arrangements.

    Financial Advisor / Wealth Managers

    Older adults and families often rely on financial advisors to help plan for life's events. While they may recognize the growing need for the services of a Care Manager, financial advisors also understand the benefits of working with an experienced elder care advocate to effectively plan for and manage the care of aging clients or older parents of clients.

    If you find yourself in one of these situations, contact ElderCare Solutions at 630-416-2140 to learn more about how we can help.