As our population gets older, the term, “aging in place” is being heard more and more often. Most seniors never want to leave their homes as they age and would much rather “age in place” than go to an assisted living facility or be placed in a nursing home by their loved ones. For the short term, the traditional services for aging in place, such as companionship, cleaning and meal preparation, are easily obtained through the services of home care companies like AAging Better In-Home Care. However, when people begin thinking about staying at home to meet their needs for long-term care, many individuals have no idea who to call or where to turn for information about what’s available in the community. And when they begin their searches, the amount of services and options available can be overwhelming at first.
Families are normally the first line of defense for their frail or elderly loved ones. It’s usually a family member (son or daughter) that initially provides assistance for the frail senior by helping with chores around the house, maintaining the lawn, doing the grocery shopping, etc. Family is usually the pillar of support for seniors, particularly when that loved one needs assistance. But not all children or grandchildren can be intimately involved with their parent’s or grandparent’s support. And on the opposite end, when everyone wants to be involved with a relative’s care, there are bound to be opposing opinions regarding the care plan and coordination. This is when tempers can begin to rise and family goes from being supportive to stressful.
In times of stressful family care coordination, a geriatric care manager (GCM) can help. GCMs are trained to assist families in determining what kind of care an elderly person requires and how to best coordinate long-term care. They can also act as mediators when sons, daughters, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, etc., find themselves at odds when trying to plan care for their loved one.
GCMs & Home Care
One of the benefits of using a GCM to help coordinate care is that GCMs are professionals trained to work with many different types of people and organizations. A GCM can help coordinate medical care, work with attorneys and coordinate with your chosen in-home care agency. Home care agencies, like AAging Better In-Home Care, work seamlessly with GCMs to help relieve family stress and enhance quality of life in the home.
For more information about finding a GCM to coordinate care for your loved one or simply just to schedule a free in-home assessment, contact AAging Better In-Home Care online or call us at (208) 777-0308 in the Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls or Hayden areas, (208) 263-7889 in the Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry or Priest River areas, or (208) 784-1505 in the Kellogg, Wallace or Pinehurst areas.
