In the past decade, the U.S. aging population has increased by 27%. Our loved ones are aging every year and we want to provide the best care for them, which often involves care management programs.
Care management for seniors is a crucial part of aging and so is understanding how it works. To learn more about care management and its many benefits, continue reading!
What Is Care Management?
Seniors need many services and resources from medical visits to legal services. Care management coordinates long-term care needs such as health, finances, and housing.
Care management examples of service include home visits, family communication, and medical coordination. Care managers handle all areas of senior care while often having worked as a nurse or social worker.
The manager starts with a meeting to learn about the health, social, and care needs of our loved ones. Then, the plan can include senior care facilities, service referrals, or family meetings.
Understanding Care Management Plans
A care management plan will include the use of community programs and family education. Client advocacy is also planned through a focus on mental and physical health.
The plan may also involve medication management, estate planning, or transportation needs. If residential or hospital care is needed, managers can help plan costs or supports.
A care manager’s plan will be sure to meet short-term and long-term needs by using government programs and local resources. Managers will also speak with doctors, caregivers, and nursing homes to update plans.
How Care Management Can Help
Care management can help seniors with health concerns from arthritis to Alzheimer’s disease. The care management plan can also help cut health costs through preventative care. Though care management isn’t free, it can save money by helping with Medicaid and increasing care efficiency.
For seniors with dementia, care management can reduce their stress by handling finances or picking the best care option. Their needs will always be met and it can lessen the pressure on families.
Care management doesn’t only help our loved ones, it can also help us. Research shows that the health of 53% of informal caregivers is negatively affected. Burnout like this can happen when family members care for senior loved ones for a long period.
Care management can take the responsibility of care from us by managing senior health and services. This allows more time for caregivers and reduces costs associated with caregiving stress. Even high-functioning seniors can benefit from help with their diagnoses and financial planning.
Care Management for Our Loved Ones
It’s important to understand what care management is and how it can help our families.
Senior care is a lot of work from doctor’s appointments to increased expenses, but care management can make this easy. There are also many benefits to a care management plan for both senior loved ones and caregivers.
For more help with care management or other senior care needs, use our contact form today!