Keeping up with the various medical appointments, treatments, tests, medications, lifestyle changes, and more is a way of life for the numerous older individuals with chronic home health care needs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 85% of seniors have at least one chronic health condition, and 60% are living with two or more. The challenges may seem overwhelming. But there is one essential component of care for seniors with chronic health issues: care management.
Medical diagnoses like diabetes, COPD, heart disease, and more are life-altering. They impact a person’s mental as well as physical health, and it’s essential to enlist help in meeting all care needs. Geriatric care managers, also known as aging life care specialists, are skilled specialists with expertise in meeting all of the varied care needs of older individuals.
Here are the benefits of home care for seniors, as well as how care management for seniors with chronic health issues works:
The Consultation
A preliminary, in-depth assessment, conducted in the senior’s home, enables the care manager to fully comprehend the senior’s particular concerns and challenges. The care manager will assess cognitive, physical, dietary, and mental acuity, as well as the overall safety of the home environment. With this information at hand, a personalized plan of care is then put into place.
The Plan
The older adult’s personalized care plan will include a full range of recommendations, like:
- Training as necessary to improve chronic disease management
- Referrals to community resources
- How to confirm that medications and other care needs are managed properly
- Home alterations to improve safety and reduce the risk of falls
- And more
The Outcome
Carrying out the plan may involve, as appropriate:
- Coordinating and collaborating with the older adult’s medical team and network of support
- Problem-solving to eliminate any barriers to effective care and management of health conditions
- Advocating for the senior
- Mediating through any complicated family dynamics
- Serving as the “eyes and ears” for loved ones living at a distance
- Assisting with documentation for long-term care insurance or other necessary paperwork
- Accompanying the senior to medical appointments to ensure doctors’ orders are understood and followed
- Legal guardianship
- And many others
At Solutions, we’re pleased to offer professional care management services in tandem with our trusted in-home care, to best meet the varied chronic care needs of seniors. Our caregivers are ready to show your loved one the benefits of home senior home care. They are thoughtfully chosen, highly skilled, and thoroughly vetted and background checked.
Peace of mind and higher quality of care are just a few benefits of home care for seniors. Contact us today for an in-home assessment and help a senior you love enjoy a healthier, safer, and more independent lifestyle. Contact us online or call us any time at (509) 627-8575 to learn more about our care management and home care assistance in Kennewick and the surrounding communities.