What Advocates & Care Managers Do

What Can We Do to Help?

• Accompany patients to medical appointments or stay at their bedside in the hospital.
• Help you learn more about medical conditions and treatment options.
• Help make difficult medical decisions.
• Review prescriptions and medications to be sure there are no conflicts.
• Obtain pain management techniques.
• Help develop end-of-life planning and paperwork like living wills, DNRs, or other advance directives.
• Help navigate the insurance maze.
• Help file health insurance claims, dispute denials, and manage or reduce your hospital and medical bills.
• Help families agree on decisions that need to be made for a loved one who needs health-related assistance.
• Find legal assistance after a medical error.
• Track paperwork and records.
• Help file for social security disability or other assistance.
• Help with shopping or ordering.
• Assess current situations.
  
• Make recommendations for health or living environment improvements.
• Safety evaluation.
• Nutrition evaluation.
• And more!

When it becomes clear that an older person can no longer live alone entirely unassisted, the person and family members may be unsure of what services are available in the community to help. They may wonder how to obtain community services. A geriatric care manager can help.

Most professional care managers have experience in either nursing or social work. Many have special training in issues involving eldercare. Their job is to assess a client's needs and then match those needs with services available in the community.

A care manager will usually begin a client relationship by assessing the client's health status, living situation, and needs. During an interview, many things are evaluated, such as physical, medical, and mental conditions, along with legal, financial, and government benefits. Housing, family, social situation, and the activities of daily living are also evaluated. A written report of this assessment is provided, with recommendations as to services available to meet identified needs.

If the client and family wish, the care manager can arrange the needed services and provide follow-up care and monitoring to ensure that necessary services are effectively and professionally delivered. We also ensure that the client's needs are being met over an extended period. If moving to an assisted living or nursing facility is appropriate, a care manager can help identify and evaluate the options available.

When caregiving gets complicated, care managers are a great resource for managing and balancing several issues. They can implement assistance and keep multiple family members updated. They can serve as surrogates for long-distance caregivers. They can also help with family communication, meetings, and settling disagreements. They serve as an advocate in dealing with healthcare, insurance plans, and so forth.