Geriatric Care Management:“A Well-Kept Secret”

Mary Faith Ferretto, LCSW-C,

C-ASWCM

9/2/10

GCM’s can assist:

EAP professionals HR department staff Employees: Adult children of disabled parents Spouses of disabled spouses Parents of disabled adult children

Tasks GCM’s can perform:

Full assessments with plans of care, Consultation with family caregivers, Care coaching PRN. Also can make referrals, Complete forms, Help narrow down resource options - cont’d

Tasks (cont’d)

Explain entitlement programs, Recommend best services for the need, Offer stress management help and moral support, opportunity to “vent,” Refer to other professionals for their expertise, Be a “hub” on the wheel of caregiving issues and plan of care.

A GCM can be a:

The “quarterback” A “tackle” The “coach” The “owner” of the team. Many hats worn to assist both the family/

caregiver as well as the client/patient. Flexibility is a key-

Short term or long term services.

Workers have stress-

They have difficulty taking time off of work for loved one’s appointments;

They don’t have time to do the research; They can’t afford to take time off without pay to do the above; They may also have other family members for

whom they are responsible. May be difficult to provide hands-on care.

Caregiver stress looks like:

Health issues Depression Poor work performance Missed days Difficulty working with the team on the job Mood changes Substance abuse

GCM’s can:

Save time by cutting through the maze of services out there; Save $$ by saving time; Answer questions, Make referrals, Be the “bad guy”; Help with decision-making, Make up a “short list”. - cont’d

Also can:

Facilitate family meetings to help achieve consensus with hard decisions; Advocate in care plan meetings. Step in and be a “buffer” to “dilute” the tension.

Other types of clients:

Client lives here, family is out of town; A trust from relative assures quality of life; No family to help; Less-than-functional families: Denial “Old baggage” Exploitation/abuse

Common Scenarios

Senior lives alone, safety issues; Senior has crisis, declines quickly; Dementia, a long journey; Long-term care planning; Family education ahead of need; Running out of $$ for LTC; HELP! Moving to assisted living, nursing home, family’s home.

Service settings:

In client’s home; In GCM office; In assisted living apartment; In skilled nursing facility; Long distance, or around the corner; In rehabilitation facility; In hospital;

Helpful Resources:

Guide to Retirement Living- www.retirement-living.com OR www.ProAging.com

www.caremanager.org www.midatlanticgcm.org

Mary Faith-ism’s

“Timing is everything” Planning ahead makes a better decision; Waiting for the crisis makes for a poor- quality decision; “I’ll risk you being mad at me if it’s for safety or health”; “Err on the side of caution” You must take care of yourself so that you can take

care of your loved one. (Oxygen mask theory)

Contact Info:

Mary Faith Ferretto, LCSW-C, C-ASWCM (410) 661-6720 (O) (410) 274-5889 (C) maryfaith@ferrettoeldercare.com

Thank you for your kind attention.