Today your mom is in the hospital and you live 1000 miles away.
Who will you call?
These are challenging times in all health care settings. In this day of hospitalists versus the family doctor, how can you be sure that the hospital has the correct information? What can you expect at discharge? What will happen to your elderly father when he is alone at home? These worries become compounded when the patient has memory loss, physical limitations or sensory issues as well.
May is National Professional Geriatric Care Managers month. These are the individuals who come to the rescue when you truly need an advocate, a coordinator or a health care professional that can bridge the health care divide. Professional Geriatric Care Managers assess, recommend, coordinate, advocate and support the entire family system. They work in conjunction with families, attorneys, financial planners, assisted livings and all health care agencies.
Professional Geriatric Care Managers are the only professionals that cross the continuum of care by following our elder in hospitals, to rehabilitative facilities and back home again.
Local resources to assist your family members include:
Area Agency on Aging
Senior Centers in your parent’s local area
Town Department of Social Services
Lori O’Connor, MSN, APRN is a national certified professional geriatric care manager and a certified dementia specialist with Elder Care Consulting, LLC