2010 February « The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

Life in the week of a Geriatric Care Manager- Making Headway

February 18, 2010 at 8:36 am | Posted in Lori Habersaat, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: GCM, Weekly

There are many times that we know what is best for our clients given their medical history, knowledge of who they are as individuals and their families. Our plan of care that we coordinate for them should reflect all of these considerations and as many Care Managers do I try my best to keep all of these personalized needs in mind when moving forward with my plan. It seems that often even with my client on board with these plans they can be sabotaged knowingly or subconsciously by their children. This is frequently while their children genuinely love their parents. This past week it happened twice! I gave a lot of thought and consideration about what was needed in two cases where my client’s needs were not being met. One is H- whose daughter was on the phone every other day concerned, worried and genuinely caring. H is charming, bright, and cute as a button. She has been extremely independent till now. Called in by her daughter due to some of H’s lapses in memory, an assessment was made and recommendations were given quickly. Yes H. still drives and takes care of all her needs independently, but the accuracy of her medication administration was seriously questionable. It took 5 visits and lots of conversations with H’s daughter and finally she is viewing us as an advocate for her mom. Her medications have been set up in her med minder and I will keep you posted on how she does.
The second client who a similar situation occurred with is R. I have been R’s Care Manager for some time and although he finds it difficult to express his feelings he has improved with this over the past several months with the assistance of our Geriatric Care Counselor, Bobbi. Bobbi just has a way about her and a lot of knowledge to add to this. R had shared with me previously that he had enough of his visits to the Emergency Room for recurrent resistant seizures. This was in spite of his frequent calls and visits to the Neurologists. His visits to the Emergency Room were lengthy, draining and stressful for not just him but his family as well. He did not want to go. The question arose many times- “Do you really need to go with each and every seizure?” I had suggested discussing with his children and he asked me to become involved which I had. However his children ever lovingly trying to do the very best – continued to take him to the Emergency Room with the onset of his next seizures. EEG’s were done, medications adjusted, precipitant conditions noted and R was sent home after many hours of anxiety for all. Our discussion occurred last week after his most recent seizure and subsequent visit to the ER- He was upset and told me “Six times I’ve been brought to the Emergency Room” and held up his hands with six fingers extended to punctuate his point.
He was scheduled for a visit to his Neurologist the following day. I clearly stated- “Ask your Neurologist on your visit tomorrow if it continues to be necessary?” Well R did and basically as we Nurse Care Managers know- unless it is extended with symptoms of anoxia – “No a subsequent visit to the ED is not necessary”. R will be happy- he wants to be home with his wife and Care Givers.

Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease

February 17, 2010 at 10:00 am | Posted in Sophia Heftler, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: Alzheimer's Disease, Disability Insurance, Early Onset, Social Security

Effective February 27, 2010 the Social Security Administration will add the diagnosis of Early Onset Alzheimers, or younger onset Alzheimer’s to it’s list of conditions eligible for it’s Compassionate Allowance Initiatives. What this means it that those people with the illness are eligible for expedited accesses to Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. This means the review period is reduced when determining if the individual is eligible for Social Security Disability Income because he or she is no longer able to work.

This is so important to those suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s Disease because they are frequently denied benefits but then are granted benefits on appeal. By adding this illness to the list of compassionate allowances the process of applying for benefits is streamlined and expedited. During this time of emotional and cognitive challenges the disease presents it is very difficult to undergo the the long decision process associated with the application process.

The Alzheimer’s Association website provides access to an important checklist to help you prepare for the application process. If you have any questions about the process or the documents necessary for the application process the care managers at Distinctive Care are available to assist you with the process. Additionally we will have information available at our monthly support group meeting. Please feel free to call our Ridgewood Office at (201) 857-5283 and someone will be happy to provide you with assistance.

This is a really important victory for those with early onset Alzheimer’s and related illnesses and we are happy to have been among those who provided written comments to the Social Security Administration at the request of the Alzheimer’s Association!

A week in the Life of a Geriatric Care Manager

February 10, 2010 at 3:36 pm | Posted in Lori Habersaat, GCM | Leave a comment
Tags: GCM, Weekly

In the business of caring for Geriatrics, it goes without saying that our clients will more often than not be with us too short a time. Last week we lost our long time client and friend – R. Without more than one statement clearly making this anouncement I felt it. That old familiar pain when you lose someone special who has always been there. R was not my client but the client of my colleague, however I had visited with R on more than several occasions. Although he was not demanding and extremely pleasant to be around, R could be difficult with his Live in Care Giver. She was extremely dedicated to him in spite of this. This is simply a goodbye to “R” and acknowledgement that even if clients are not ours personally we know them, care for them and ultimately miss them when they are gone.

Another CEU Program !

February 10, 2010 at 3:32 pm | Posted in Pat Linard, PR | Leave a comment
Tags: CEU, Dementia

We’re presenting our CEU program again in Bergen County because it is so popular and the information so valuable! Sophia Heftler, RN, CMC, CALA will again present the 2.0 CEU course entitled Navigating The Eldercare Continuum at Sunrise Senior Living of Cresskill, 4 Tenakill Park Drive East in Cresskill, New Jersey from 5:30 to 7:30PM on Tuesday, February 16. Dinner and networking at 5:00PM. This course, which offers credits for RN’s, LPN’s, Certified Assisted Living Administrators and Licensed Nursing Home Administrators, covers the importance of eldercare planning, including the legal and financial aspects in putting together a plan, housing options for seniors, medical management options, and the role a geriatric care manager can play in the planning process. To sign-up, call (201) 871-0300. We hope to see you there.