The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

So Many Services for Seniors!

We are in the process of developing a new brochure for Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management. So we had a meeting today in our office in Ridgewood to brainstorm about all the great things we do. In addition to our brochure, we also use a folder that we give to potential clients and those suppliers of services that we meet face to face. In it, we have a diagram which shows a client surrounded by “geriatric care management.” Reaching out from geriatric care management are all of the services which we use and refer to in our care plans. Well, actually, the diagram doesn’t cover all of them but it notes many, such as doctors, nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, home care agencies, counselors, Medicaid , Veterans Benefits, insurance providers, financial planners and elder law attorneys.

What it doesn’t show are the myriad of other services which we work with or research on behalf of our clients. I didn’t realize how many other unique ways we help seniors and their families until our newest care manager mentioned that she had never heard of many of the services for seniors that we use to keep our clients independent and happy, and improve their quality of life. And she has worked in a doctor’s office for many years, with a large population of older adults and the elderly.

So here are a few examples: Once our clients have made progress by completing their round of physical therapy, we don’t want them to slide backwards. That’s why we refer them to a person who specializes in home-based exercise programs for senior citizens that will increase their balance and stamina. Another of our clients was bored at home so we developed an activity plan that included brain stimulating games. We have another client that needs to apply for Medicaid for his parents. The process is very involved, time consuming, and detailed—difficult for someone who holds a full time job and has a family. We have connected him with someone who knows the ins and outs of the process and can help him for a reasonable fee. And of course, since many of our clients have dementia, we are always on the lookout for ways that we can both help them with the disease but also help their families that are caring for them.

Services for the geriatric population are changing—at least that’s what I see in Bergen County. There are so many niche services with a specialty that it’s hard to know them all. But we always try to find the best services for those that need them if we can’t provide them ourselves.

Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management serves Bergen, Passaic, Rockland and Orange County with nurses licensed in New Jersey and New York. We help families dealing with various issues related to their elderly loved ones and would be happy to discuss any concerns you may have related to long term care. Please contact us in our Ridgewood Office at 201-587-5283 to schedule a consultation.