Many Americans might look at the senior health care system and assume that there are two basic steps in the assisted living process: life at home and life in a nursing home. The reality is that there is so much more to senior care than just moving Mom or Dad out of their own home and into a care facility. As senior health needs change during the aging process, it is important to continually assess their needs, assist them where needed, and advocate on their behalf. Often, this responsibility can prove to be too much for friends and family to manage on their own.
Fortunately, Geriatric care management professionals are there to step into the breach and help seniors and their families ensure that elderly patients are receiving the care they need. At the Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law, we can help to provide clients with the geriatric care manager they need to help them navigate the complex issues that can affect the elderly. If you or a loved one would like to receive a free 15-minute consultation to find out how our geriatric care manager can help with your unique situation, contact us here or call (408) 356-9200 in Campbell today. We can help to answer many of the most important questions you might have, including:
- What can geriatric care management do for my family?
- Who needs geriatric care management?
- How can a California elder law attorney help with geriatric care management?
What Can Geriatric Care Management Do for My Family?
If you have a senior loved one struggling with his or her health care needs, you understand how difficult the situation can be. Providing care for another person can always be a challenge, but the obstacles that many families confront while caring for a senior parent can be even more of a struggle. In addition to dealing with medical diagnoses, legal documents, housing concerns, and other problems, you also need to handle everything in a way that enables your loved one to maintain the dignity that he or she deserves.
Families don’t even always agree on what needs to be done, and there is often resistance from the senior as well. The entire situation can wear you out on a mental and emotional level. And at times, it can seem like no solution can be found without an argument. That’s when geriatric care management specialists can be so valuable, providing guidance and assistance in areas that include:
- Assessing your senior’s overall health and life circumstances. This assessment considers not only physical health, but mental and emotional circumstances as well – with a focus on evaluating the senior’s need based on how he or she is doing in every area of life. That means examining where the senior is living, how safe the environment is, how independent he or she can be, and the level of social support that is available.
- Addressing issues related to socialization, including the possibility of recommending involvement in area social activities such as those found at senior centers and similar environments.
- Advocating for the senior to ensure that his or her wishes are being properly communicated to medical staff. As part of this effort, many care managers often end up providing liaison services to family members as well – especially when those relatives live some distance away.
- Assisting seniors by putting them in touch with resources and service providers that can help meet their needs. Managers can even assist seniors in finding payment options like long-term care or Medi-Cal to help cover the costs of long-term care service. These geriatric care managers can even represent senior interests at Medi-Cal meetings.
The full range of benefits that can be offered by a geriatric care manager are too numerous and detailed to completely cover here, but even a partial list reveals just how invaluable these services can be. Your California elder law attorney can help to put you in contact with the geriatric care management services that are right for your needs.
Who Needs Geriatric Care Management?
It can sometimes be difficult for seniors and their families to identify when geriatric care managers can help them make sense of everything – but here are some examples of situations that might indicate that geriatric care management is right for your family:
- Do you have the feeling that an elderly family member is struggling to care for himself, but cannot convince him that he might need extra help? If so, a care manager can provide that impartial third party voice of reasons that could break the impasse.
- Are you just unsure about what your loved one needs for care, and want a professional assessment to ensure that you’re acting in your senior loved one’s best interests? A care manager can provide that assessment and give you the recommendations you need to make an informed decision.
- Are you sure that your loved one needs nursing home care, but are unsure about how to locate the right facility, get it paid for, and efficiently make the transition? Your geriatric care manager can take care of that too!
How Can a California Elder Law Attorney Help with Geriatric Care Management?
The fact is that elder care can be an emotionally draining experience for everyone involved. Sometimes, the emotions and mental drain can prevent seniors and their families from identifying their best options for caring for that loved one. The Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law can help you meet those challenges, with geriatric care management services that can make a positive impact in your family’s life. If you’d like to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to determine whether these services might be right for your needs, contact us or call (408) 356-9200 in Campbell.
Learn more about our Geriatric Care Manager:
Dedra Jize, OT, CSA
Geriatric Care Manager Profile
Dedra Jize holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University and is a Certified Senior Advisor and Geriatric Care Manager. Dedra has worked as a Caregiver Support Coordinator and Activity Assistant for the Alzheimer’s Activity Center in San Jose, as a Foster Care Provider with Advent Group Ministries, and as an Occupational Therapist at Good Samaritan Hospital. Dedra has also worked as a hospital volunteer at Kaiser Hospital, assisting in patient discharge and helping patients with directions and various needs.
Dedra resides in San Jose with her husband, Nicholas. Together they have raised two wonderful daughters. She enjoys gardening, home decorating, and volunteering at her church.
“What I enjoy the most about my job is when people say, ‘Wow, I feel like a huge burden has been lifted off me.’ Being able to help people who feel they are alone, who feel like they lack critical information, and who don’t know where to turn is very rewarding.”
