How Aging Life Care Professionals® Help with Life and Care Transitions
As our clients age, it’s common for them to experience a care or life transition. For example, someone may be living in their own home but is beginning to need help around the house. Or it may be someone who decides – or their family or care manager determines – that moving to a senior living residence would be more appropriate.
Sometimes the need for a transition is the reason a family will call us for assistance. Other times, our care managers help existing clients make these transitions, guiding them and/or their families before, during and after. Either way, as Aging Life Care Professionals®, we provide a level of training and experience that will ensure a smooth transition to the “new normal.”
It’s important to recognize that people don’t always agree – or realize – that they need a transition, especially when it involves a move. A life care manager who’s working with a client in their home may be the first to recognize that the senior would benefit from a move, for example, to assisted living. Adult children may have difficulty convincing their elderly parent that a move is needed. Likewise, someone who is caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s may have difficulty accepting that the client may be better served in a memory support community.
The sooner we’re involved with ideas about transitions, no matter how slight, the better we can help ease the transition. Working with an Aging Life Care Professional during transitions offers many benefits:
- Objectivity. The care manager isn’t a son or daughter telling the parent what they need or “should do” – that dynamic causes a lot of stress in families. Instead, we offer informed opinions and choices based on years of experience.
- Integrity. As members of the Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA), we follow a code of ethics and standards of practice.
- Independence. We do charge for services we provide. However, unlike free placement agencies that help the consumer find a senior living residence or other services they need, we have no financial interest in the choices the client makes. We receive no benefit from referrals.
- Expertise. Our experience and training differentiate us. All aging life care managers have clinical knowledge and experience – it’s a requirement for membership in ALCA, and all of our life care managers are active ALCA members.
During and after the transition
The life care manager will provide as much help as requested throughout the transition. If the transition is a move, we can do things like find a decluttering expert, an estate sale company, or even a real estate agent who specializes in senior moves. We can be available on moving day to get the client acclimated to their new residence.
After the move, we can continue to serve as the client’s advocate. This is especially helpful if other family members live far away. We can be literally a lifeline in the community – we’ll make sure they’re getting socially connected, check in with the facility’s nurse to get any feedback about adjustment, and continue taking them to medical appointments or other activities outside their new residence.
Change can be challenging for all of us, but even more so for people who are aging and whose independence is facing limits. We understand, and we provide expert, compassionate guidance throughout the process.
Please contact us if you’d like to hear more about our services.