care manager working with senior couple on their options

Care Management

ALCA 8 knowledge areasLifeCare Advocates offers a comprehensive and holistic range of services performed and coordinated by a Life Care Manager to meet the care needs of our individual clients. At LifeCare Advocates, we work with individuals and families in any setting, including in their home or at a facility.

Initial Assessment

Our assessment process begins with an initial consultation with family members, either in person or by telephone. We gather essential data including a full family and medical history prior to meeting with the elder. One of our associates will then visit the elder at home, in a facility, or at a family member’s house to conduct an in-depth evaluation of their physical, cognitive, and emotional health. Using the insights we’ve gained from the family history, we take the time to get to know our clients and help them feel comfortable during this process.

There are several important areas we look at for the assessment including:

  • Physical Health: Medical conditions? Current medications? Mobility issues?
  • Mental, Emotional and Cognitive Health: Is the elder experiencing any confusion, memory loss, depression or anxiety?
  • Social Supports and Family Structure: Is the elder isolated? What are his/her informal supports?
  • Safety Concerns: Is physical or cognitive impairment affecting safety at home? Is the elder aware of this? Are medications being taken appropriately? Is driving a concern?
  • Environmental Safety Concerns: Potential hazards? Safety equipment needed? Is the home in a safe condition to live in?
  • Financial Assessment: What are the elder’s approximate assets and income? We use this information to create the most realistic care plan recommendations for services and alternative living options.
  • Legal Assessment: Does the elder have advanced planning and estate planning documents in place, such as a health care proxy, power of attorney or will?
  • Service Needs: Does the elder need supportive services such as home care, home delivered meals, social engagement, or support with medication management?

Recommendations

Based on the assessment and data gathered during the family history, the care manager presents verbal recommendations and a written list of resources. Services we might recommend include but are not limited to in-home support; day programs; alternative housing options such as assisted living, independent living, nursing home and rehabilitation facilities; where and how to get the best evaluation for cognitive, medical or mood-related issues; and assistance with advance directive planning.

Any recommendations for services that we make are carefully vetted. We only refer to services that we’ve used for other clients and know to be high quality. We do not accept referral fees from any services or facilities.

Our Life Care Managers are skilled in assisting in challenging situations. We can provide advice on how to communicate effectively with the elder and other family members, particularly when there are disagreements over care.

Ongoing Monitoring

As Life Care Managers, we are able to provide ongoing support and monitoring of clients’ needs. We provide ongoing visits to clients, manage their services to ensure the highest quality, accompany them to medical appointments to provide advocacy and ongoing feedback to family members, and provide crisis intervention during emergency situations. This service is particularly helpful to our caregiving families who live at a distance. We can be your “boots on the ground,” carefully monitoring and advocating for your loved one.

Additional Services

We also provide in-office consultations, relocations services, healthcare advocacy, long-term care insurance review, and creativity coaching. Learn more about how these services can help your family.