May is Aging Life Care Month - What is a Care Manager?

Find Out More During Aging Life Care Month!

A commonly asked question answered in our blog today! This seemed to be appropriate timing since May is Aging Life Care Month!

Simply put Care Management is a holistic, client-centered approach to caring for individuals facing ongoing health challenges. Individuals with many chronic or complex conditions such as cognitive impairment, Dementia, Parkinson's, POTS, EDS, Diabetes, Cancer, MS, Transplant patients, and other complex conditions often benefit from having a care manager.

Care management is a discipline intended to improve patient care, outcomes, quality of life, and reduce the need for unnecessary medical services by enhancing coordination of care, fostering communication, eliminating duplication and error, reducing costs, and assisting patients and caregivers to more effectively manage health conditions based on their expressed wishes.

Care Managers are health and human services specialists who provide guidance, support, and medical advocacy, serving as a trusted resource for families caring for an older or disabled adult. Their guidance leads families to the actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal quality of life for those they love, thus reducing worry, stress, providing respite, and reducing time off from work for caregivers.

RN Care Managers have a wealth of knowledge and experience. These skills enable them to advocate, support, and guide individuals in effectively navigating the many complexities of the health care system. Care Managers are experts in their field who have the knowledge, skills, abilities, and expertise to provide guidance and medical advocacy when needed. Care management varies and is different for each client focusing on their holistic needs in accordance with their expressed wishes. Care managers have the answers during times of uncertainty and crisis and help aging adults plan for health and age-related challenges.

Care managers are experts across 8 core areas - as outlined below. We have extensive knowledge relating costs and cost containment, quality of care interventions, covered services, entitlements and resources across many areas.

Care managers who are members of the Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA), must meet stringent education, experience, and certification requirements of the organization, and all members are required to adhere to a strict code of ethics and standards of practice.

For more information on care management see the Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) the governing body for care managers - https://www.aginglifecare.org//

Search for Advanced Practice members on ALCA to get the best of care support!