The term geriatric care includes a wide mix of services that assist the elderly community and help them live a comfortable and independent life. The core of geriatric care is efficient and customized medical care for the elderly at home, hospital, or nursing home to prevent and treat diseases and disabilities common in old age. It also involves elder home care services via Telemedicine.

Services provided under elderly care –

• Helping the elderly with their daily activities
• Providing occupational therapy
• Offering comfort with the services like a comfortable bed and a cleanroom
• Helping them in maintaining general hygiene
• Looking after their vision, auditory and dental aids
• Preventing risks of injuries and accidents by ensuring safety
• Ensuring nutritious meals and adequate sleep
• Helping them with their daily exercise
• Taking them for physical check-ups
• Monitoring the changes in their body and mind

Who is a geriatric care manager?

This care is usually provided and monitored by a geriatric care manager, who is a professional providing the services to the elderly adults. A geriatric care manager can be a nurse, a gerontologist, a family doctor/GP, a counselor, or some other care-providing professional. These managers are specially trained and certified to offer the services. If the elderly members of your family need special services, a geriatric care manager (GCM) may be of help. You can also contact a geriatric care manager for elder home care services via Telemedicine.

Here are some of the common services provided by Geriatric Care Managers –

1. Social, and healthcare needs of the elderly

Care and services offered by a geriatric care manager can help address the complete social, emotional, physical, and healthcare needs of your aged loved ones. That could be very helpful for someone with existing health conditions like dementia or ones that restrict movement. Such a professional service provider can help your elderly and infirm loved-ones cope with their challenges. They can also help family members make informed decisions about issues related to aging, for instance, deciding on whether to seek long-term care at home, in an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. You can also talk to a geriatric care manager about home care services for the elderly via Telemedicine.

2. In-person assessment

A geriatric care manager conducts a thorough assessment to understand the service requirements, customize the service plans, and provide services specifically to meet the needs.  In doing the assessment they often take interviews to ask questions about your loved one’s health and existing situation. Questions may include the everyday activities of the member, nutritional status, safety, memory, depression, finances, insurance, health history, and others.

3. They make a care plan

Depending on the responses to the interview questions, the manager will make plans and recommendations about providing necessary care. The manager will also elaborate on the details of the plan, the reasons behind the recommendations, and what services will be provided. You can also hold discussions on home care services for the elderly via Telemedicine.

Also read: Benefits of Geriatric Care for Elderly People’s Health

4. They arrange services

Once you approve the plan, the manager will customize it according to the needs identified in the care plan. Some of the services offered and arranged by a geriatric care manager are:

• Crisis intervention
• Counseling
• Referrals
• Decisions regarding appropriate care and treatment options
• Assistance with the relocation of the older adults
• Serving as a link to families at a distance
• Ensuring safety and well-being of the elderly adults and informing families about problems, if any

5. They monitor needs

Services provided through elderly care often need regular monitoring and frequent evaluations to make any necessary changes and adjustments. It is the responsibility of the geriatric care manager to monitor your loved ones’ conditions and their ability to function. Regular monitoring improves the elderly members’ quality of life and helps them live without worry. Today you can also opt for home care services for the elderly via Telemedicine.

Questions to ask before appointing a geriatric care manager

All geriatric care managers might not have specializations in all aspects of elderly care. This is why it is important to check whether the manager is experienced in dealing with your specific needs, before appointing one.

Also read: 11 Commonly Asked Questions About Elderly Care – DocGenie

DocGenie is an online telemedicine platform that provides you with quality healthcare from the comfort of your own space. On DocGenie, you can book an online consultation with highly qualified doctors as well as book lab tests for home collection.