Old age tends to do a number on most people. For instance, you walk into a room and can’t quite figure out why you’re there – if you’re lucky, you might remember way later! Sounds embarrassing, right? Well, that’s aging for you. Besides such memory lapses, other reasons may compel you to scope out potential elder care facilities for a loved one.
To streamline your search, you may consider working with an elder care coordinator. Ideally, by providing the best elder life care center by Burzynski Elder Law, we can ensure old timers have a great chance of leading the life they’ve always envisioned. But how can such a coordinator help you? Let’s examine what such a professional can do for you. First, though…
What Is an Elder Care Coordinator?
Basically, this is a professional whose role is to assist the elderly continue enjoying a high quality of life despite their age. They could be a nurse, social worker, or counselor. Their role typically involves:
1. Conducting A Home Assessment
Let’s assume you opt to engage a law firm offering life care planning services. An elder-care coordinator from such a firm can assess the elder’s current living arrangement. This may entail visiting their home to establish whether their living environment is conducive – in terms of safety, capacity, or a family’s ability to support them.
Once they gather the relevant information, the coordinator can determine the type of care the older adult needs. By looking for ways to offer in-home help, such a professional can help reduce the strain on caregivers. It might also be a good time to evaluate alternative care options in light of the assessment, including whether the family can afford them.
2. Assistance with Medical and Legal Documentation
The elderly often contend with a lot of paperwork, especially if they’re dealing with chronic illnesses. An elder care coordinator can review such documentation to establish whether everything is in order. This might entail looking at aspects such as:
- Insurance policies
- Medicare coverage
- Advance directives – if they can’t decide for themselves.
The coordinator might also liaise with the elder’s doctor to ensure they’re up-to-date with their medical records and medications. This is particularly crucial if the elderly citizen is dealing with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
3. Acting as a Family Advocate
Elder care coordinators understand the challenges of caring for an older person. They can help your family navigate through such issues while also providing support. For instance, they might provide referrals to support groups or counseling services. The coordinator might also be a sounding board when making decisions about the elder’s care. Along the same lines, they can also offer advice on how to deal with conflict within the family.
Such a professional may also field questions from family members. Plus, they can show caregivers the ropes, helping them learn the best ways to advocate for their loved ones. For instance, if you’re planning to attend a care conference organized by a nursing home, you might not know what to ask. A coordinator can attend the meeting with you, offer you the support you need, and provide clarity where necessary.
4. Coordinating Elder Care Services
The coordinator can also help you find and harmonize the various services your loved one needs. Case in point, they can look for in-home health aides or arrange for transportation to and from doctor’s appointments. They may also play a leading role in ensuring your loved one receives the necessary home modifications, like installing a wheelchair ramp.
5. Facilitating the Transition
If you can’t meet your loved one’s needs at home, a coordinator can help them transition to a long-term care facility. For starters, they can visit different nursing homes to find one that meets the elder’s needs, such as facilities with specialties in caring for people with dementia.
The coordinator can also help with the admittance process. This includes completing the necessary paperwork and notifying the nursing home of the senior citizen’s arrival. Similarly, they can help with the discharge process if the senior leaves a facility.
By and large, an elder care coordinator can help make things easier for you and your family as you go about caring for an elderly loved one. And by having such an ally, you’re better poised to handle the challenges you’re likely to face. Such professionals know what to do or the right person to call to handle a care-related issue. In short, soliciting their assistance implies making a concerted effort to ensure the well-being of your loved one.