Charlotte’s Blog

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Becoming Educated about Elder Resources

Making decisions on behalf of a loved one is not always easy.  Yet the challenge can be eased with information.  The most common questions I get as a geriatric care manager revolve around:

1. What should a caregiver do to address their loved one’s need?

2. How does a caregiver make choices among alternatives to help their loved one?

To help with both of these decisions there are a good many free resources available to everyone.  Your older family member or someone else with special needs may be in Chicago and you may live in Nashville, but you can get good information from all your own nearby healthcare providers, legal advisers, financial consultants, or other experts.  These individuals should be able to direct you to their own national member organizations or associates they personally know in another city.  Local hospital discharge planners can be very helpful, because it is their job to get at least medical help for individuals who are preparing to return to their homes after a hospital stay.  Just remember that their job ends at the hospital door for discharged patients, so they do have limitations. 

You can also do in-home research at the click of your mouse.  I have found a web site called senior citizen’s guide to be really helpful.  It has city by city listings of health, housing, services, and activities by most major metropolitan areas.  Even if your loved one is in a smaller community miles away, one of these metropolitan centers can be very helpful starting places in directing you to allied services within your target geography.  Just contact them.  Or contact a local public library, and ask for the reference librarian.

Here are some WEB resources to start:

AARP

Senior Options

Eldercare Web

National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers

You will find some others on our CCM Resources page

Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Case Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families throughout metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to Charlotte Bishop.,geriatric care manager Chicago,geriatric care Chicago

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