Geriatric Care

Here's a real life situation I was faced with:


I was referred to a person who was caring for her husband who had early-onset Alzheimer's. He was being obstinate and aggressive, and she was concerned for her safety and for the safety of the home health aides. She didn't know what to do or where to turn. I moved into crisis management mode and began making calls to find a memory care facility that would accept an aggressive Alzheimer's patient, the day before New Year's Eve.

We ultimately found a memory care facility that was close in proximity. I coordinated with the social worker at the local hospital so that they would be prepared for him to come in via the emergency room for evaluation and safety concerns. I then had to speak with my client, who was in a very fragile state, to let her know that we were contacting the police to have her husband transferred to the hospital via ambulance.   When we called, the police asked if my client had a POA , as one is required to make decisions on his behalf.

This was a very stressful time for my client. Her husband of almost 40 years was, understandably, oppositional and confused. I advised that we call to get an ambulance to the house ASAP. It wasn't easy to call the police, to have them come to the house with an ambulance to forcibly remove her husband. But she knew that this had to be done for her own safety, for her aide's safety and for her husband's own safety. 


Much of the work I do begins with crisis management and/or damage control. This was an urgent matter that needed to be addressed with a clear head. Sometimes, when you're that close and in dire straits, it becomes necessary to seek out an objective professional to help.


What would you do? How would you handle this situation? 


During these moments of crisis and heightened emotions, we will provide you with practical solutions to help you answer the "what do I do when..." questions.

What's the difference?  Daily Money Manager vs. Geriatric Care Manager

As a Daily Money Manager (DMM), I work with Geriatric Care Managers (GCM) to help seniors and their adult children. But what’s the difference? The primary difference between GCM’s and DMM’s is that a GCM deals with the implementation and execution of a senior’s care plan. This could include visiting the home or nursing facility to check on their health, If the senior needs a primary care doctor, specialist, or another type of medical professional, the geriatric care manager can select the personnel for the senior. Through their support and counseling, they can ensure the senior has someone to talk to about the issues that may bother them. A geriatric care manager can schedule doctor’s appointments, transportation for the senior, and other services and care for the senior needs.


A DMM deals with the financial caregiving aspect of an individual, i.e. bill paying, account reconciliation, general banking, insurance matters, legal issues, tax matters and other financial obligations, including communication and coordination with various professionals.  A GCM might refer the family to a DMM to handle those tasks, while a DMM might refer the family to a GCM to handle the more healthcare-related tasks.  We work together as pieces of the "care puzzle".

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