Can folks comment on experience with using a Geriatric care manager and/or case manager, particularly with difficult parent?
I can see how an elderly parent with dementia who "goes with the flow" and is easy going, might have great results with a care manager, and that may help the adult children/ POA's out a lot!
While I'm ok with scheduling Doctors appointments and such, it does start to get overwhelming to juggle, and communicating that to the AL and my dad and making sure he gets to the right place at the right time is not easy on top of a full time job and my own nuclear family. I sure could use some help with that kind of stuff. On the other hand, if they have to be the direct contacts with him, I'm worried that he wont want to deal with another "middle person" and would it end up being just another person he will "fire" and a waste of time ?
I'm now in the same spot you're asking about so don't have direct experience with that yet. After months (actually, 15 years, since my mom died), I have been the buffer, especially when Dad's in a healthcare setting. I've done it mainly for the reasons you've listed - Dad can be quite difficult, non-compliant and argumentative at times. To be fair, he also doesn't hear well and his processing capabilities have changed. I've been worried that asking the GCM to take on more, and be that buffer, would just end up making it more difficult and time-consuming for me. That said, she is coming to visit us today, and I committed to my support group last night that I will ask her to step in more. We have in-home caregivers coming for Dad and I'm over managing that scheduling merry-go-round plus Dad's "feedback" about whoever is here. We are also likely nearing the end of Dad's life based on his non-eating and his chronic conditions; we have a hospice referral request into his PCP. If not now, when?! I don't want our remaining time to be fraught with unnecessary tension every other day. I'm also beyond sure that I have done my share and then some. I really don't need to "protect" others from his difficult behaviors anymore. He's still competent and he can take responsibility for himself in that regard (or not).
Looking forward to what you decide, and to what others have to share from their experience.
I did homecare for a long time. Some of my cases where I was private-duty it was also part of my job to manage doctor's appointments, get the other aides paid, and pretty much everything else along with their care needs and meds.
Of course I charged a fortune for all of this but it was far less than what it would have cost to hire individual people for separately for care, management, etc...
Why not hire a private-duty aide? Look on a caregiver website and hire someone a certain number of hours a week. An 'aide' doesn't always have to mean just personal care and companionship. It can mean management too. Pay high and you'll get someone who will manage what your parents need. It will still cost less than a geriatric care manager. Unless of course they can get that from the state. My private clients or their POA's signed paperwork with their doctor's offices so they could talk to me because I was the one there and it made sense.
If you hire one person working for you, the appointments get scheduled during their work hours. The errands and anything else do too.
A geriatric care manager is not going to work exclusively for you. They are going to assign the tasks to their people who are hired to work for them.
If I were you, I'd hire a private person and eliminate paying a middle man.
A neighbor used one to help her sister find a facility that could accept her with morbid obesity with a hoyer lift that could support her weight. Her sister was an hour away with no place to accept her in a desired location. It turned out that moving sis across the the border in another state yet much closer to home had more choices.
I have often wondered about people's experience of this.
My brother's ex had a fiduciary who (5 years ago) was 90.00 an hour and I suspect now would likely to the rate you mentioned. He was EXCELLENT and did everything from bills, to phones to placement. Really EVERYTHING. He has since retired, is now a casual acquaintance type of friend. But D. could not have survived without his excellent care and guidance.
I am glad of your input.
Some are state/county employees perhaps.
Some are independent/work privately.
Do find out how / if they are certified or have a license to practice.
Alternatively, you could consider hiring a person (like me) who is an independent and is not a social worker. It depends on your needs.
Always ask for references whoever you consider hiring.
Gena / Touch Matters
I have heard of some similar managers with rates around $200 an hour for all work time..... It sure does seem like that would add up
https://www.aginglifecare.org/ALCAWEB/ALCAWEB/Default.aspx
So I'm back to thinking about Geriatric Care Manager. I spoke with one or two options. While it would be good to have backup when I'm out of town and if a medical emergency comes up, and someone else who can drive to a medical appointment and still update me and other doctors on what was said, but yet, 'm still not sure if it will work with a difficult and stubborn parent such as my dad. I'm not sure if he will even accept a GCM in their role, and allow them to participate as they intend.
Any further thoughts in this scenario?
on the one hand, I could try it out, spend some money and see how it goes, at risk of it being a waste.......