Geriatric Care Team

Every family caregiver needs a team of people to help put their care plan into action. A well-rounded roster of friends, family members and elder care professionals can help you provide quality care and avoid caregiver burnout.

When looking for a caregiver, don’t focus solely on training and credentials. Including these five important attributes in your selection criteria will help ensure you hire a compassionate, experienced in-home care aide.

Physicians are in increasingly short supply, so patients often spend more time with physician assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) during appointments. How do these health care providers compare to each other?

Specialized training enables in-home caregivers to notice and act on important changes in a senior’s health. Personal care aides, home health aides and nurses can serve as the eyes and ears for family who cannot personally provide full-time care.

Family caregivers can't do everything on their own. Putting together a care team that includes doctors, family, neighbors, friends, and even outsiders can help a caregiver provide better care, build a network of support and avoid burnout.

Interviewing home care agencies can help you determine which provider best fits your loved one’s needs. Start with these 25 questions.

Learn how to discuss long-term care planning, form an elder care team, create a printable daily care plan, and find the support you need to implement a successful caregiving strategy.

An elder care plan can be a scheduling tool, an informal agreement with an aging loved one, or a formal contract used to coordinate payment for care services. Learn how to create a plan of care that will help you stay focused and organized.

Once a geriatric care plan has been established, it should be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure its continued effectiveness for the senior, their primary caregiver, and other members of the care team.

Many older adults take several prescription drugs each day, resulting in complicated medication regimens. Learn how pharmacists can make medication management easier for seniors and their caregivers.

What is a geriatric psychiatrist and how can they help caregivers and seniors? Caring for older adults requires a special understanding of their physical, social, and mental health needs.

When a spouse becomes a family caregiver for an aging or ill loved one, it can affect the marital relationship. As you brave this adjustment together, use these tips to show your husband or wife what you’re made of and how much your marriage means to you.

More than any other medical professionals, nurses spend the most time providing hands-on care for patients and interacting with family caregivers. Here’s a list of six elder care insights that nurses share with family members who are new to caregiving.

Use these tips to connect with the nurses caring for your loved one and show your appreciation and respect for their hard work.

When moving into a skilled nursing facility the care team can be confusing for seniors and their family members. Learn who on the staff you should get to know and who's responsible for which aspects of senior care.

Confusion often arises surrounding use of the term “skilled nursing.” Understanding the terminology used in the long-term care industry is an important first step in determining viable care options for an aging loved one.

Whether caregiving has slowly crept into your daily life or you’re suddenly facing difficult decisions following a serious health scare, use these pointers as a guide for caring for an elderly parent.

When becoming a new caregiver for an aging parent it can be difficult to know where to start. A comprehensive health assessment can help you make care decisions moving forward.

As a caregiver, you may wonder if it’s time to add a geriatrician to an aging loved one’s care team. Any senior can benefit from a geriatric physician, but this decision depends on an elder’s unique healthcare needs.

Once you've successfully taken the steps to get a dementia patient to go to the doctor, use the following tips to have an efficient, effective doctor's appointment.