A NEW SERVICE: GERIATRIC CARE MANAGEMENT
Courtesy Prairie Rose Care Management, Linn County LIVING WELL Magazine
Prairie Rose Care Management is a geriatric care management practice serving Linn and Johnson Counties. Geriatric care management is a new service serving the private pay clients who are not eligible for a Medicaid case worker but need the support and assistance of a professional for resources, service and counseling.
Geriatric care managers (GCM) advocate for and serve the older adult and their families by overseeing and managing their care over the long term. A comprehensive assessment is completed to understand the wishes and evaluate the needs of the older adult in order to find the best resources and services for each individual. At Prairie Rose Care Management, we advocate for the older adult with professionals such as doctors, lawyers or financial planners. We assist families by relieving stress, communicating with them when they are out of the area and acting as a compassionate yet experienced extended family member. Our goal at Prairie Rose Care Management is to ensure the rights, safety, health and independence of the older adult along with supporting their family.
A well-known doctor and author of the book, Slow Medicine, Dennis McCullough, MD describes the essence of what geriatric care management is to older adults and professionals by stating:
“Extended relationships which engender trust through proven commitments to ‘be there’ is one of the losses of greatest impact for elders, who need to be understood in depth and over time. This aspect of the work of the geriatric care managers is ‘bedrock’ to your profession and a special gift to your clients and their families.”
If you wish to contact a geriatric care manager and want to be ensured that you are working with a professional geriatric care manager, look for the following criteria:
- Is a specialist who has earned a master’s degree in the field of counseling, gerontology, nursing or social work
- Has multiple years of experience working with the older adult
- Is a member of The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
- Is a certified care manager (CMC).
For additional information, contact Chris Bangtson, owner of Prairie Rose Care Management at 319-541-7057, or chris@PrairieRoseCare.com.
