The medical/healthcare system has been getting more complex for everyone. Adding to this complexity are all of the new mandates included in Obamacare, which serve to only make our healthcare system more confusing, convoluted, and legally questionable.
One thing’s for certain: Obamacare does not benefit any one over the age of sixty.
Every day more MD’s are refusing to accept Medicare, thus nearly eliminating access to MDs, let alone the regular visits needed by many.
Long term insurance policies, Medicare supplemental insurance options and Medicare Part D are all getting more confusing for those trying to ascertain which benefits they really have.
Finally, critical medication shortages are plaguing community pharmacies and hospitals, leading to unacceptable delays for many who need them.
What does this mean for someone who is elderly, disabled or suffers from dementia? How do they begin to make sense of this mess and get the care and treatments they need?
c/o Rep. Brady (R-TX) and Sen. Brownback (R-KS)
Enter the Geriatric Care Manager (GCM). Typically an experienced Registered Nurse with home health experience, the GCM is the person to hire to alleviate the stress of navigating the healthcare system.
A GCM is not an entirely new concept, but rather one that has developed over the past 12 years. As the healthcare system becomes more complex, the demand for GCM’s has increased accordingly.
Imagine an 80+ year old client that faces the prospect of having no regular MD and cannot get themselves to the pharmacy or complete errands. Now imagine that this individual has hearing, vision, mobility and memory issues. These are the people our increasingly complex healthcare system is leaving behind.
A GCM offers quality, individualized assessments, customized care plans, and care coordination to ensure appropriate care is administered that is unique to each individual.
A GCM can offer the following services:
- Assistance in getting to medical appointments
- Support for shopping and socialization
- Healthcare advocacy to ensure the right care and benefits are received
- Relocation and alternate living assistance
- Home modification and medical equipment assistance to ensure a safer living environment.
When family members live a long distance from their loved one, the services of a GCM can bridge this gap by managing and observing the care received on a regular basis. The GCM can also review their benefits and conduct an Insurance Policy Review.
The transient nature of our society means the days when family members are directly responsible for the care of their extended families are in the past. The Geriatric Care Manager’s role has expanded and covers more services, and serves individuals and families for acute and chronic conditions, produces referrals for elder law attorneys, physicians, Adult Protection Services Guardians, powers of attorney, discharge planners at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, assisted living communities and hospice care.
One thing’s for certain, our healthcare system is not getting any simpler to navigate. The Geriatric Care Manager is stepping in to serve as a healthcare advocate when people need it the most.