You won’t be involved in the search for senior care for very long before you start to hear the term “care manager” tossed around from time to time.
So what exactly is a care manager? Do you or an older loved one qualify for this type of service? What is the cost of such a service?
A care manager is a social worker that helps individuals with advanced needs coordinate and manage all of the different services that they may receive. They are an advocate for the person that they work with, helping them to get the services and medical attention that they need. This is a very similar mission to other senior care services. They are there to ensure that your loved one is getting the best, all while taking some of the load off your shoulders.
Care management occurs both for children and adults. In most states, there are medical qualifiers that an individual must have before they are eligible for this type of care. The general rule is that there must be two chronic illnesses, a severe emotional disturbance, or some sort of medical frailty. HIV or AIDS are also counted as qualifying conditions in some states. Many seniors fall into this category. Their family would likely see a huge burden taken off of their shoulders by having someone helping to coordinate care and services.
If you qualify for Medicaid services, a care manager comes at no cost to you. Studies have found that although care managers provide an intensive service for their clientele, the cost of paying a care manager is much less than it would be if medical or mental health issues were left unchecked. This goes for both children and adults. It is much cheaper for a state to pick up these costs than it is for them to cover hospital bills.
Think of it as a central hub where all care arrangements meet. The care manager balances appointments, services, and providers. Although you are more than likely able to do these things for your loved one, it does take a lot of energy and time to coordinate these things.
If you think that this is a service that might be helpful for your family, reaching out to a representative at your insurance company to see if this is available for your situation is a good place to start. Your insurance rep will quickly be able to tell you whether or not this is a service available to you or a loved one and help walk you through the referral process. Most areas of the country have multiple agencies that are able to provide this service in any one area, so you should have plenty of options for care.
A care manager and senior care can coexist quite nicely, in most cases. Residential facilities often even have their own in-house care manager that can take over the coordination of services when the senior moves in. The goal is to ensure that the person in need has everything necessary to stay happy and healthy. In this respect, a care manager is fighting the same fight as the rest of your loved one’s team members.
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