Elder care management is the professional support, planning, and coordination of seniors’ lives. In some cases, it also refers to the lives of younger, disabled individuals.
Elder care management involves providing mental, emotional, and physical support. This ensures seniors’ needs are met organically, and without frustration.
For many elderly people, even the simplest tasks require a bit of help. Those in elder care management roles are there to happily provide that assistance. Family members and loved ones are often either under-equipped to fulfill the needs of a senior, or simply lack the time or energy to do so.
This is why good elder care management is so important. Caregivers are there to give support round-the-clock, in whatever way is needed at the time. They make sure that anyone in their care continues to feel as comfortable, happy, and relaxed as possible.
The Role of Elder Care Management Professionals
Those working in elder care management are trained professionals who understand the basic needs and requirements of supporting a senior individual.
Geriatric nurses are different from regular nurses. They’re educated on the complex nature of old age and all the potential struggles and challenges that may come with it. In addition to having experience in first-aid and physical care, they’re trained to recognize any mental or psychological struggles that require treatment.
A big part of elder care management is improving quality of life and enabling seniors to feel content and fulfilled in their last years.
Many elderly people struggle to let go of the past or find themselves feeling anxious about the future. But geriatric nurses know exactly how to soothe these emotional distresses.
Those working in elder care management may also take on the role of running errands for the seniors they look after.
All in all, elder care management fills a parental role to ensure that every need a senior has is met with efficiency, understanding, and a smile.
What Do Elderly Caregivers Do?
There are a multitude of different roles and tasks that an elderly caregiver is responsible for fulfilling.
From making sure seniors take their medication on time to arranging access to certain resources, those working in elderly care think of just about everything, including:
- Regularly discussing health status and concerns (such as incontinence, falls, sleep behavior, and appetite)
- Medication organization and consumption
- Providing trained geriatric massage
- Running errands (such as grocery shopping, email admin, booking doctor’s appointments)
- Seeking out resources or information relevant to the client (such as wheelchair rental or dietary changes)
- Gaining a deep understanding of their client’s medical conditions and personal needs
- Making conversation and providing clients with comfort or socialization when they want it
- Acting as a communication channel between elderly people and their families
Many elderly people have medical conditions that do not require hospitalization. But they do require regular medication or exercises to remain healthy.
Geriatric nurses try to help their clients as much as possible, all while allowing them to maintain a sense of independence.
The Five Benefits Of High-Quality Elder Care Management
Elderly caregivers provide monumental support for both seniors and their families. By taking on the responsibility of tending to an elderly person’s needs, caregivers alleviate some of the pressure felt by family members and friends to provide support 24/7.
Having a trained and reliable elderly caregiver look after yourself or your loved one comes with a number of benefits that have tangible impact and meaning.
These benefits include:
- Reduced number of accidents
Thanks to the attentive eyes of an elderly caregiver, many accidents or falls may be avoided. Many seniors get confused about medication doses, timing, or instructions for rest. However, with a full-time caregiver, there is a much smaller risk of mistakes like that occurring.
- Promotes senior socialization
Many seniors struggle with feeling abandoned or isolated when moving into a new home or care facility. Some of them are mourning the loss of a spouse or friend and are in desperate need of socialization. Even just having someone check in on them a few times a day can help seniors feel seen, and provide them with an opportunity to connect and have a conversation.
- Removes pressure for families
Watching parents grow older can be a stressful affair. Especially if you are raising a family of your own. Many seniors require daily intensive care and support, and not everyone is equipped to handle this.
Elderly caregivers take the pressure off family members or partners that are struggling to stretch their time and energy, and help everyone to feel more relaxed.
- Provides customization options
There is always so much to do in an old-age facility, and customized care is not always practical. But with an elderly caregiver, seniors can get more direct attention and experience the many benefits of personalized attention. This is especially important if a senior has physical challenges that require the use of a specialized wheelchair, or if they suffer from an illness that requires specific treatment and care.
- Improves quality of life
Overall, the role of a caregiver is to make elderly people’s lives as comfortable as possible.
Many seniors find themselves feeling depressed or lonely when separated from their families. Elder care management is all about improving quality of life and providing comfort—be it mental, emotional, or physical—wherever possible.
Elder Care Management in the US
As it stands, elder care management programs have been more broadly adopted over the past ten years. This is in light of US healthcare systems aiming to embrace a better package of services provided to seniors. Particularly for those with frail, complex, or chronically ill conditions.
The value that elderly care adds to American families is immeasurable. According to a 2020 report, 1 in every 5 Americans are caregivers, making up 21.3% of the population as a whole.
Caregivers play an invaluable role in both US and global healthcare systems. It is through their support that seniors can transition smoothly and comfortably into their old age.
From performing the complex and grueling duties of a professional nurse to simply being a kind set of eyes and ears, those in elder care management roles provide comfort, safety, and support in ways that nobody else can. They’re there to make the golden years exactly that.