What should caregivers in Yakima know about the rate of elder abuse in the state?
Nobody wants to think about a senior they care about losing everything they have to a scammer, but it’s an unfortunate reality for many older adults. Senior citizens can be both lonely and naive, making them ideal targets. The following statistics compare the number of elder abuse cases reported in Washington to the expected number derived from extrapolating its senior population:
Both of these numbers likely underestimate the problem since cases of elder abuse are frequently unreported. A Yakima care manager can help protect your loved one’s assets by sharing tips to avoid fraud, monitoring their bank accounts, and taking action if your senior is targeted. Of course, you should always report any suspicious financial transactions to the pertinent authorities if you notice a potential issue.
What services do geriatric care managers in Yakima provide?
A geriatric care manager in Yakima, Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland generally doesn’t provide hands-on care, so some question what type of services they provide. Others may never have heard of a GCM. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) provides the following list of services that a GCM may be asked to perform:
- Crisis management (for crises like emergency hospitalization)
- Coordinate medical services
- Filling in for family caregivers at doctor appointments
- Make home visits and suggest needed services
- Locating community resources
- Moderating or solving family disputes
While not “hands-on,” all of these services can dramatically improve your older adult’s quality of life. Many of these services are also broad enough to encompass multiple use cases. For instance, “coordinate medical services” includes everything from ensuring your loved one’s doctors are communicating to monitoring what drugs they’re taking to prevent adverse reactions.
How can I find a high-quality, compassionate geriatric care manager in Yakima?
Choosing a Yakima care manager boils down to identifying your loved one’s needs and finding a candidate who can adequately address them. If your senior has a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, you want a GCM who has experience coordinating care around that condition. All GCMs require outstanding communication skills, so ask for referrals or conduct interviews to make sure that every candidate on your shortlist possesses them. We also recommend involving your loved one in the research process as much as possible to ensure that they get along with the candidate you choose.
Cost is another common sticking point since health insurance usually won’t pay for GCM services. Make sure that you know what your loved one will have to pay and whether they can afford it before committing to anything. Our comprehensive guide to finding a geriatric care manager provides more info, so bookmark it for future reference.
Yakima’s best geriatric care managers
A GCM could have a noticeable impact on your senior’s life even if they don’t provide hands-on care, so don’t assume that your loved one couldn’t benefit from it without doing your research first. Whether it’s the peace of mind that comes from knowing your older adult is prepared for a crisis or knowing that their physicians are in constant communication, the advantages are numerous. Seasons provides free Yakima geriatric care manager resources to get you started.
