Lisa Conway – FLORIDA TODAY
Q: How does care management help seniors and their families?
A: The care management concept is sometimes hard for people to grasp, because care managers do so many different things. Some may be nurses, contracted by Medicare to assist physicians with chronic care patients. Or they may be hospital social workers, case managers or inpatient discharge planners. Below, I’ll discuss care management as it pertains to support, advocacy and education for seniors and their families.
Some of my friends refer to me as a “professional granddaughter.” That always makes me smile – because well, it’s true! First and foremost, a care manager cares. 
They provide support through numerous actions related to their client’s safety and well-being.
To illustrate, here’s a real story from a few years ago: A local couple had two adult sons who lived up north. One of the sons called, frantic to find someone who could turn off the gas supply to a stove. Obviously, this raised more questions. Their “story” went a little like this: Dad was admitted to the hospital with an upper respiratory infection that turned out to be Covid. Mom was at home. A neighbor called to say that the smoke detector went off when mom tried to reheat French fries. The sons were planning to fly down in the days ahead, but they needed help now to ensure their mother’s safety.
As a Certified Care Manager, I was able to go into the home and perform a safety assessment—and shut off the gas supply to the stove. It was apparent that mom was suffering from cognitive impairment and should not be left alone. So, I arranged for caregivers to stay in the home until her sons arrived.
Working with the sons, I developed a detailed care plan for mom. Then, unfortunately, their father passed away. By this time, it was clear that dad had been mom’s caregiver for quite some time –and had downplayed her level of cognitive decline. The out-of-state sons asked for help finding an appropriate local care establishment for their mother. They needed help with all kinds of loose ends after their father’s death – plus assistance preparing the family home for sale. Long after the sons left, I continued to watch over their mother, keeping the family informed and serving as a communication link between healthcare providers and the assisted living community.
This is just one story about care management. To learn more, join me and my team of Care Managers for Senior Health Friday, tomorrow at One Senior Place in Viera. Call 321-751-6771 to RSVP.
Lisa Conway is a Registered Nurse, Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Care Manager for One Senior Place Care Management, Viera. Ms. Conway hosts a monthly seminar, ‘Senior Health Friday with Nurse Lisa.’ One Senior Place is a marketplace for resources and provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their families. Submit your questions to AskOSP@OneSeniorPlace.com. For immediate help, call 321-751-6771 or visit One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging.
