If you’re new to the world of elder care, the concept can seem both fuzzy and overwhelming. From nursing facilities to home health aides, there are many options to consider, and understanding all your choices can be challenging.
At Caresultants, our goal is to make every part of the process easier for you—including this part, the initial research. We wrote this brief guide to help you understand exactly what we offer and how we can help you navigate the years ahead.
The initial consultation.
The relationship between Caresultants and your family starts with a conversation. You’ll speak directly with a Caresultant, so we can learn more about you and what you need. You are welcome to invite siblings or other close family members to this conversation. But if you prefer to keep it private at first and speak with a Caresultant on your own, we will gladly honor that—and keep it confidential.
After that, we’ll schedule a second conversation with the rest of the family, such as your spouse, your siblings, their spouses, or anyone else who may play a role in the caring process.
The in-person assessment.
Once we’ve had a chance to chat, we’ll schedule an in-person visit to meet the client. It’s very important for us to establish a connection with that person as soon as possible. We need their buy-in to do our best work.
We do a lot of important work during this in-person visit, including:
An in-depth assessment of the home. We look for things like tripping hazards and safety features, such as grab bars in the shower.
An assessment of your loved one’s mental state. This may include their memory, their problem-solving abilities, their ability to focus, and other important skills.
Your loved one’s medical history. We’ll ask you and your loved one a lot of questions and review recent medical situations. Our goal is to walk away with a fairly comprehensive understanding of whats needed and what is the current status.
We review everything through both a present-day and a proactive lens. Our goal is to meet your current needs and prepare you for what may be ahead.
The plan of care.
The Caresultant will use the information gathered during the assessment to develop a plan of care.
Every plan of care will look different, since the needs of each individual can vary significantly. It’s also important to be aware that the plan of care can seem quite overwhelming at first. That’s why we always specify the must-haves up front. This makes it much easier for you to prioritize your action steps.
Must-haves may include:
Installing grab bars in the shower or elsewhere in the bathroom.
Installing electric alarms on the doors and windows (this is primarily for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia).
Purchasing a “medical alert” button or device.
Moving the elderly person’s sleeping quarters to the main floor (this is primarily for people who can no longer safely use stairs).
Executing the plan of care: Your options.
Once you have received your plan of care from Caresultants, you have a few different choices available to you. You can retain Caresultants to execute the plan, but you are not obligated to do so. We design our plans of care to ensure that any elder care specialist can understand and execute it, so you can certainly hire someone else. You can also choose to handle it yourself.
That being said, we’re elder care experts, and we know how families often feel at this stage. You’re likely to take one look at that care plan and think, Oh my goodness, there is so much to do. It can be profoundly overwhelming to take on the responsibility of fulfilling the physical, medical, emotional, mental, environmental, and spiritual needs of an elderly person.
This is exactly what Caresultants does best: We relieve you of that overwhelm.
We can take just about everything off your plate—and you can trust us to do it well. We don’t cut corners, and we don’t compromise on quality of care.
Here’s just a sampling of what we can do:
Help you understand insurance and secondary insurance.
Manage bills and payments.
Schedule appointments and follow-ups with doctors, specialists, and other healthcare providers.
Escort your loved one to appointments and keep detailed notes.
Manage prescriptions, medications, and refills.
Keep close watch on mental state and make recommendations regarding next steps for advanced care.
Arrange daily living services, such as meal prep, laundry, and errands, and oversee care for the home.
Hire, coordinate, and manage care providers, including companions and home health services.
Communicate with you and the family.
There’s no need to worry about your loved one being “handed off” to someone who doesn’t know them—or you. At Caresultants, we don’t do transactional. Our goal is to build a strong, trusting, long-term relationship with you. Every element of your care plan is handled by your designated care team. They will always be there for you when you have questions or need to talk.
Because we prioritize lasting relationships, you can trust that your loved one is regularly being seen by people who know them well and will notice any changes that need addressing. Caresultants will be by your side to help you navigate every step of the aging process, including big transitions, hard conversations, and upsetting news. Elder care can span many years, and we’re in it with you for as long as you need and want us.
Get started with Caresultants.
If you have an aging loved one and you’re curious about whether Caresultants is the right fit for your family, schedule a free, no-strings-attached conversation with us. You can ask us anything you want and learn more about how we can help you handle the years ahead.
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