Friday, July 19, 2013

Who Do You Call When You Need Help With Aging Parents?

 Senior Care Connections

Senior care services are popping up everywhere as the aging population is growing and growing.
Baby boomers are learning the lingo when looking online for people to help them with caring for elderly parents. You will find such terms as "Geriatric care managers", "Senior case managers", "Senior care consultants" "Eldercare advisors" and plenty more phrases to plow through.

The Aging Biz Is Now Very Popular

Meet Sheri of MY SENIOR CARE CONNECTIONS  

Recently, I helped a close friend Sheri Morris, LCSW,  a clinical geriatric social worker in Connecticut,  develop and launch her new expanded clinical practice called "My Senior Connections"  which will focus on helping families care for older family members. Sheri has worked in this field for over 35 years. She will cover the entire range of issues that clients need help with from comunity resources to alternate housing options. As we searched through the internet looking at similar types of practices, we were am
azed at how popular the "aging ind
ustry" had become.

We even made a few phone calls to inquire about how other consultants set up their Senior care management practices. After doing a great deal of homework on this subject I  wanted to point out some basic considerations for you to think about.

Check The Credentials of The Senior Care Manager That You Call

Ask what professional credentials the consultant maintains and at what level?  Are they are nurse, social worker, counselor, gerontologist, marketing and sales expert, estate liquidator?  Do they belong to professional organizations....which ones? What agencies, facilities, hospitals etc. have they worked for or are affiliated with? Is their company a private practice or are they part of a national franchise? How well do they know your particular  geographic area?  Do they work as a solo consultant or do they have a team they work with....who is their team?  How many years have they been in the "aging biz" ? Can they
share with you references or professionals in the community you can call for a reference.

Know What You Need When Callling A Senior Care Manager

Many people already have an idea about of what types of services they are looking for. Be sure that the consultant that you call is well versed in the matters that you are looking for help with.  

How Does The Senior Care Consultant Sound On The Phone?

When you call a particular Senior consultant on the phone to inquire about their services, do they answer the phone directly or have a answering machine or service?  How quickly do they return your phone call after you have left a message? How do they sound on the phone when you are talking to them about your loved ones? Are they business like or personable? Do you feel comforted by their responses?  Will your mom and/or dad relate well to them? Did you relate well to them?

I could go on and on but I'll continue more tips in future blogs.

For more information: Read http://cdiannezweig.blogspot.com/search/label/older%20adults

If you need help regarding Senior Care Services and Eldercare contact my friend Sheri Morris MSW, ACSW, LCSW a very experienced Geriatric Social Worker. Her website is My Senior Care Connection. 

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

1 comment:

  1. What a wonderfully, informative, post Diane. I've been caring for my parents since 2007 which is when my father died of lung cancer. Although I now know pretty much all I need to know about who, what, when, where and why, it's so good of you to post about it.

    Hugs,
    Meri

    ReplyDelete

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