Mdm T, a 75-year-old living alone in a one-room rental flat, faces a daily struggle, as she has multiple health conditions. Suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), arthritis, and hypertension, her life is a constant balancing act. Despite residing near to an active ageing centre, Mdm T often feels uncomfortable in group settings, and avoids participation. This isolation is compounded by frequent hospital admissions, usually for breathlessness and chest pains, but despite several visits, she is discharged each time with no major diagnosis or change in her condition.
Mdm T’s story is not an isolated case. Many elderly individuals face similar challenges, living with chronic illnesses, feeling disconnected from their communities, and experiencing frequent hospital re-admissions due to inadequate follow-up care. For healthcare professionals, this highlights the importance of a coordinated, comprehensive approach to geriatric care, where case management plays a pivotal role in improve both health outcomes and quality of life.
The Role of Case Management in Geriatric Care
For someone like Mdm T who struggles with physical and social challenges, it’s crucial to have a frontliner who can connect all the dots – healthcare, social services, and emotional support. Case management helps ensure that care is not fragmented, but holistic, and addresses all aspects of an individual’s health and life situations. Through regular assessments, care plans, and collaboration with various healthcare providers, case management ensures clients like Mdm T receive the right care, at the right time, reducing unnecessary hospital visits, and improving long-term outcomes.
This is where case management, as an approach to the care of frail elders with complex care needs, becomes critical as it facilitates and supports the provision of integrated care. The Case Management Society of America defines case management as a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote client safety, quality of care, and cost-effective outcome. At the core of it, case management is an effective approach for managing complex cases because it is guided by the following determining characteristics:
- It is collaborative because the care of clients with complex necessarily requires the services of a multidisciplinary team;
- It is comprehensive covering the processes of intake and assessment through to implementation and evaluation
- It is outcome driven with care goals clearly agreed upon by clients, caregivers and providers at the outset
Case management, however, is not an easy task. The core knowledge areas and skills required for case management, at the very least, must include the following:
- A sound knowledge of the issues that impact on the geriatric population
- Good knowledge and understanding of the age and healthcare landscapes
- Effective working relationships with elder clients as well as their caregivers
- Collaborative skills to work with multidisciplinary team members both from within one’s own agency as well as others
- Strong negotiation and coordination skills across clients, caregivers, and provider of services
- Familiarity with relevant tools and their applications
- Understanding of advocacy and evaluation
Become a Leader in Geriatric Care
- Duration: 24 hours | Face-to-Face
- Cost: $550.00
By gaining expertise in case management, healthcare professionals can make a significant difference in the lives of elderly clients, improving their overall quality of life. It empowers them to prevent hospital readmissions, reduce the emotional and physical burden of chronic illness, and provide personalised, compassionate care that promotes dignity and independence. It will also help reduce staff burnt-out and turn over.
Mdm T’s story highlights the complex needs of our elderly population and the importance of comprehensive care management. By enrolling in the geriatric case management course, you can equip yourself with the tools needed to create better outcomes for individuals like improving the care and quality of life for vulnerable elders in the community.
Enrol now and take the next step in your professional journey and become a leader in geriatric care.
