Case Management Services

When older adults and their families need to make decisions about long term care, case management services are available to assist them in making informed choices.

Case Management Services provided by "case managers" help older adults and caregivers determine what their specific needs are and what services are available to meet those needs. The case manager can discuss community-based services that are funded by the state and federal government and those that an individual can purchase with his or her own resources. Case managers are based in local agencies which are often referred to as "Case Coordination Units."

Through case management services, older persons in need of long term care will first meet with a case manager to discuss what kinds of daily activities they can do on their own, as well as those that require help. The case manager can then proceed to identify services that could help clients to continue living in their own home or community. For instance, older persons recovering from a stroke may need home delivered meals or transportation service – or they may need a homemaker to help with medications, preparing meals and household chores. The case manager can help arrange these services in a "package" so that older persons can continue to live as independently as possible.

Case managers also perform pre-admission screenings of all persons age 60 and older seeking admission to a nursing facility. See Choices for Care.

The case manager is key in terms of developing a plan of care and linking the older adult and family caregivers with other agencies that actually provide the care. The case manager periodically checks with the older person and family to find out if any service changes are needed.

Contact

To locate Case Management Services (Case Coordination Units) in your community,

• see the Community Care Program Case Coordination Units list in the Directory of Agencies and Organizations Serving Seniors;
• contact the local Area Agency on Aging; or
• contact the Department on Aging Senior HelpLine.

To locate community services anywhere in the U.S., contact a national information and assistance service.