Planning Living Options

Planning for now and exploring options “down the road”: Pathways to Care

Geri-Options is your trusted, confidential advisor whether you are planning to stay at home, transition to a care residence, or needing local support for a long-distance care manager.

After a family completes a caregiver’s checklist, the geriatric care manager conducts an in-home assessment and develops a plan of care. Areas addressed include:

• Physical, cognitive and mental health status  
• Medical/health care needs
• Emotional support availability
• Educational needs for the caregiver
• Legal/financial issues and resources
• Transportation needs, safety issues, in-home help needs, and housing concerns
• Living options considerations now and in the future  

Pathways to remaining at home

“Your service and friendship have been invaluable to me.  All the resources you provided have gotten me on the right path.  I am not sure what I would have done without your guidance.” — Dorothy, an older woman living alone at home

• Reviewing types of personal care/health services available to maintain care at home
• Providing information on local  home health/caregiving agencies  including  quality,  cost of services and public program availability
• Assisting in exploring options regarding financial resources such as Veterans assistance, Medicaid, Medicare, and housing support.
• Exploring additional supportive community services
• Reviewing the benefits of Geriatric Care Management monitoring services, especially for long-distance family members

Pathways to finding a new home

Geri-Options was “very helpful in locating an assisted living center, identifying a psychiatrist and connecting me to a caregiving agency; Geri-Options gave me accurate and timely updates of changes in conditions and needs.”  — Bob, long-distance nephew caring for an 86-year-old uncle who was moving from his own home to an assisted living community

• Recommending type and level of care needed (assisted living, residential care, memory care, nursing facility)
• Informing on quality, cost, and availability
• Providing information to family/elder on how to evaluate a potential care setting and guidance on managing the move
• Assisting in helping senior experiencing resistance to a move
• Offering suggestions and assistance for move-in day and adjustment period
• Following-up on the transition

Pathways to assist long-distance family members

“Geri-Options gives my sister and me a third pair of eyes and hands. She can assess and help my mother when we are not there. She is kind, compassionate and knowledgeable.  There are multiple and ever-changing options available in the north Texas area for elder care and Geri-Options stays on top of them all!” — Beth and Anne, long-distance daughters for mother with health issues and progressing dementia living at home then transitioning to a residential care home

• Managing and monitoring everyday care to elderly family members on behalf of the out of town family
• Assisting and supporting hired local caregivers and their agency representatives
• Continuing evaluation of care needs through regular monitoring visits and arranging needed changes
• Coordinating, escorting and transporting the senior client to medical appointments, tests, and surgeries and providing reports to a primary family member
• Collaborating with physicians, home health workers, Hospice care and other professionals on behalf of the client and family member
• Serving as an advocate for the senior client
• Assisting the senior client in promoting health and the prevention of accidents
• On-going consultation and discussion with long-distance family members regarding needed changes in service, referrals and help in making ALL the big care decisions