Beyond Health Care: Exploring the Role of Geriatric Care Managers

Shari Geller, the founder of Senior Options and a Certified Life Care Manager, has been a member of the Aging Life Care Association since 2005. Shari holds a Master of Social Work, a Certificate in Aging and Gerontology, and is a Certified Geriatric Care Manager. With a deep understanding of the area’s senior resources, Shari empowers seniors by providing the best care through her extensive knowledge and experience.

Summer McLaughlan, a care manager with a background in psychology, sociology, and social work, brings a holistic approach to her work. She has a passion for health and wellness and believes in focusing on all aspects of a client’s life, including physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual domains. With experience in the non-profit human services sector and a strong understanding of rehabilitation modalities, Summer collaborates with seniors and their families to promote safety, independence, and overall well-being.

Jennifer Escobar, a South Florida native, has dedicated her career to aiding older adults and their families. With over 25 years of experience in the non-profit human services sector, she has skillfully guided individuals and families through the complex network of social services in South Florida. Jennifer's background in inpatient psychiatric hospitals and skilled nursing facilities has ignited her passion for working with the senior population, allowing her to create and implement services that empower seniors to maintain independence and a high quality of life.

Takeaways
1. Communication is key: Regular and open communication with families and clients is crucial in ensuring that the needs of aging loved ones are met. 

2. Proactive planning and coordination: Care management involves meticulous planning and coordination of various aspects, including home care, rehab, medical follow-up, meals, and equipment. 

3. Advocacy and expertise matter: Navigating the healthcare system can be challenging, especially for adult children trying to access the necessary care for their loved ones.

Connect with The Guests - https://www.senioroptionsfl.com/

Timestamps
00:23 Elder Care Insights podcast features Senior Options.

05:33 Transitioned into healthcare, connected with older generations. Disliked system, focused on helping others.

07:30 Complete client care, thorough communication, no gaps.

11:49 Effective communication is crucial for relationships.

13:22 Teamwork enhances client care and success stories.

18:04 Check home for safety hazards before discharge.

19:17 Senior options offers resources and partners.

24:04 Passion for client interaction and progress.

26:10 "When will you stop loving it?"

29:22 Honored guests, senior options website mentioned.

Book a call with Lee Berkowitz: www.welcomebackhomecare.com

Transcript

0:00

To be able to say, Yeah, this is how it is and this is how I can help you navigate it. Even though it's a broken system, like you have the expertise and the knowledge to help these families really, really communicating with the adult children most likely out of state, maybe even out of the country. So, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another episode of the Elder Care Insights podcast by Welcome Back Home Care. And today we're very honored to have a great company, Senior Options of Florida. And we have Sherri Geller, we have Jennifer, and we have Summer here. And we're all going to have a conversation about care management and what senior options does. So Sherri, please tell us a little bit about your company and how did you get started in this business and why did you get started in geriatric care management? It's a lot of questions. Okay. So first how I got into this. So by 13 years old, I didn't have any grandparents and so I wasn't around older adults and I didn't know really who this cohort was. My sister got into this in New York into care management, and I would ask her questions about it, and it really intrigued me, her stories, what happened, what she did. So I took a course, a gerontology certificate course, and loved it, aced it, and just it was the basics. What is polypharmacy? What is an elder law attorney living options for older adults. So it opened up a world for me that I never knew of. This is my second career. I was a buyer for Macy's a long time ago in New York, So I stayed. I got married, stayed at home, loved that also, but was looking to do something anyway, took this course, went back to school at 48 for my social work degree, and worked with my sister for several years and then opened my own company 12 years ago. Where did you go to school for your social work degree? FSU shout out to Boca Raton. Wonderful, very local where I happen to live. And yeah, that's amazing. So tell us a little bit about the why. So what what made you and what inspires you to to be a care manager? Okay, so from these stories and taking these courses and I took an aging certificate course I received also through when I went for my master's and I loved this cohort. Some of my friends are like, No offense, Jerry, but how do you work with these people? I'm like, I love them. I love this is the last greatest generation. And as much as we give to them, they give more to us. And their stories are unbelievable. Impressive, inspirational, intriguing. And so working with older adults, I just connect with them. I'm an old soul and I'm old, so. Not so much. So much. We have a lot of time here. I feel like I'm an old soul too, and I love this as well. So I can see your passion right away. Your eyes are lighting up. You know, you're talking about what you love. So let me let me introduce and give Jennifer and and some are here a little bit of of time. And maybe you've had some time to think about the question please. We want to know your why. So we'll start with Jennifer. Please tell us why are you a geriatric care manager? What made you get into it to this day? Kingsley I you know, I had a really special bond with my grandmother growing up and even through my adulthood and, you know, I originally went into this thinking into the field as a mental health counselor, thinking I wanted to work with adolescents. And then as soon as I went into my, you know, practical work, I realized they chewed me up and spit me out and thought, this is definitely not for me. And then I did my internship at a nursing home and I just absolutely fell into it. And working with a client one day she said to me, You know, you must have really loved your grandmother. And that resonated with me. And and just similar to the sentiments of what Sherry said, I always feel like it's such an honor to be able to work with people at this stage in their lives when they've lived such amazing lives, amazing experiences. You know, people see them, you know, when they're frail and not doing well. And you know, what they don't realize is, is they've had an amazing life and can still have an amazing life. Yeah. So that's that's really what connected me. Yeah. So so care management does help with the quality of life to continue them, to preserve the dignity, to help them get around and to basically help them live their best life in their golden years. Exactly. I never said so. So let's hear from from Somer. Please tell us a little bit about yourself, how you got started and what is your why. Well, I went to social work school more. I wanted to be in mental health counseling and be more of a clinician. And then I realized sitting and listening to people's problems for all day, every day, I probably wouldn't have done really well with that. So I ended up getting more into health care. At least that was my practicum. And then I my first second jobs were all in the health care system where you happened to find a lot of old people and same kind of experience where I just always felt good leaving somebody from that generation in terms of the conversation and just you just connect. I connected with them a lot more than I would different generations, and I think I saw a lot, especially working in the hospital, that it's such a gap in care where if they don't have an advocate in that system, they can easily, very easily get swept away, discharged inappropriately. And there's things missed. And I grew to not like the health care system being in it and being on the opposite end of being the discharge juror. So then I got more into the opposite side in the home based life and that's where I really felt like I was doing what I went to school for. And I was actually helping people and not just pushing a bottom line and just pushing people out the door prematurely. And now I'm on the other side. And being in that realm, I have that experience to be able to say, Yeah, this is how it is and this is how I can help you navigate it. Even though it's a broken system, like you have the expertise and the knowledge to help these families really. And yeah, really communicating with the adult children most likely out of state, maybe even out of the country. So just to piggyback off what you said in the advocacy, when there's a crisis, when they're in the hospital and feel free to chime in as well. But what how do you how does senior options help the adult children while their mother, their father or grandparents are in the hospital? How do senior options advocate for these folks? Well, we do a really good job, but knowing everything there is to know about the client. So if there's an allergy to a medication, we're letting the doctor know. We're putting it on a whiteboard and making sure the nurse staff was aware and where knowing all their pre medical conditions or their diet and how are they going to spend their time in the hospital, Are they going to be talking to family? How are we going to keep their spirits up? So it's a very wraparound approach, but the first and foremost is communicating with the family about where they are in the hospitalization, connecting with the social worker, the nurse, the doctor, and just making sure that they're aware of what their care needs are so that nothing's being missed. Well, well, and so so that's super important. And I can only imagine how worried a lot of these adult children are, because I've had phone calls myself and they say, Lee, you know, they're in so-and-so Hospital, Delray Medical, wherever. You know, everybody's different. And it's always complicated and it's always difficult. But they'll say, I'm trying to reach a case manager. I'm trying to reach the discharge planner. Right? So somebody's got you. Yeah. So that's really where we always say, wear your boots on the ground where your eyes and ears and, you know, a daughter once called me and said, you're like the daughter. I'm like, No, you are the daughter. We're the professional. This is what we do. This is our wheelhouse. So this is our skillset, experience and knowledge. So let us help you and let your and help your family member. Right? So again, a big problem is that they can't get them on the phone, but we can. And if we can't get them on the phone, guess what? We're taking a 15 minute drive over and we're walking in and finding out what we need to find out. Yeah, I like that a lot. I mean, that that's so great. And just because we're here, right, it's just just impossible for four adult children who are out of state, you know, even if they decide to book a plane ticket for that moment, it's going to take a few hours. It's going to take a few dollars as well. So you think about the value here with with care management and and how they help basically take that from going from one negative emotion, worry, anxiety to another emotion, which is peace of mind, comfort, knowing that someone has your back, someone's there to advocate. I mean, it means the world to me. It means the world to these families. And we're really changing the stigma of the health care system. And more people should know about geriatric care management. And that's why we're having seen your options on the podcast, because we want to let the world know this is available, This is for you. So just give a call. And so what would be an easy way to reach out for for the people watching and listening, What's the best way to reach seen your options. I mean, we've got a real comprehensive website. WW w dot senior options f al.com. You can call our office we're on LinkedIn and I just wanted to kind of piggyback on something that you said, Lee, about, you know, the adult children, which yes, majority live out of state, you know, live out of the country. But quite honestly, we have quite a few families who live here locally and, you know, but they are professionals. They're sandwiched, you know, with families in work and the sandwich generation. Yeah, exactly. And they're juggling, you know, trying to figure out, as some are said, a broken system, medical system. Where do I start? It's one of those things like you don't know until you have to know. You know, nobody really plans for these type of crises. So when they're in it, they really, you know, come to us for that professional guidance and navigating and an advocacy. So even though they are here locally, they're saying, listen, this isn't you know, we have adult children who are professionals in their field. Yeah. But they don't know what to do or where to start or where to begin or where to call. But they know this is what we do and that's why we're there to help and partner with the adult children local to the experts. Right. And that's what I wanted to say. Also, even if they could take that flight down, which some of them can't, their hands are tied. They run businesses, they have families, they have other responsibilities. But even when they get down here, they really don't know what to ask, what who to call, what the next steps are. And we could guide them on that. Clearly. But we don't have we don't need them to come down. We could do it. Yeah. Communication is key with all relationships and just letting the families know, you know, this, this is happening, this is your care, this is your discharge planner. You know, we spoke with them and they said this and we got your back. You know, trust the experts, because when they're coming in, you know, they're busy, They don't really know where to go, what to do next. And they're probably exhausted emotionally, physically, mentally. So, you know, I really see so much value in geriatric care management. So that was a little piece on on on the hospital and during crisis. Can I add one more? Yeah, Yeah, please. I mean, it's so important you can realize many things as you would like. Yeah. So I think where we excel is our collaboration. When I started 12 years ago was me, myself and I. Three people and I had and I had 22. I got up to, you know, I started with one case, two, three. I had two cases not to be overconfident and sound obnoxious, but I do. I'm good at what I'm good at what I do. Yeah. And you clearly care. You have the passion and you can't make that up. That's. That's clearly there. Thank you. So what happened there was. That's when I brought on my. So I wasn't sleeping. My my clients were taking care of very well. Me not so much. So I that's when I started building and I bought on the second and the third. So we have we now collaborate. We have ten care managers who are social workers and registered nurses and it is a team approach. So even though each client has a primary care manager and a co-manager, because if they're out, the second person knows just as much as the first. We have a team that could step in that asks each. We ask each other questions that we don't know because now you have instead of one person with that skillset experience and knowledge, now you have 11 people with all sorts of backgrounds. In each one of our care managers can stand on their own very well because they wouldn't be working with senior options. If not, however, we are that much better together and stronger and wiser, and it's just the things at our team meetings, like the excitement when they start talking about clients and what they're doing, and then somebody, you know, like they will jumping like I have this idea of that idea is really exciting and we have unbelievable success stories. Great. Yeah, it reminds me of that, that quote, If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, bring a team so that the team is everything. And so, so so that's really, really great. It goes to show that like, especially for the children, for the families, we don't know everything either. And I think, you know, there's so many different niches in terms of the aging process. And there's a medical side, there's a social side, a religious side. There's so many different aspects. So it's nice that I can comfortably say I'll never know everything and I'll always continue to learn. But if there's a space that I'm not as well-versed in, there's always somebody on my team that can help me bridge that gap. Wow. So that's amazing. Now, about senior options, do you have a minimum amount of hours per month or how does that work with the is there a membership or how does this work? It's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah, it's an exclusive. That's right. There you go. So I'll speak to that. But you can fill in if you want. So we do required two visits a month. And the reason we do that is because we have found when you're meeting with anybody who's a client of ours is declining or having issues somewhere, whether it's a fractured hip, whether it's a new diagnosis of Parkinson's, a dementia, cancer, anything. Right. Or just failing emotionally, they're isolated. With COVID, we saw a major, you know, downturn with every one of our clients. We brought puzzles, We brought activities to the house. I mean, whatever. They were isolated, right? So we have found that the one visit a month we could lose a lot by not if we only see them once and we explain it to the families. They get it, they're on board. And it could be a doctor's visit. It could be a home visit. We have to lay eyes on them. We don't put a clock to it. We don't say, we have to be there an hour and a half each time. If we go and it's a 45 minute visit and the care manager did their homework, they assessed, they saw everything is where it needs to be. They followed up the medications, emotional being, the hydration, everything that we look at, we're done. And if there's something going on, it could be longer. But everything is communicated before, during and after to our families. So it's a fluid conversation. And just to piggyback on that exactly what Sherry said, you know, a lot can happen in a month with an older adult, and it's really difficult to have to keep a really good pulse on things unless you were in there. You know, really. And when we get in there, I mean, we get in there, we know them from top to bottom. We are, you know, in the loop on every aspect of their life. So, you know, if, goodness forbid, there's a crisis or a hospitalization, we can easily jump in. And we're not behind, you know, behind the eight ball. Yeah. And we've seen senior options in action. And we understand that you really are there and you're physically there and you're in tune with the clients and communicating a lot. We'll go into a little bit more of the all aspects. Tell us a little bit about all these aspects of care management. You know, from, say, if somebody I've had experiences where we have a discharge ready, the discharge planner calls us and says, All right, we need a discharge on this date, you know, can you do that? Yeah, of course we can do that. But then when we take a look at the home, it's not the way it's not a safe place. You know, maybe there's a hoarder, maybe there is. You know, there was a they fell. They have the laundry in the you know, in the washing machine. And, you know, it's just kind of a little bit of chaos in the house. Like. So do you go into the homes prior to the discharge? Do you do safety assessments And and how does that work? I'm going to let summer take that. So she just she does very timely. Yeah. Yeah. So we can anticipate before discharge. You know we'll go into the home and look at our the area rugs picked up. Is there clutter, Are the walkways clear. Do we need to grab bars in a shower? You're undressing the home from top to bottom and being very meticulous about, you know, are there sharp objects, are there you know, is there just any tripping hazard, anything that can cause a fall or be harmful to their safety? And is it clean like that? You really look at everything. But that is something we'll do and it's a continuous process. We're we don't let it get to the point where, it's discharged today, it's planning with the discharge planner from the hospital and talking about home care, rehab, medical follow up, maybe a private duty coming in for extra support and supervision. What about their meals and their nutrition? Like it's equipment, whatever it could be. So it's a continuous process where we don't we take it all at once and we're not surprised by a discharge. So senior options has lots of resources, right? Lots of partners in the community you're working with, whether it's a private duty company like Welcome Back Home Care or others, of course, a medicare company that, you know, maybe you recommend to to others and you can help with all this whole process I've had in the past where the fire department had to knock down the windows to get through the door, you know, And so, like, there's a broken window in the house, there's still glass. Like that's all part of kind of planning it out and to to check the environment out. So, yeah, we cleaned up the glass, we called a window company. We set that up with with the client. So like, these things happen where the house needs a heavy duty steam cleaning or something like that, you know? So please, we would have probably put a lockbox on the door. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So we all these great resources. So our our goal is to be proactive, not reactive. And that's where our skillset comes in. Yeah. Yeah. So the lockbox is a great idea. So then anybody can get through if they have the code and they can, you know, check out the house and to make sure that these folks that are coming home are in a nice, healthy, clean environment conducive to their well-being. And not only that, the caregiver coming in, there's going to be nurses coming in. You know, there's going to be lots of people coming in. So we want to make sure that, you know, it's for the benefit overall of everyone. We want to set them up for success. Yes. When they go home. Yes. Yes. So so we went a little bit and we spoke about the discharge process, the different resources of care management. So let's go into a little bit different once we get the client a little bit more stabilized. Right. They maybe have a physical therapy in the house. They're getting stronger. They maybe have a private caregiver. They're feeling good. They're going to their appointments and maybe to the beauty salon or their favorite coffee shop. Caregivers can drive and help with light housekeeping and things like that. What next? Do does care management offer more services? Do you offer bill pay? Do you help with the credit cards? Do you help you know anything outside of the typical health care, you know, day to day? Yes. Okay. Okay, great. Okay. Wow. Wow. I nailed it right there with all these questions. Yes. Good. And let me just caveat to that. So we might not do the bill pay. We don't do it ourselves. We're gone. So I have a line. Everybody should stay in their lane or lane is care management. We're very good at what we do. So anything outside of that scope, we typically will go to some a resource that we have a relationship with. We've used, we've had experience with and success with and tell the family we typically give at least two options and, you know, explain the difference what. And then they'll say, you know, you pick or either one or I'd like to talk to them, whatever the case may be. But we really yes, we do it in the sense that we'll get it done. But do we actually do it? No. Okay. Okay. Well, I really see the great value here in care management in in this also having all the resources for these folks being the ears and eyes, communicating with the families, being there. You know, So, you know, if you're listening, if you're watching, you have to call senior options and just ask some questions. Do you offer a free consultation? Do you offer how does it work when someone picks up the phone and calls? Absolutely. We get calls all the time from clients themselves or the adult children or family or even neighbors concerned neighbors calling, asking about our service, what you know, what can you do to help? What is care management? What do you offer? So we do we spend time, you know, talking a little bit about what the situation is, how we might be able to be helped of help and then, you know, let them know about our website, which gives a lot more detailed information as well. And then we kind of go from there. Yeah, yeah, that's great. So basically if you just give them a call, senior options, you can learn a little bit. Jennifer Sommer, Cherie or the other nine caregivers and their managers will definitely answer all those questions and, you know, give them a call. They're not going to charge you for the phone call, call, ask, learn a little bit about care management and and what they do and how they can help and how we all can help. So we've been talking a little bit about senior options, care management. Now I'm going to throw a little curveball for everybody. Okay. So I'll start with you, Jennifer. Tell me your best day as a care manager. I mean, honestly, I love that. I love visiting the clients. I mean, I love being out there in the weeds of things. You know, I'm a director of care management, but I also have my own caseload. And I love I love visiting the clients. I love, you know, seeing their faces. I love hearing about those little you know, not every day is a stellar win, but sometimes there's, you know, tiny little wins that give you that extra, you know, a client who's really resistant. But that visit you could tell you made a little bit of headway with them and that that, okay, we're getting somewhere here. Or you talked to a daughter who says, you know, like, I don't know what I would do without you guys. You know this. Thank you so much. You know, it gives me so much peace. I'll be honest. I have the chills may through have this interview because I can relate so much to what we're talking about. So fulfillment and purpose, you know, helping. I mean, what a great thing. So, summer, please, what's your best day ever as a geriatric care manager? I don't know if I have, like, a best day, but like, you have all these people running through your mind that you've helped in some way and like Jen said, there's just so many little wins or, you know, you're in a crisis situation. And then just to see them functioning and stable and they're having a good day, and then that's when your day is better. Yeah, yeah. You see the the adult children finally letting go of their guard and their worry and they can finally smile. Yeah. I mean, those thank you's, I mean, they mean the world to me and, you know, it's just amazing what you're doing and just, just to, to get that reward right. That you can't really put it's not tangible, but but, you know, it's there. So, Cherie, please, I know you have a best day. You know what? I really I mean, every day is a best I. somebody once said, That's great. I agree. When are you going to you know, when are you going to stop? Like you're not old, you not young, whatever. And I said, and when I stopped loving it, when I stopped loving it, I just I get emotional thinking about it because all the people we've touched, the clients, their families, I'm still in touch with some families, you know, not often, but check in that I've been with for ten years and saw their mom a lot more than they did from being out of town. And so I know about best day, but best moments are like Jen and Summer said, you know, connecting with that client, just they're so happy to forget what we're doing for them, which clearly is first, but just the relationship building and they're happy to see us. I mean, a lot of them are lonely with all the things we put in place with their socialization and the caregiver and going to a senior center and activities we put together for them. Their families aren't here. Yeah, right. They missed that wedding or, you know, certain events they can't go to anymore. And so I think that is a big win, right? Those relationships and just knowing that you're making a difference in their life. But I just wanted one story where it was a hospital setting. One of my clients got very ill from a medication and when I looked at the discharge note, the medication was on the list. The medication that she was brought in that made her violently ill was on the list to go home with. So again, things I hate to say they're broken here, but they are. And so that advocacy that that talked about, I don't know when that went. I know what you want to call it. But knowing that I mean, I don't say saved a life, but I certainly made a difference. Yeah, right in that moment. Yeah. So just all of that advocacy, what you're doing, you know, and even seeing when you got the client, I mean, we had a client who was we got him, he was in a fetal position, wanted to die. I'm not going to go through the whole story. We don't have time for it, but I don't know if it was three months later, I would say give or take. Two years ago, he was living an independent living, had a companion, was on the right medications, got the right psychiatrist, loving life. I mean, talking about a win. yeah, right. Wow. So and I have the chills, you know, just just from from hearing about this. So you basically you prevented that client from having that type of reaction again. And I'm not going to put any negative stuff out there. But the nurse should have noticed that this happened one time and she basically set him up for that to happen again. So you were there, thank God. And you advocated on behalf of that client like they're your family, like you do for all your clients and I, I heard you mentioned before that our families, their family, right. You treat them like family. They're family. And so instead of this client coming home with a medication that would have put them back in the hospital, back in the hospital in like, so unnecessary, you prevented that. And so you probably went to that nurse and gave her or him your peace of mind. And right away, in a nice way, because we all care so much. And, you know, it would be tough for me to to hold back a little bit, you know, because I'd be looking them in the eyes and be saying, What are you doing? You know, So without getting a negative. But that's that's really great. So again, senior options F.lux this is Sharee Geller, Summer McLAUGHLAN We have Jennifer Escobar, and we're so honored to have you. We've worked together in the past. We look forward to working together in the future and thanks for all that you do. This has been a great podcast episode. Again, this is the Elder Care Insights podcast by Welcome Back Home Care. We thank you so much for listening and tuning in and thank you all to senior options for being here. Thank you for having us.