Kim Charles:I began my career as a Registered Dietitian and worked in several different healthcare settings. Through my varied experiences, I found that I especially enjoyed working with older adults. In order to be better-equipped to help individuals and families with the issues of Aging, I returned to college to earn my Masters degree in Social Work (MSW).
All of my work experience as a social worker has been with the Area Agency on Aging. I have experience in Guardianship, Advocacy and Case Management. My role as a Geriatric Care Manager allows me to be very client-centered in my approach. It is rewarding to help people navigate the wide range of benefits and services related to Aging.
Silver Boomerang: How can a Care Manager improve the situation for family with an aging loved one?
Kim Charles: My goal as a Care Manager is to give my clients as much choice as possible. Ideally, Care Management is a team approach involving the Care recipient, their family, medical professionals and other interested parties. The Care Manager’s unique qualifications help him/her to coordinate information and planning efforts among those involved with the Care recipient. By being proactive and taking an informed look at options, we can often come up with a plan of Care that captures at least most of the client’s goals.
I try to involve families as much as possible. Many of my clients are adult children who live away from the area where their parents reside. The stresses of long-distance care-giving can be eased to some extent by finding a trusted Care Manager who will “check-in” on the Aging loved one and is available to advocate for their specific needs. Care Managers are familiar with area resources and can make informed recommendations for family members about services such as home care, senior housing, and local healthcare providers.
Silver Boomerang: What is the most important among often overlooked benefits of home care?
Kim Charles: Not every client desires to remain in their home as care needs increase, but many do want to live at home. It may be obvious, but one of the biggest benefits of a familiar setting is that it is familiar. Even the best-planned transitions can be stressful and somewhat disorienting especially to older people. Sometimes the placement of a few strategic supports in the home setting can make it quite possible to “age-in-place”. Another benefit is that home care is often more cost-effective than an institutional setting.
Silver Boomerang: What would you recommend as a coping mechanism to those who are caring at home for advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s?
Kim Charles:I have considerable respect and sympathy for caregivers. Caregivers often find themselves fulfilling roles for which they have had no formal training. I try to be familiar with area Caregiver Support Groups and educational opportunities for caregivers. My agency has a Family Caregiver Support Program. I often make referrals to that program. Local chapters of Alzheimer’s associations, and other organizations affiliated with specific diseases or disorders can provide helpful resources. As a Care Manager, I try to give caregivers “permission” to take a break to care for themselves. This is a must for their own physical and emotional health; but it is hard to do.
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