Monitoring Assisted Living Care Archives ⋆ Cathy Cress

If you are considering beginning a program for concierge companions in your geriatric care management practice here are some suggestions to consider when putting a job description for employees

Older generations, especially entitled clients, can be likely to be less trustful of an individual with numerous visible tattoos and a Mohawk. Most would rather have a clean-cut employee. This depends on the culture of your area of service. You want to background check employee and call references on their resume.

QUALIFICATIONS

Recreational Therapy background ideal preferred
College background or college student in, psychology, social sciences, pre-med, recreational therapy, Nursing, Social work, arts/crafts, games
Retiree with interest to be trained or some prior recreational background or aging background
Background in music, dance, recreational therapy, reminiscence and storytelling, rehab, sports, arts, crafts gardening, board games, recreational activities, writing or ability to help senior use their former interests at their present level of functioning

The care providers for concierge clients should be

Well groomed
Dress appropriately for the activity

For COMPANION CARE hire an applicant who can

Plan and implement individualized activity sessions for a diverse range of clients, conducting sessions one-on-one with clients in their places of residence or in community
Accompany to events like theater, musical event, recital, baseball game or venue of clients ‘choice
Follow care plan designed by GCM
Exhibits excellent communication and people skills
Has the ability to connect and engage with a wide range of individuals.
Has understanding and compassion for the care needs of aging clients including those with cognitive impairment or mild mental illness
Has the ability to work independently as well as under supervision.
Has a driver’s license with agency automobile insurance as required by the State
Has a car available for daily work and client transportation and automobile insurance as required by the State
Has the ability to learn and use designated software programs for the workflow process

Concierge Companion Cannot

write checks, do any banking
Handle finances,
open mail unless all checks are mailed to the person who pays the bills

GCM has To

Supervise. direct, monitor and train on the job
Design original care plan and do intake with both quality of life and psychosocial and functional
Monitor concierge companions care by reading charting and visiting on a regular basis
Set boundaries with concierge companion
To find out more about getting the entire Concierge Companion Program and /or a class to deliver it go

Assisted Living has faced a metastasizing crisis for the past 20 years. Geriatric Care Managers can help. This calamity in care has been dramatically documented in Pro Publica’s Elderly at Risk and Haphazardly Protected

In 2013 CANR ( California Advocates for Nursing Homes Residents ) released a report “ Residential Care in California,” Unsafe, Unregulated and Unaccountable Among other staggering findings, they documented infrequent and inadequate state inspections to ensure safe or good care CANR also found that weak penalties for poor or dangerous care- left zero incentive to the facilities to improve care. They kept delivering the same sometimes life-threatening care to elders.

A 2019 American Society on Aging report, cited the perfect storm that brought this accelerating crisis toAssisted Living residents. Americans desire to age in place and not die in a nursing home coupled with a huge increase in private sector expansion in Assisted Living all over the US were both a big factor. These two causes were amplified, according to ASA, by facilities not being covered by Medicare, thus not having the federal oversight and requirements of the feds.

Among the major complaints that families themselves face is poor or no medications management, patients not being encouraged to participate in activities or not enough activities or both, residents not being bathed as often as is needed, and animosity between families and staff members for family members showing up unannounced or being micromanagers

How can geriatric care management help this crisis?

GCM can monitor the care of an older person frequently (every week, every other week-) compensating for the long intervals between state inspectors visits already cited as a problem. This is especially helpful for long distance care providers.
GCM can monitor personal care like bathing grooming getting to necessary Dr.s appointments and work with facility and family to make sure this happens.
Geriatric care managers will do a one to one assessment of the care of the older person in the Assisted Living then find a solution to any problems they find and implement it making sure that problems are solved before a crisis
If they find poor care of patients in the Assisted living they are mandated reporters and will immediately report the abusive problems to Adult Protective Services.
Geriatric Care Management can set up or monitor medications.
Geriatric Care managers will do a Quality of Life assessment for elders who are not engaging in activities and find what activity within the Assisted Living or in the community if the facility has a poor activity program. They can engage the older person by hiring a Concierge Companion to engage the older person in the activity.

If you want to implement a Concierge Companion service/ product in your care management practice check out my GCM Operations Manual with step by step Concierge Companion procedures and marketing, in addition to 13 other innovative geriatric care management products/services.

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