Do You Have a Culturally Diverse Aging Assessment Tool?

 The United States has one of the world’s most ethnically and culturally diverse populations. This diversity has important implications for the provision of high quality, appropriate social, health, and long-term care services, including geriatric care management. The professional geriatric care manager (GCM) needs to consider cultural diversity, in assessments, care plans, recommendations, and monitoring to enhance the quality of life of his or her clients.

Dr. Gwen Yeo, makes these 8 recommendations so the Aging Life or GCM can enhance the quality and appropriateness of geriatric care management services with elders from diverse backgrounds.

                  1. Ask questions about the personal prefer­ences and specific needs of ethnic elders; listen closely to their responses.

                  2. Be aware of your own values, biases, and gaps in knowledge about ethnic aging.

                  3. Learn as much as possible about the back­grounds of the ethnic clients.

                  4. Be sensitive and accepting of differences in values, beliefs, and behaviors.

                  5. Use trained language interpreters and cul­tural guides if necessary.

                  6. Modify assessment instruments to incor­porate personal experiences, beliefs, and needs of ethnic families.

                  7. Refer clients to culturally competent ser­vice providers.

                  8. Advocate for education, outreach, and re­ferral in ethnic communities.

Read Stanford University’s Dr. Yeo’s, excellent chapter Ethnic

and Cultural Assessment in Geriatric Care Management that includes a full ethnic care management assessment

 Get the new Handbook of Geriatric Care Management 4th edition  

now– or out in Kindle on Amazon this month (to keep up with technology)

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