Crisis Intervention and Prevention
Having a care manager to call on removes the huge weight of worrying. It’s stressful to think about a loved one being left alone in the emergency room or try to figure out what to do when a crisis strikes in the middle of the night.
Our care managers can help you navigate these daunting situations, no matter when they happen. Here are a few client stories of how a care manager intervenes in a crisis:
- The client falls at his Assisted Living Facility and is sent to the emergency room with a copy of his advance directives and a transfer form. The on-call care manager is notified and meets the client at the ER. She is able to reassure the confused client, share background information (and ascertain more details from the ALF), speak with the medical professionals and update the out-of-state family about what is happening.
- A client’s neighbor calls because he has come to her door late at night apparently confused and lost. She helps him get home and contacts the care manager. The care manager comes over to assess what is going on with the client and identify what help might be needed immediately to ensure his safety.
- The family receives a call that the client has just been admitted to the hospital. They don’t fully understand what is going on and they can’t seem to find the right contact or get answers. The care manager visits the client, reviews the client’s chart and talks with hospital staff about the client’s status and the care plan. The care manager also brings over clothing, the client’s mobile phone, and other needed items.
- The primary caregiver (daughter) who lives in town travels occasionally for work. During her last trip, some problems arose and she had to get the first flight home to manage the situation. With a care manager in place, the daughter can travel knowing someone will be there to deal with any issues or emergencies.
Having an expert care manager involved also PREVENTS costly and stressful crises. Good care planning and monitoring keeps everything (and everyone) on track. The care manager often spots hidden warning signs or small issues that can be addressed before turning into an emergency.
For example, when reviewing the client’s nursing home chart the care manager notices that the nurse is requesting a medication change. Knowing the client’s bad history with that medication, the care manager raises the issue with the family and staff to determine the best course of action before the client potentially suffers. In another case, the client’s behavior is slightly off on a spot-check visit. The care manager notices this unusual spike in his confusion and arranges a doctor’s visit. Sure enough, he has a urinary tract infection (infection commonly causes behavior and cognition changes in older adults and they sometimes have difficulty feeling or communicating symptoms). It’s easily resolved with treatment, rather than worsening and ending in an ER visit or serious health consequences.
Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week!
Prevent unnecessary crises with the help of a care manager, and have the reassurance of intervention when crises do occur.