 | Doug Stark
is president of ComfortCare Homes, Inc. ComfortCare provides long-term care for the memory impaired at all levels of care and function in elegant, single-family residential homes. Born out of the Stark family's experience with Alzheimer's they have grown to 25 homes with 8 in Wichita and 17 in Nebraska and Virginia. A native of Wichita, Doug attended Wichita public schools and the University of Kansas. He served for 12 years as a Big Brother and has been a member of Wichita Rotary for 19 years. He is board member and Treasurer of Kansas Health Ethics. Doug can be contacted through his office at 7701 E. Kellogg, Suite #490, 67207, by calling (316) 685-3322, or by sending an e-mail to comfortcarehomes@aol.com |
Senior Living
2003-12-01 13:02:00
What is an eldercare consultant?
: What is an Eldercare Consultant?
ANSWER: Eldercare consultants, or as sometimes referred to as geriatric case managers are individuals that are knowledgeable of the various care options that are available to the elderly, and usually for a very reasonable fee will help you access the appropriate services based on your individual needs. When you consider that those 65 and above represent the fasted growing segment of our population and combine that with many advances in health care, there are simply many more elderly residents that are living longer with a wide variety of health care needs. Because of this growing need there has also been a huge growth not only in health care service options but also in health care service providers. So many things have changed in the last few years that it can be of benefit to have someone who is familiar with the various options and more importantly has experience with the providers and can lead you to the ones that are good and reputable and away from the ones that are not. It can also be of benefit sometimes for someone to approach your needs from a third party and maybe more objective approach than family members that may be in denial of what the needs really are. In years past much advice and direction on this subject came from an attorney that specialized in the needs of the elderly, a minister at the church or a call to the Department of Aging, and these avenues still exist and can be beneficial. On the other hand there is a new segment of counselors or care managers the actually fall under the heading of geriatric care managers. There is even a national organization known as the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. One example of a geriatric care manager is Adult Care Management Services here in Wichita. In talking to Tina Lott of ACMS, she charges her clients an initial assessment fee and then an hourly fee for time spent working on your case and bringing the appropriate options to you. Serving for a number of years as the executive director of the Alzheimer's Association Tina has been in or around the health care industry for a long time. The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers has a web site you can go to at http://www.caremanager.org/. Once on their site you can go to your state and access the names of the care managers in your area that belong to their association.
