Geriatric Care Management

Caring for the Elderly of Western Pennsylvania

In an effort to continue providing the finest care for the aging community and their families, the VNA, Western Pennsylvania recently launched their Geriatric Care Management Program. The program is one of the first in the Butler and Armstrong County area where a home healthcare professional, specializing in gerontology, social work, and counseling, teams with the patient and family members to discuss the best continuing care program available. The program is available to anyone in need.

Cindy Smith, BA, CMC, who has more than 20 years experience in home healthcare, leads the VNA, Western Pennsylvania Geriatric Care Management Program. Geriatric Care Management is beneficial for older persons who need assistance but have no primary caregivers or who have caregivers that live elsewhere. The certified geriatric care manager individually assesses each patient to identify any problems, eligibility for assistance, and the need for services. Groups such as family members, bank and trust officers, physicians, attorneys, hospitals, social service providers and senior housing communities will find this service especially helpful in teaming together to better care for those in need — loved ones or clients.

The Aging of America - Some Background Information
According to the 2000 census, Pittsburgh and its surrounding counties, including Beaver, Butler, Fayette,Washington and Westmoreland Counties, have a median age of 40, 5 years higher than the entire United States. Baby boomers are getting older; more are living alone, and with advancements in technology, life expectancy is now an estimated 74.1 for males and 79.5 for females*.

One of 25 Americans was elderly at the start of this century. Now it's one of eight. By 2030, it will be one of five*. As we all continue to grow old, how will we care for our aging relatives and ourselves? More and more of the elderly population, particularly in Western Pennsylvania, are choosing home healthcare or assisted living facilities over traditional nursing homes. Today, our loved ones have much better options for continuing care including adult daycare, private duty home care and assisted living. Now nursing homes, which are often a much more expensive alternative, are being viewed as a place for the frail that require constant care by a trained medical staff more qualified than a primary caregiver.

According to recent studies, people recover from illness or surgery quicker in the comforts of their own home. Home care has continued to expand its services and has become a great alternative to traditional nursing homes or extended hospital stays. This choice is often perfect for those who have no family members who reside close by. Home care is also often considerably less expensive than an extended hospital stay or long-term nursing home arrangements. Home care seeks to reverse the current bias that places hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of fragile children and chronically ill seniors in nursing homes or hospitals when they could receive equal or better care at home**.

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Census

**Source: National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC)