Geriatric Social Workers: Top 10 Concerns
Top 10 Concerns of Geriatric Care Managers
Geriatric social workers address a range of concerns impacting the well-being of older adults. From the list below, it is clear that they have a great deal to manage and juggle.
Here are 10 common concerns:
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Aging-in-Place:
Social workers recognize this as the term used for aging in the comfort of your own home. The vast majority of seniors, families, and professionals much prefer that seniors age-in-place. The question is how can we make that happen. How can we assist seniors to remain in their own homes safely and independently for as long as possible? Geriatric care managers call arrange all the logistics. [See Make Aging-In-Place a Reality]
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Caregiver Stress:
Stress is such a common problem among caregivers whether they are on site or managing care from long distance. In fact, David York Agency has a handbook on Long Distance Caregiving. The family and outside caregivers must manage this stress. Fortunately, there are many strategies and resources to alleviate stress and burnout. [See Caregiver Stress Can Have Severe Consequences for Caregivers]
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Elder Abuse and Neglect:
Tragically, older adults are one of the most vulnerable demographics targeted for abuse. Because of their diminishing capabilities and even after a full and independent life, the elderly are often left physically and mentally compromised and the most at risk for neglect. Geriatric social workers are trained to see the signs of elder abuse and neglect. [See Home Healthcare Agencies Can Help Stem Elder Abuse]
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Mental Health in Older Adults:
Geriatric case manager training includes examining the prevalence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety in the elderly population as well as becoming familiar with effective interventions and support services. [See Coping With Elderly Depression]
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End-of-Life Planning:
This includes advance directives, hospice care, and other aspects -both financial and legal – to make sure that the senior’s wishes are respected at the very end. This planning greatly impacts the work of geriatric social workers. [See What Is Hospice Care & How to Find Quality Care]
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Social Isolation and Loneliness:
With so many of the aged living alone and apart from family, professionals call loneliness an epidemic of the elderly status at this point. In fact, social isolation has serious detrimental effects on seniors, not the least of which is depression. Social workers help them combat these ill effects by connecting them with appropriate support services. [See 5 Simple Ways to Combat Senior Loneliness]
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Access to Healthcare:
There are many barriers to healthcare ranging from health literacy to financial constraints to the ‘nuts and bolts’ logistics of transportation to name but a few. Geriatric social workers become adept at workarounds for the elderly in breaking through all the ‘red tape’. [See Geriatric Care Management Services]
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Financial Security:
Geriatric social workers are not necessarily equipped to help map out financial security for seniors, but they can hook them up with professionals that can manage their finances during retirement. Moreover, they can help seniors access the benefits they are entitled to while helping to prevent financial exploitation. [See Eldercare Planning: Emergency Documents for the Elderly]
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Cultural Competence in Geriatric Care:
Recognizing and addressing the unique cultural needs and preferences of older adults from diverse backgrounds and demographics is something care managers are expert at. They are trained to understand the psyche and milieu of the population they serve and in turn train the caregiver to be sensitive to that as well. [See Grumpy, Complaining Old People Deserve Consideration]
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Elderly LGBTQ+ Population:
The LGBTQ+ senior population is often overlooked, but it is sorely in need of care management. They usually do not have children and often do not have spouses to act as point people in their care. As such, a geriatric social worker becomes a central figure for this vulnerable demographic. Social workers need to be on top of any discrimination, support networks, and inclusive healthcare services for them. [See Challenges to Successful Aging for LGBTQ Elders]
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Anita Kamiel, RN, MPS
Owner & Director of Patient Services
