Care Coordinators tackle a wide range of challenges
Case Managers at the CCAC encounter a wide range of challenges that clients and their families must cope with as they age. A call to the CCAC may come directly from a senior experiencing increasing age-related limitations and needing help. Or it may come from a concerned family member or friend looking for guidance about how best to look after a loved one. CCAC staff often deal with an extended network which can involve lawyers and/or powers of attorney, as well as children and friends.
Whatever the source, a Case Manager will be called upon to carefully assess the client’s health and environmental situation and determine exactly what the needs are and how best to provide the necessary support.
We spoke with Angie, a Case Manager to hear firsthand about the issues, the clients and the care.
What is the most important tool in working with clients? Angie is convinced it is the ability to listen. “You have to listen to what is said, and what is not said, to be able to identify the client’s needs, the issues the family is dealing with, and their methods of communication.”
What’s your role? “It’s the job of the Coordinator to be an advocate for the client and family members, helping them understand what’s happening, what services they need, what options are available and what the CCAC can and cannot provide. Client safety is a major focus of our services. We have to balance resources with consideration to what we can provide with what’s available (and affordable) in the community.”
What are the issues you frequently manage? Angie works in an area with the largest aging population, and handles a considerable number of older clients, many with complex issues. Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, anxiety and wandering are common, and some clients have a dual diagnosis involving other health issues such as diabetes, depression, alcoholism or other substance abuse.
A sense of relief
Cecile, a CCAC Client Service Manager, explains: “There are no easy choices in these areas of care. Clients and families who have been trying to deal with health care decisions on their own are often exhausted, confused, frustrated, angry, grieving, and are asking themselves whether or not they’re making the right decisions. There’s often a sense of relief when they sit down with one of our Case Managers, and an appreciation of the fact they now have some expert guidance in how to handle the issues they are facing.”
It takes a community…
“We work very closely with a broad range of community partners to link clients and their families to the supports they need,” says Angie.
What have you learned? “Assisting clients and families in dealing with the issues of aging in the home and in the community is both challenging and rewarding”, says Angie. “It is also an ongoing learning process: learning occurs on all sides of the consultations as we constantly exchange information. We learn from clients and families, from staff interactions within our own CCAC, and from colleagues throughout the community.”
