Age and wisdom cannot be escaped. Unless you are Lucifer Morningstar, the devil who does not get old. Everyone will get old. According to the US Census Bureau, there are more than 56 million adults aged 65 years and older currently living in the United States. This accounts for approximately 16.9% of the population. By 2050, this projected number is expected to rise to 85.7 million, which will be roughly 22% of the overall US population. The numbers are big, but the reality is that our seniors don’t get the right and enough healthcare attention.
Why is Case Management important for seniors?
Senior citizens have very specific needs and demands. It is time to create services specifically targeting that. The need of the hour is to be aware about the issues at hand and create an innovative and efficient case management focusing on senior citizens. The rising number of senior citizens will put massive pressure on case managers with their specialized requirements and need for quicker assistance.
What should Case Management for seniors include?
Human case management services focusing on the senior population need to aid in improving the life quality for the seniors. This population may have very little to no family support and have to look out for themselves on their own. Here are some aspects that are needed:
- Financial Support:
Senior citizens should have access to some form of financial support along with inclusion for food programs focussing on their dietary requirements - Medical Support:
It is really important since with aging, multiple age related issues crop up that need to be dealt with on time to provide a better quality of life to senior citizens - Targeted Counseling:
Senior care programs focusing on issues of isolation and other mental health concerns is also important to deal with the population - Preventing Abuse:
Senior care services have to look into this area of concern since there are more than 5 million cases of elderly abuse reported in the US every year
Ways to improve Senior Services Case Management
Now that the issues and concerns of the senior population are identified, some ways in which case management for seniors can be improved are as below.
Hiring a suitable set of team
Just like Billy Beane in Moneyball, getting the right team in place goes a long way. Individuals dealing with senior citizens have to display patience and empathy according to the age group they are dealing with. So it becomes all the more important to hire people who are considerate about the needs of the geriatric population and provide them with better solutions for their concerns.
Usage of Right Technology
In the age of 5G and cloud computing, missing out on technology will be a “not-so-smart” move. Since the senior population is already on the rise, utilizing efficient and innovative technology to meet their needs is the right thing to do. FieldWorker can be one such home health care software that can provide your organization with centralized documentation, EVV, voice to text case notes and many more features to enable better senior case management. This will allow your organization to meet the needs of your client efficiently without putting extra pressure on your caseworkers. And this extra time saved can be utilized for improved services.
Decision making based on Data
Using data analytical tools such as intuitive dashboards, checklists and reminders are some of the essential features of FieldWorker. These can ensure that the needs of the senior citizens along with their families are well managed. Data is the new oil- and if you can use data to make efficient decisions, it can empower your organization tremendously. The data through the human care service software will ensure that you can take better decisions and look out for patterns in case of any persisting issue.
Our seniors deserve every ounce of our support and latest healthcare. And with technology, we can create better solutions to deal with the issues that crop up with aging. FieldWorker is one such human care service software that will ensure that the needs of the senior population are met on time without putting any extra pressure on the case managers’ time and resources.