Case Management and Elderly Persons
Present-day health structures are intricate, making it challenging to guarantee the permanency of care for elderly persons with multi-morbidity. One mode of interceding in a health structure that results in fragmented attention is to make use of case management (Ross Goodwin & Curry, 2011). Elderly individuals with cases of multi-morbidity face a risk of getting disintegrated care due to intricate health structures. Case management aims at improving health care coordination and communal care.
Current Trends
Amongst Europe’s elderly populace, a considerable number of elderly individuals have multi-morbidity. In Sweden, the development of some chronic ailments is regarded as the most common health state for persons aged 75. A similar experience is observed universally, whereby the occurrence of multi-morbidity ranges between 55 to 98 % in individuals aged 65 years and older. According to Stokes et al.(2015), elderly persons with multi-morbidity can encounter difficulties being involved in their care due to deficient coordination of care. Present-day trends in health care delivery, for instance, prognostic and individualized health care integrating information and communication technology and care coordination, signify exciting probabilities to advance health care. The trends include a disjointed and scattered range of routines and inept pilot schemes. ICT mechanisms are consenting more independence and quality of life for patients and refining cost-effectiveness.
Three aspects to Consider
It is essential to consider various aspects when planning for holistic support. They include changes in ability, medical adherence matters, and social isolation (Balard et al 2016). Foremost, regarding changes in abilities, most adults require help with basic tasks. Therefore it is vital to integrate a positive strength approach to the care plan that focuses on assisting the client in accomplishing independence. The other aspect is adherence to medical matters. Adhering to medication is crucial for one’s health. Therefore to ensure that the client adheres to the medication, it is vital to incorporate various measures, such as establishing a prescription fulfillment schedule. The next aspect is social isolation. Social isolation is developing health pandemic amongst older clients. It consists of a wide range of adverse impacts, such as anxiety and depression.
Types of Advocacy
In this case, there are three critical advocacies utilized in the case management of the elderly. Foremost, one advocacy is the engaging approach. This involves partnerships between clients and acts in an intentional way to advance the client’s capability to abide by care expectancies and acquire self-management capabilities on their own health needs. The next form of advocacy is shared decision making between the case manager and the clients. This concept is founded on the ethical commitment to the client’s independence. The client’s support system can make pronouncements based on their principles, level of comfort, and moral identity. The next appropriate form of advocacy is the paternalistic concept. In this case, the client is believed to be powerless and lacks awareness. The case manager should be directive to guarantee a positive outcome.
Strategies for Building Rapport
According to Newcomer Arnsberger & Zhang (2018), establishing rapport between the case manager and the elderly has numerous benefits. To establish rapport, it’s essential to incorporate certain aspects. Foremost, it is essential to show empathy. It allows one to deliver more personalized care for the patient. An empathetic case manager communicates and performs on the patient’s understanding. The next strategy is establishing open communication. Open communication is a significant aspect of improving the patient’s outcome. Comprehending the patient’s state of mind assists in building rapport with the client. The next strategy is to practice mirroring. To match the client’s character and rhythm rapidly generates rapport. This may also mean raising one’s voice that matches the patient’s loud voice to develop a synchronized connection.
Challenges
Given the numerous roles, case management comes with several limitations. One of the challenges is staff burnout. Since case managers are known to be dedicated, staff burnout is a significant problem when dealing with elderly persons. Due to the time required to institute trust with the elderly, the adjustments are seen as setbacks. The next challenge is the extent of Service eligibility. Case managers state that elderly care limitations are frequently inadequate to move a client from “predicament to blossoming. The other challenge is access to medical data. Precisely, confidentiality matters are regularly acknowledged as obstacles to informing about their therapeutic outcomes.
Strengths
One of the major strengths is autonomy. I consider this as a significant strength as I can conduct my duties autonomously and make swift pronouncements. This involves understanding the client from both the clinical and social perspectives. The other strength is workflow flexibility. Working with the elderly offers an opportunity to shift to care redesigns, enabling the maintenance of flexible work adjustments. The other major strength is setting my schedule. In this case, I can choose the kind of clients and control my hours, meaning that I can control the number of clients under my care.
