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How to Choose an Aging Life Care Manager or Guardian

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Should I work with an Aging Life Care Manager or a Guardian?

how-to-choose-an-aging-life-care-manager-or-guardianI remember the first time a family member asked me this question: Who should I work with you (an Aging Life Care Manager) or a Guardian? I was in Los Angeles, California, visiting my daughter on her final spring break from college. It was a lovely warm afternoon and we were taking a break and enjoying a cool drink in the warm sun.  The exhaustion in my feet from the day before, walking and standing in line for hours at Universal Studio, still present. But I digress, here is what I told this family member:

Working with a Guardian

I explained that she (my family member) would be supported either way she chose to go. I reviewed the process of working with a Guardian: Guardians are appointed by a court in the state where your aging loved-one lives. The Guardian is given a pool of money annually and it is their responsibility to ensure that the aging loved-one has consistent and safe care. When it comes to decisions such as where the aging loved-one will live, who will provide care, and when and what treatments should be considered, a Guardian can and usually asks for feedback from family members, but ultimately the Guardian decides.

Working with an Aging Life Care Manager

The Aging Life Care Manager is different primarily in the decision-making phase. An Aging Life Care Manager will visit the aging loved-one, make recommendations, provide alternatives to consider, and wait for both the aging loved-one and his or her family to decide. The family point-of-contact (in this case, it would be my family member) would need to consider the background of the family and the wishes of the aging loved-one to make the final decisions, but ultimately she would direct the Aging Life Care Manager on the actions they decide upon.

There are some exceptions, often in a crisis, an Aging Life Care Manager would respond to ensure the aging loved-one’s health and safety, and then report back to the responsible family member.

Ultimately, my family member chose to work with our company, Aging Advisors PDX; an Aging Life Care Manager consultancy. While there were challenges that arose during the final years of caring for her loved-one, she made all of the decisions and was supported in doing so. She was surrounded by a team of care managers and our office staff who supported her family.

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Written by Joyce Sjoberg, founder and owner of Aging Advisors PDX. Joyce is an Aging Life Care Manager with over 30 years of nursing experience caring for older adults and individuals with disabilities. She has experience in a variety of settings including; acute hospital care, home health and hospice, assisted living, and teaching and training caregivers. Joyce is interested in working with clients and/or families who need someone to manage the care of a loved one living at home or in a facility. She focuses on collaborating with other health care providers, caregivers who provide shift care in their home, and family members. [email protected] (503) 953-5827

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