Articles and Information from GA Foods

 

Topics: Fresh vs. Frozen Home Delivered Meals, Healthy Home Delivered Meals, Healthy Meals for Seniors, Care Managers

Pictured is Maureen and her children with her mother, Alice. (And by the way, it was Maureen's 43rd birthday!)

My Back StoryIn recognition of National Caregiver Month, we are reposting this blog from 2016. 

In 1992, we placed my dad in a long-term care facility. He was partially paralyzed from a stroke, and we couldn’t care for him at home. After a year of living apart from my dad, my mother asked to move in with me. Despite living in a senior living community, she was lonely. She was only 71-years old. She had some health issues and limited mobility, but she was completely independent. At the time, my husband and I had a 2-year old daughter and another baby on the way. I had a busy and demanding career. The thought of having another person in our home to help out was very appealing.

Topics: Senior Health, Caregivers, Care Managers

People may think just because their parents or a family member are older, that they want to sell their homes and move to a senior facility. However, for many seniors, that's not the case. In fact, according to a recent study by AARP, more than 90 percent of older adults prefer to stay in their homes.  The majority of older Americans want to stay in their homes because they are most comfortable with what is familiar. 

Topics: Home Delivered Meals, Nutrition Care, Care Managers, Aging Well

Case managers are often on the front lines of telemedicine. They have the expertise to provide help to their members, or patients, on managing chronic conditions or treating minor illnesses by phone or virtual online visits. 

Telemedicine, or telehealth, is proven to be a cost-effective alternative to traditional doctor office visits. There are various studies that find telemedicine can help lower hospital readmissions and reduce healthcare costs. 

An increasing number of health plans across the U.S. are expanding their benefits to include telemedicine services for their members. Plans like Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare are examples of those offering these services. In fact, 76 percent of health systems have or will be implementing consumer telehealth in some capacity by December 2018.

Topics: Healthcare Cost Reduction, Healthcare Research, Care Managers

In the most general sense, workplace stress is a mismatch between the demands made of an employee and that employee's ability to carry out those demands. In other words, workplace stress is at its peak when job demands are highest and the employee's actual (or perceived) ability to carry out those demands are at their low point. 

Topics: Reduce Stress, Stress, Care Managers, Caregiver Burnout

Case managers and discharge planners have many things to consider before their patients return home after a hospitalization.  You may not be aware that some healthcare plans now offer nutrition care benefits for post-discharge patients.

Benefits of Nutrition Care

Topics: Healthcare Cost Reduction, Medicare, Post Discharge, Care Managers

According to  The National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC), more than 90 percent of older adults prefer to stay in their homes rather than move to a senior facility. One of the challenges you face as a case manager is helping seniors to age in place. People want to stay in their homes because they are most comfortable with what is familiar. 

Topics: Home Delivered Meals, Nutrition Care, Care Managers, Aging Well, Senior Nutrition

Caregiving is demanding. Whether you live next-door or 1,000 miles away, it is challenging. It is estimated there are over 34 million people providing unpaid care to ill, disabled, and elderly adults. Caregiving can range from social calls to your uncle to providing direct medical care for a parent. Not knowing how to navigate through the responsibilities can make you feel helpless.

Topics: Senior Health, Caregivers, Care Managers

Pictured is Maureen and her children with her mother, Alice. (And by the way, it was Maureen's 43rd birthday!)

My Back Story

Topics: Senior Health, Caregivers, Care Managers