A care managers view of home care

 

CareGrade.com did an interview with professional care manager Mark Zilberman, LCSW to find out what a professional care manager looks for in a home care agency.

 

CG What do you, as a care manager, look for in a home care agency?

MZ As a care manager, the main thing I look for is service. The caregivers don’t seem to be very different from one agency to another except that certain registries pay better and can attract a slightly higher caliber of person. What does differ is the service I receive. I look for an agency that will work with me, be responsive to my requests and questions. I also look for how well an agency handles problems when they occur. Can they fill in with replacements quickly and can they solve the problems when they come up?

 

CG What problems do you most often encounter?

MZ The biggest problem I find is that the aide who is sent to a case is not well matched to the client in need of care. When an agency makes a good match, the cases work out much better. Unfortunately, many agencies are very busy and do not have a huge selection of people to try and make the perfect match. They do their best but have to work with who they have available at that particular time. Often, the need for a home attendant is initiated during a crisis. Therefore, the agencies must act quickly.

 

CG What differences do you see between agencies?

MZ The main distinction I find is agency or registry. The agency employs workers directly while the registry uses independent contractors who work for the client. I tend to lean towards the agency model. I find that there can be advantages with registries, such as lower costs, but the family needs to understand potential problems. I explain how they work and let the family decide which way they want to go.

 

CG What questions should a family ask when speaking with an agency and trying to make a choice?

MZ Families should ask about after hours coverage, how quickly does the agency get back to them, do they offer medication management, how often is billing done and what the costs are to name just a few.

CG How long does it usually take to get service started?

MZ I have found that is usually takes just a few days to get service started. Companies that use my assessment as a professional care manager are able to get the case started faster than companies who need to do their own.

 

CG What are the most difficult cases to fill?

MZ Filling a case for a person who smokes tends to be harder to staff. Many caregivers just do not want to sit in a smoky room all day. Cases involving mental illness and behavioral issues can also be a challenge.

 

CG What role would a care manager play if a family is looking for an agency?

MZ Family’s will probably get better service working with a care manager that has relationships with an agency or agencies. There’s a familiarity with staff that can really help. Obviously, an agency or registry has a greater need to serve a care manager as that CM can be or is a conduit to many other cases.

Mark Zilberman, LCSW, has been working in geriatric care management for almost six years. He brings diverse experience to the field, having worked and studied in the specializations of substance abuse, mental health, developmental disabilities, and homelessness. As Founder of NorthStar Care and Guidance, he and his organization are called upon to manage a spectrum of issues for families. Zilberman was previously affiliated with SeniorBridge, Inc., Beth Israel Medical Center, and The Floating Hospital.
He received his MSW from SUNY at Stony Brook. A licensed clinical social worker in NY and NJ, Zilberman holds credentials in substance abuse counseling from both states. Mark is a member of the National Association of Geriatric Care Management.

You may reach Zilberman at www.NorthStarCare.net, 888-288-6152

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 11th, 2007 at 3:10 pm and is filed under Home Health Information, Interviews With Health Care Professionals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.