Care Management

Through a partnership with the Area Agency on Aging, Ursuline Senior Services has been providing care management services to older adults in the community since the agency’s inception in 1981. 

By utilizing a variety of supportive services, care managers enable older adults remain in their homes and maintain their independence.  Care managers assist older adults with a variety of care needs, from those who may need only occasional assistance with housekeeping to individuals who require more intensive or skilled care.

OPTIONS

Through comprehensive in-home assessments and the development of individualized care plans, care managers are able to provide an array of OPTIONS services through the Area Agency on Aging.  These services include:

• Home Support to assist with housekeeping, laundry and shopping
• Personal Care and Home Health Aides
• LPNs and RNs
• Senior Companions
• Respite Care for caregiver relief
• Adult Day Care services
• Chore Services for heavy cleaning
• Home Delivered Meals
• Environmental Modifications, Personal Emergency Response Systems
• Medical Supplies & Nutritional Supplies

Although the coordination of these services is a large part of what care managers do, Ursuline staff members also provide many other types of assistance to older adults and their families. This assistance includes:

• Exploring other resources available to assist seniors and facilitate referrals and applications for these services.
• Accessing and completing applications for benefit programs, such as Medical Assistance, Rent Rebates, PACE program, and energy assistance programs.
• Advocacy.
• Providing information and resources on medical and mental health needs and services, as well as support groups.
• Providing resources for or assisting with obtaining assistive devices, such as hearing aides, walkers, eyeglasses, and wheelchairs.

Care managers assist consumers who are looking to move to new residences, whether a senior high-rise apartment, a Personal Care Home, Assisted Living, or Nursing Facility.  Care managers can help consumers complete applications, refer them to consultants who can find them just the right place to live, or can arrange for help with the packing and unpacking associated with a big move. 

Care managers coordinate the services and supplies that go into a consumer’s home, and continually assess the consumers for their satisfaction and to ensure that their needs are met.  Care managers work with hospital social workers, doctors, families, clergy, and neighborhood organizations in their efforts to help consumers to keep their independence and obtain needed support.

INTENSIVE CARE MANAGEMENT

Intensive Care Managers (ICMs) work with older adults who may be in difficult or crisis situations.  ICMs are professionals who are trained in crisis intervention and a variety of mental health areas.  In situations where an individual is facing a crisis such as utility terminations; eviction; insufficient care or supervision; mismanagement of medications or finances; or hazardous living environments, the ICM can intervene to work with the older adult and their families to resolve the problem.   ICMs also provide guidance and support to care managers, and provide more frequent contact with consumers who require a higher level of assistance. 

FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM

In addition to OPTIONS, another program available through the Area Agency on Aging
is the Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP).  Through State and Federal funding, several FCSP program options are available to assist caregivers of older adults age 60 and over, or older adults who are acting as caregivers for children age 18 and under.

Through the FCSP, caregivers have the flexibility to privately purchase services or supplies to assist the older adult or dependent child.  The range of services provided by and through the care managers includes:

• Specialized information and referral
• Assessment of need
• Family consultation/care planning
• Respite care
• Home modification/repair
• Emergency response  systems
• Support groups
• Caregiver education and training
• Benefits counseling
• Financial help to purchase durable goods and related supplies

INFORMATION & REFERRAL

Some members of the Ursuline Senior Services staff specialize in certain aspects of care management.  Our Information & Referral (I&R) service receives calls from many seniors in the community who need information about county and Ursuline programs.  I&R links consumers to resources or agencies that provide assistance not available through Ursuline Senior Services. 

To find out more about care management services, OPTIONS or Family Caregiver Support Programs, please contact us at caremanagement@ursulineseniors.org or call our Information & Referral Specialist at (412)683-0400 ext 236.

Service referrals or inquiries can also be made through the Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Line by calling (412)350-5460 or emailing SeniorLine@dhs.county.allegheny.pa.us