Submit Assignment: Piecing Together a Patchwork Quilt of Services

Navigating through the network of services available to older adults can be a daunting task. For this assignment, you are taking on the role of a geriatric care manager to help a client(s) find potential solutions.

Choose ONE of the scenarios below and write a 1-2 page paper (plus cover page ) that identifies the programs, services, and/or changes you would recommend to help the individual(s) in the situation described. Present multiple options when possible and explain what you factored into your recommendations.

Support your statements with evidence from the Required Studies and your research. Cite and reference your sources in APA style.

Scenario #1

Mary (age 71) is a widow and resides in a one bedroom apartment. Mary has several chronic conditions which are managed with medications. Mary’s daughter, Michelle, lives two hours away and typically visits Mary every other weekend. During her most recent visit, Michelle found Mary disoriented and the apartment in disarray. Mary’s physician determined her disorientation was due to over-medication. Mary insists she was taking her medications properly. Once back on the proper medication regime, Mary was her old self. However, after the second episode of similar circumstances occurred, Michelle determines something needs to be done to address this before something tragic happens.

Scenario #2

Linda (age 67) and Tony (age 70) Anderson live in a Section 202 apartment. Their income is limited to Social Security and a small pension Tony receives which Linda will lose once Tony passes away.

Tony is in the early stages of dementia. At this point, he needs reminding and cueing for some ADLs and Linda needs to keep an eye on him so he doesn’t wander away when they are in strange surroundings. Linda does all of the cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, bill paying, and other household tasks. At the age of 67, she is beginning to feel the fatigue of caregiving.

Tony should no longer be driving and Linda never learned how to drive so she relies on the local bus service for her transportation. Their adult children live close by but work full-time and are only available to help on the weekends. Linda and her children realize things with Tony will only get worse as time goes by, but dealing with the issues at hand are all they can cope with right now.

Scenario #3

Margaret and Harold (both age 71) live in a two bedroom condo located in the same neighborhood as the house they owned and raised their family in. Their three adult children all live within 10 miles. They were a very active couple involved in activities in their church, the local senior center, and outings with lifelong friends.

Six months ago, Harold died suddenly of a massive heart attack. Since then, Margaret has become socially isolated – only leaving the house when her children insist she go out with them. Margaret’s appearance was always striking, but lately she appears disheveled with little attention given to her hair or clothes. Her children are concerned but don’t know what to do or where to turn for help. They worry their mother is depressed and feel she needs to re-engage in social activities.

References

Hudson, R. (Ed). (2014). The new politics of old age policy (3rd ed.). Baltimore, John Hopkins.

Niles-Yokum, K. & Wagner, D. (2014). The aging networks: A guide to programs and services . (8th ed.) New York: Springer Publishing.