Welcome Wisdom

Partnering with those best prepared to support

by Gail Arno, CMC, ECM Director of Care Management

As we continue to write about the partnership efforts that we, as Care Managers find so vital, it seems prudent to share a few of the resources that we rely on both near and far.  We are often brought into the lives of our clients in the midst of an urgent crisis where we are required to move quickly to stem the tide of the emergency and to unravel the full scope of the client’s situation.  We regularly turn to professional organizations that can assist us in better understanding the challenges our clients face while we continue to work in concert with them. Similarly, when a client is faced with a new diagnosis and needs a broad overview of their diagnosis, we like to broaden their knowledge and ours by turning to industry partners.  

On a professional level, we are connected to the national organization, The Aging Life Care Association (ALCA).  ALCA supports and guides, ethically and educationally, the client-centered approach that our Care Managers use in caring for older adults.  They have established Standards of Practice and a Code of Ethics that guides ECM along the way in this effort we have taken on.  They provide us with education, information on national platforms, and lead us to best practices as we provide support and oversight to our clients.  We feel our association with ALCA keeps us current, well-informed, and better skilled and suited in providing our best to our clients.   

A local industry partner that we often work with is Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center. They are part of the statewide Caregiver Resource Center system and they focus their efforts on supporting the caregiver through the journey of aging and for those who are providing care for brain impaired individuals.  Del Oro offers specialized information and support to the caregivers of those who are chronically ill (aging) and/or cognitively compromised through their education and training efforts, no-cost respite care, short-term counseling options, and referral to legal and financial consultation.  They are a wealth of information and they tailor their services to the uniqueness of each individual they serve. They support and serve the caregiver who is often lost in the Herculean efforts they take on in providing care for those they love.  

It takes all we have to support our clients and serve them to the fullest.  We appreciate and honor the partnerships we foster and know that we are providing the most current, and professional support available.  We know it takes a village in life and we are so honored to be a part of the village of aging, leading the way to support our clients and their families to the very best of our abilities.