What does the role of care manager entail?

[EmJ]

hi all,

I was wondering if anyone could possibly give me a little more information on the actual role of a care manager.

When are you given a care manager and how long do they take up this role? What does their job entail and are they responsible for drawing up the care plan?

I suppose depending on where you live and your personal experiences your answers may differ!

Any info would be much appreciated because I'm not entirely sure how this system works yet...

EmJ

 

[Grannie G]

I'm not entirely sure how this system works yet...

EmJ

Neither am I, I`m afraid, Em. When I attended an 8 week Memory Clinic support group for carers, we had a Care Manager as one of the speakers.

And still I`m not sure........

 

[Skye]

Hi EmJ

You're lucky that you've been given a care manager, we never were. I've been fighting to get that established in our area, I'm convinced that with a care manager John's sudden neurological collapse following his UTI need never have happened.

A care manager is supposed to co-ordinate the services of SW, OT and mental health team, and be the first port of call in an emergency. It's usually either SW or CPN.

The new Scottish Integrated Care Pathways guidelines specify that this should be the case, but you wouldn't believe how hard I'm having to fight to get it accepted -- they're all too busy to undertake care management!

Hang onto your care manager for dear life, and keep the phone number in a prominent place!

 

[sue38]

I had never heard of a Care Manager. Co-ordination of support seems ideal and would save us being passed from pillar to post when trying to get the support we need.

A question for the SW when he/she visits my Dad this week. Thank you for bringing this up.

 

[Margarita]

I had never heard of a Care Manager. Co-ordination of support

Nor have I , My mum get what they call them in London , A Key worker who see to all mum physical needs
if I have any issue with my mother while she in respite or Emergency respite care home , she my first point of call .

she/ he is what yes they call a Care Co-ordination , they just added Key

 

[BeverleyY]

Dad has a Care Manager.

She co-ordinates everything to do with Dad - OT/CPN and organising respite care if needed, also she helps co-ordinate Direct Payments if we wish to go down the route of getting carers in instead.

Have to say, as nice as she is, I still feel that as she works for Social Services - there is always a bit of me that doesn't trust her fully (i.e. when it comes to Dad's money). I have a feeling her aim is to make sure he spends as little as possible of it now in the early stages, so that they can take it to fund his care when I can no longer cope.

Beverley

 

[Margarita]

There is always a bit of me that doesn't trust her fully (i.e. when it comes to Dad's money). I have a feeling her aim is to make sure he spends as little as possible of it now in the early stages,

That does sound strange , how come she have any control in how your father spends his money, do you mean as in the services they offer him ?

 

[BeverleyY]

That does sound strange , how come she have any control in how your father spends his money, do you mean as in the services they offer him ?

No, she does not have control of his money but their financial assessor is about to see him and will know how much Dad has got. I then think they will hope he protects his money rather than enjoy it so that he keeps enough to not require funding when (if) the time comes that he needs to go into a nursing/care home.

Beverley

 

[EmJ]

Thanks for all your replies - much appreciated.

It seems that we all have different people involved in the care depending where we live. But would you agree that you should at least have someone from the social work department supporting you?

I am confused because we've got some care and the care manager has closed the file telling us that the provider of the care is now who we got to?? They are not a social worker and have no expertise in dementia.

We thought we were at least entitled to someone monitoring the care situation to ensure my granny continues to have her needs met appropriately.

Due to lack of dementia care services we have very limited care so the only thing we can conclude is that she has been marked as low priority due to that. Therefore she doesn't need care management. When in fact she has complex care needs and my family are supporting in the areas where they cannot help. We were told the file can be opened in the future if needed - she needs it open now!

This system makes no sense to me!!

EmJ

 

[Skye]

I am confused because we've got some care and the care manager has closed the file telling us that the provider of the care is now who we got to?? They are not a social worker and have no expertise in dementia.

We thought we were at least entitled to someone monitoring the care situation to ensure my granny continues to have her needs met appropriately.

EmJ

Hi EmJ

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me either! I thought from your first post that you had been assigned a care manager -- now that has been taken away, and you have no-one overseeing care.

Your granny should certainly have a SW, and if that's not the case, you should ask for an assessment for her.

There are so many different systems in force, it's difficult to know what's going on -- except that very few people get the support they need!

 

[Margarita]

EmJ I presume your Grandmother was in a care home


Is your Grandmother living alone in her own home Or is someone in your family caring living with her ?

But would you agree that you should at least have someone from the social work department supporting you?

Yes thats right , its either a social worker from the mental heath care , or a social worker from the elderly team .

They could do a care plan assessing all your grandmother physical needs , adaption to her home , day center, carer to wash her . If living a lone meal on wheels, help with cleaning .


Ones that all in place , they left to get on with it . Until the next review of the care plan , which is normal the following year , unless the disease progresses , so her needs change and you can ring social services to review her care plan earlier

We thought we were at least entitled to someone monitoring the care situation to ensure my granny continues to have her needs met appropriately.

so when you say that I presume she live alone ? because if not its left to the family she living with to make sure she receiving the care appropriately.


BeverleyY

I then think they will hope he protects his money rather than enjoy it so that he keeps enough to not require funding when (if) the time comes that he needs to go into a nursing/care home.

You may find that they only doing a financial assessment, to find out if he has the money now to pay for any services that he may be requiring now .


to assess if his self funding or not for services he requiring now, They have no legal right, to tell him , to save money for the future if he need nursing care.

They can hope for as much as they like , but they have no legal right in they hoping , so don't let them intimidate you or your father with they financial assessor .