Are My Parents Okay?

Article Submitted by Patty Masterson-Kane and Patty Hemphill, both Licensed Clinical Social Workers, are partners in Elder Care Options, LLC, a Geriatric Care Management Agency. They are available for consultation and can be reached at 201-848-8539.

A woman living in Maryland calls her sister in New York. "Do you know where Mom is? I've been trying to reach her and she's not answering the phone." Mom lives in New Jersey. In this case everything turns out to be alright. Mom, who no longer drives at night, went out for dinner with a friend. However, the worry experienced by this family is not uncommon.

Geriatric Care Managers often hear from adult children who are concerned about a parent who lives in another state. Frequently these children have tried to convince their parent to move closer to them, only to be told moving is out of the question. For an older person the thought of leaving the home and neighborhood they are accustomed to is often something they will not consider. This leaves children struggling with how to ensure their parent's safety and well-being. Geriatric Care Managers can offer assistance in this situation. The first step would be to develop a trusting relationship while assessing what is, and is not working well in the current situation. As needs are identified, a geriatric care manager can help develop a plan to address them. Going forward, a geriatric care manager can visit on a regular basis to make sure everything is okay. They can pick up on changes that might signal a developing problem and alert out of town children so it can be addressed before a crisis occurs.