Toward Understanding the Clinical Aspects of Geriatric Case Management

Abstract

Despite the prominence of complex psychosocial problems in aging clients, geriatric case management has generally emphasized the provision of concrete resources and services as its primary function. However, some of the literature as well as the findings of this study, point to competent case management as being contingent on interventions that successfully address key psychosocial problems. This paper presents a qualitative study involving experienced geriatric care managers. Psychosocial problem and intervention categories are identified as well as overarching themes with significant implications for practice. The paper argues that a grounded, thorough, well-explicated and generalizable model for clinically-focused geriatric case management practice is necessary; it also suggests additional research towards the development of such a model.

Key Words:

• Geriatric
• psychosocial
• clinically-focused
• case management
• care plan
• care manager
• care circle
• ongoing assessment
• models
• problems
• interventions