For Professionals
Your current customers could be your best marketing resource. Spectrum GCM has many programs to help you enhance the quality of life for seniors. Whether it is a service for the individual resident, a group, their family or your employees we’ve got you covered.
Your goals are our goals. You want to provide the best quality of life for the seniors in your community and as a business you certainly need to keep your census up.
Ms. Benni Versaci, owner and President of Spectrum Geriatric Care Management has implemented these programs in renowned healthcare facilities throughout New York and New Jersey with proven results.
Please review the following services and then contact us to further discuss how Spectrum GCM can work with your community.
Social Worker and Assisted/Independent Living Administrator Interim Assignments and Special Projects
Do you have gaps in client services because of Client turnover?
Are you looking for an Assisted or Independent Living Administrator or Social Worker and need someone in the interim?
Do you have special projects that need more attention than your current employees can provide?
We provide a seamless approach that recognizes eldercare issues are multifaceted. We offer psychosocial consultation and interim assignments. We can work with you to carry out projects. We do this on a short or long term basis to get the job done. This can help you with regulatory compliance issues to improve quality care and give you an edge over your competitors.
Hot topics-Social Work group therapeutic programs
There is a stigma with the senior population regarding therapy. However, it is this time in a person’s life when speaking to another about life’s experiences can be the most rewarding.
It is at this time when seniors suffer the most losses and many feel invisible over lost roles. They may take these feeling out on the facility in which they live in an effort for their voice to be heard.
HOW CAN SPECTRUM GCM HELP THESE SENIORS?
Many seniors view the staff and management of a retirement community as people who are causing the problems, despite staff efforts. However, they view an outside agency as an expert.
Spectrum GCM can assist you in developing customer service programs or can provide time centered structured group programming as a recreational event.
We call this program- HOT TOPICS
This program was developed by Ms. Versaci in conjunction with Rutgers University social work internship program. Residents are chosen by staff, some with positive attitudes and some with less than positive attitudes. Then the Spectrum GCM Care Manager runs a 1 hour structured weekly group that is developed with the residents. The group focuses on historical events and how these events link each member.
The anticipated result for residents: Group members feel more of a sense of connection with each other, leaving complaints about the community behind and focusing on their positive experience in the group and with each other.
The anticipated result for you: Happier residents/reduced complaints, better word of mouth referrals, and increased census.
Contact Spectrum GCM today at to start this program in your community.
Employee Education
Every human services agency aspires to have staff that are altruistic, work in conjunction with the organizational mission and use appropriate judgment.
Throughout her career in various healthcare settings, Ms. Versaci has worked closely with Human Resource professionals to provide lectures on “RESIDENT CENTERED SERVICES”.
The resident is at the heart of what we do. Employees may get caught up in specific tasks, and in the process, overlook the most important person- the resident.
Spectrum GCM can work with your HR department to cater one or a series of lectures to your specific organizational needs so that the focus remains on the resident to provide quality care.
Contact Spectrum GCM today at to schedule your lecture series.
Family and Community Lectures
“An educated consumer is our best customer.”- SYMS department store.
Give your customers the gift of knowledge. Educate them with any or all of the topics in our lecture series.
Understanding and helping your aging parent
This course is designed for adult children of the elderly. Growing old gracefully does not always happen naturally. Being an educated consumer in the healthcare maze will enable children to navigate their way through the unfamiliar territory of the aging process. Caregiver’s will learn care giving basics; how to develop a plan; basic medical and legal planning; Medicare and Medicaid programs; Options for care; evaluation tools for identifying daily physical, mental and social needs; and care for the caregiver.
Session Content
Session One
Understanding the aging process
Caregivers will get an overview of physical, social, emotional and cultural aspects of aging. Basic theories and misconceptions about aging will be discussed.
Session Two
The first step for caregivers
Students will learn the basic elements of care giving and how to talk to their elderly loved one. Evaluation tools will be taught so children can have a starting point before talking to professionals. They will learn about Geriatric Care Managers and when it might be necessary to consult a professional.
Session Three
Navigating through the options of care
Assisted living communities, though they are much more luxurious, are very much like nursing homes of years ago. This class will educate the caregiver on housing options, home care and Adult Day Care, what they have to offer and what is right for the elder.
Session Four
Getting papers in order
Living wills, Health care Proxies, Do-Not-Resuscitate orders and other advance directives will be explained. The scope and practice of Guardians, Conservators and Elder Law Attorneys will be reviewed. Students will gain an understanding of Medicare and Medicaid programs and Long-Term Care insurance.
Session Five
Understanding Dementia and Depression
Caregivers will learn to identify the early signs of dementia and depression, different types of dementia and what to do when they are noticing confusion or other different behaviors in their loved one.
Session Six
Taking care of the caregiver
Care giving can be very stressful. In the final session the tables are turned, the children get to talk about how they are feeling and the instructor teaches how to identify and relieve stress. Finding the right balance between setting limits and caring for themselves is reviewed.
Each session is typically 75 minutes in duration however the instructor can limit or expand topics to adjust to time considerations. Sessions can be added or reduced to meet the needs of the class structure.
GERIATRIC CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES
- How do I find a reliable bonded and insured hourly or live in caregiver?
- Who do I call when being sent home from the hospital or rehab but I’m not ready?
- Who can I find to process the insurance paperwork?
- Where can I find a visiting doctor, physical therapist, podiatrist, Nurse, Aide, etc.?
- Whom can I find to schedule and take me to doctor visits?
- Where is the best Assisted Living? The best nursing home?
- How can I avoid a nursing home and stay at home?
- How can I get the most out of government programs?
- How do we develop a will, trust, medical decision-making papers?
If these are some of the questions you hear from residents a referral to Spectrum Geriatric Care Management can help.
We start with a detailed assessment of the resident’s needs and desires using a proven format resulting in a Care Plan that is timely for today yet flexible enough to adapt to changing preferences based on medical and financial capabilities. We then implement the plan and adapt it as necessary over time as needs and desires change.
Facilities can make referrals for these services, fully pay for these services for the resident or have the resident pay a co pay for these services. Having services like this available to the resident can certainly put you ahead of the competition and in the long run can save the facility money due to decreased resident turnover.
Contact Spectrum GCM today to apply for this service for your residents.
Employee Benefits
- One in four workers have the responsibility for caring for an aging parent, according to the 2002 Benefits survey of the Society of Human Resource Management.
- U.S. companies lose $11 billion a year due to absenteeism, turnover and lost productivity among employees who care for elderly people, the National Alliance for care giving and MetLife calculated in 1997
- One-fifth of people who provide care for the elderly leave their jobs at least temporarily because of those responsibilities, the AARP found in its 2001 survey of baby boomers coping with family and aging issues.
- The National Council on Aging reported in 2000 that about one in four workers takes care of a relative who lives more than an hour away and misses an average of one day of work per month to give care.
You may have employees who are caring for an elderly relative and be unaware that this is the reason for missed work days or low productivity.
Spectrum Geriatric Care Management can help by providing on-site Care Management services such as education, decision support services and guidance.
You can provide this in many ways. Just a few examples include:
- Integration into an existing employee assistance program
- Consultation, Information and resource services via phone or in-person.
- Fee for service Care Management services billed to the organization or directly to the employee.
Contact Spectrum Geriatric Care Management today to contract for this service.
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