Life Care Management in Sacramento, Placerville, Folsom, and South Lake Tahoe
Expert Care Management Services
At Elder Options, our credentialed Aging Life Care Managers provide expert guidance and support for older adults and their families. We specialize in ensuring that individuals receive the best care solutions tailored to their unique needs. By fostering strong relationships with clients and families, our care managers work to identify the most effective care plans, continuously offering peace of mind and expert advocacy.
Understanding Your Needs
When our care managers meet with clients and families, we focus on:
- Identifying personal wishes and goals.
- Assessing emerging needs and potential challenges.
- Setting realistic expectations for care and support.
Our credentialed care managers provide a comprehensive evaluation, considering health, emotional well-being, memory concerns, and physical abilities. We develop custom care plans and ensure access to appropriate and cost-effective resources while maintaining consistent communication with families.
Features of Hiring a Professional Care Manager
When you hire a professional Life Care Manager you can expect:
- Personalized Care Plans: Giving tailored recommendations based on individual needs and preferences.
- Coordination of Care: Overseeing the implementation of care plans and necessary services.
- Liaison Services: Facilitating communication between family members and healthcare providers.
- Resource Navigation: Providing expert referrals to community resources and financial assistance programs.
- Long-Term Planning: Assessing appropriate housing options, from independent living to skilled nursing facilities.
- Advocacy & Education: Supporting families in navigating long-term care insurance, Medicare, and Medi-Cal.
- Caregiver Support: Offering counseling and strategies to reduce caregiver stress and burnout.
Benefits of Hiring a Care Manager
Some of the many benefits that come with hiring a care manager include:
- Expert Guidance and Peace of Mind: Gain confidence knowing a credentialed Aging Life Care Manager is overseeing your loved one’s care, making sure they receive the appropriate level of support at every stage.
- Improved Communication and Advocacy: A care manager bridges the gap between older adults, their families, and healthcare providers. They accompany clients to medical appointments, ask important questions, clarify health concerns, and address any changes in health conditions.
- Maximizing Financial Resources: Care managers help families save money by identifying low-cost or free programs, such as Veterans Administration benefits, Medi-Cal assistance, and utility subsidies – many of which families may not even be aware of.
- Navigating Long-Term Care Insurance: From understanding coverage and deductible periods to filing claims and billing insurance providers, care managers help families receive the benefits they are entitled to for covering essential care services.
- Preventing Financial Exploitation: By reviewing insurance policies, pension benefits, and spending habits, care managers help protect older adults from excessive expenditures, scams, and misleading telemarketing solicitations.
- Reducing Family Burden and Work Disruptions: Regular check-ins by a care manager provide updates to designated family members, reducing the need for time off work and allowing caregivers to take vacations without the constant worry of a family crisis.
Cost-Saving and Quality Care Through Care Management
Hiring a professional care manager (CM) not only improves quality of life but also helps families avoid unnecessary expenses and navigate complex care decisions. Here are real-world examples of how Elder Options’ professional care management has led to significant cost savings and advocacy benefits:
Resolving Billing Errors and Preventing Unnecessary Payments
After an older adult was hospitalized due to a severe accident, she was transferred to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) near her child. When the family decided to move her closer to her husband for long-term care, her son unknowingly signed a private pay agreement after her Medicare coverage ended. When presented with a $15,000 bill and ongoing charges, the CM identified a billing error and advised the family not to pay. Despite pressure and multiple calls from the SNF, the CM’s intervention successfully prevented the family from paying an unnecessary expense.
Advocating for Lost Personal Items in Skilled Nursing Facilities
Missing dentures, glasses, and other personal belongings are common issues in skilled nursing settings. By involving the Ombudsperson, the CM helped families recover lost items and prevented future losses.
Maximizing Long-Term Care Insurance Benefits
Care managers assist families in negotiating with long-term care insurance providers to ensure covered services, such as in-home care or care management, are fully utilized, reducing out-of-pocket costs.Â
Securing Additional In-Home Care Through Community Programs
By advocating for families, a CM can help secure more in-home care services funded by the county’s Area Agency on Aging, so that older adults receive the necessary support without additional financial burden.
Identifying the Right Level of Care for Cost-Effective Solutions
Many families overpay for care due to a lack of awareness about alternative options. For example: A woman was paying for 24/7 nursing home care plus private caregivers for her husband, unaware that he could be safely cared for in a small residential care facility (RCFE). After a CM assessment, her husband transitioned to a nurse-owned RCFE, cutting the family’s costs in half while still receiving high-quality care.
Helping Families Choose the Most Cost-Effective Care Plan
CMs provide expert recommendations to help families determine the most affordable and appropriate care solutions, whether through in-home caregivers, home care agencies, or a customized care management plan. Families can then make informed choices that best fit their needs and budget.
Educating Families About Hidden Benefits and Free Services
A veteran’s family was paying $1,600 per month out of pocket for home care services – until a CM identified overlooked VA benefits, significantly reducing expenses.
CMs often know of local programs that offer free or low-cost services that families are unaware of. For example, some neighborhoods provide complimentary senior transportation for grocery shopping and pharmacy visits, while certain hospitals offer volunteer companion programs and transportation to medical appointments.
Providing Unbiased Assessments and Emotional Support
Aging-related decisions can be overwhelming. A CM serves as an objective third-party expert, assessing an older adult’s actual needs and identifying hidden challenges that may not be immediately apparent to the family. By having a structured care management plan in place, family members can focus on cherishing time with their loved one – without guilt, stress, or uncertainty.
Family Meetings: A Collaborative Approach to Care
Aging can present complex challenges for families. Our facilitated family meetings provide a structured environment to:
- Openly discuss care options and long-term goals.
- Address concerns while fostering family unity in decision-making.
- Evaluate financial implications and available support resources.
- Develop a strategic plan that aligns with the older adult’s preferences.
Whether in our office, at home, or via teleconferencing, our Aging Life Care Managers ensure that all voices are heard and that families reach well-informed decisions.
Navigating Housing and Care Options
Choosing the right housing option is critical to ensuring the best quality of life for your loved one. Working with a professional, credentialed care manager (experienced Social Workers, Gerontologists, Counselors and Nurses) who completes a client assessment can help greatly. Â
Living options include:
- Independent Living – Ideal for active seniors who are seeking a maintenance-free lifestyle and require no assistance with activities of daily living. There may be other services available should an urgent situation arise. Independent living communities often consist of small homes or apartments where an individual can take part in community dining and events. Costs vary depending on rental or ownership of housing, services offered, AOA fees, etc. Medicare does not assist.
- Assisted Living – Suitable for those who need assistance with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing, and medication management. These communities are often large facilities offering private or shared rooms and common eating/activity areas. Costs for Assisted Living depend on the level of assistance the resident requires. Medicare does not assist.**
- Memory Care – Designed for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia and offering safe environments and specialized care. In memory care, individuals typically require a higher level of assistance with daily activities. These communities have private or shared rooms are often secured due to the risk of wandering. Costs for Memory Care are based on Assisted Living rates + supplemental rates for a secure or locked unit. Medicare does not assist.
- Residential Care Homes (Board & Care) – Small, home-like settings with room for six to 10 individuals that provide personalized attention and support. These homes have shared and private rooms and staff is present to help with daily activities. They are licensed the same as larger assisted living facilities. Care Home rates may be slightly less expensive than the large nationwide facilities. Medicare does not assist.**
- Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) – 24/7 medical supervision for individuals with advanced health conditions requiring continuous care. Staff assists with daily activities including bathing, feeding, toileting, and nursing services. In addition, medical professionals like doctors, nurses, and physical therapists are on-site to attend to medical needs. Most individuals enter skilled nursing after a hospital stay and are eligible for Medicare reimbursement for a time. Once the facility determines the client has reached a “plateau,” the client is billed at a private pay rate.  Long term placement in a nursing home may necessitate a Medi-Cal application.
**NOTE: Eligible Medi-Cal recipients in California may qualify for a federal waiver program (ALWP) that allows eligible individuals to live in an approved Assisted Living.
Ethical and Unbiased Care Placement Assistance
Elder Options is not a placement agency. Many placement agencies advertise their services as “free” to older adults and their families. However, these businesses operate through agreements with select senior living facilities, collecting up to – and sometimes more than – 100% of one month’s rent as a commission when placing a resident.
Unlike healthcare professionals, most placement agents are salespeople, not medical or care experts. Their recommendations are often limited to facilities that pay their fees, rather than being based solely on the best fit for the older adult’s needs. If a placement doesn’t work out, they are often willing to relocate the individual – once again collecting a second referral fee from another partnered facility.
At Elder Options, we adhere to strict professional and ethical standards and do not accept referral fees. Our guidance is based entirely on what’s best for your loved one – not financial incentives.
From decision-making to move-in day and beyond, our professional care managers assist with every step of the transition process. We remain committed to ongoing support, advocacy, and adjustments as care needs evolve.
Discover Personalized Care Solutions Today
If you or a loved one is seeking expert geriatric care management in Sacramento, Placerville, Folsom, South Lake Tahoe, or Carson City, NV, contact Elder Options today. Our Aging Life Care Managers are dedicated to providing trusted guidance and compassionate support for every stage of aging.