Guides to Care Management
When they are thrown into the role of caregiver unexpectedly, many family members and caregivers feel unprepared and at a loss as to where to begin when coordinating care for an older adult. The following publications and resources offer guidance in planning for the care needs of a loved one.

Eldercare at Home: Caregiving
Published by the American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging

Caregiving & Family Support
Provided by the Pennsylvania Department on Aging

Caregiver Support Tools

To help caregivers manage the care of a loved one, the following tools offer worksheets, checklists, and questions for consideration when making care management decisions and selecting quality care services.

Identifying the Health Care Team (pdf file)
Developed by the University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging

Quick Tips When Talking with Your Doctor
Published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

You can access the following information for practical advice on finding quality health care services:

Home Health Checklist
Published by the American Association for Homecare

Adult Day Care
Published by the National Adult Day Services Association

Choosing the Right Personal Care Home
Published by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare

Hospice Care
Published by the National Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation

Respite Care Guide (pdf file)
Published by the Alzheimer’s Association

Choosing Quality Health Care (pdf file)
Published by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offer the following publications and tools to help you make a more informed decision and to allow comparison of services among various providers.

Ask Medicare
Home Health Compare
Nursing Home Checklist (pdf file)
Nursing Home Compare

Long-Distance Care Management

Today, families are often spread throughout the country and even the world. Although adult children often move away from home to other locations, many older adults relocate themselves to be closer to family or to enjoy warmer weather, a slower pace of life, a safer environment, and better opportunities for socialization. As parents age and their health declines, their children often confront the frustrating, time-consuming, and stressful task of managing care from a distance.

The Institute on Aging offers a care co-ordination program called Staying-at-Home to provide assistance to long-distance caregivers whose loved ones reside in western Pennsylvania. To speak to a referral specialist about the program, call 1-866-430-8742.

The following information sheet offers some points for consideration for long-distance caregivers:

Long Distance Caregiving
Published by the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Pennsylvania Chapter

Accessing Assistance
Contact us for assistance with care management questions or to learn more about the Staying-at-Home Program, or e-mail us your questions.

Many of our documents are available in PDF format. To read PDF files, Adobe Acrobat Reader® software must be installed on your computer. Download Acrobat Reader (free version).