This is the twenty-fifth in a series of articles intended to demystify retirement living options.

Previous articles have discussed housing and care options that involve moving out of the home that you -- or an aging relative -- may have lived in for many years. What if you or they don’t want to move?

If you or an aging relative needs a service, the odds are that other people do, too – and there’s a good chance that someone has set up a business or a non-profit to meet the need.

In the Prescott, AZ area, dozens – if not hundreds -- of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are ready to help manage life at home.

A resource directory available at www.seniorconnection.us lists service providers in thirty-three categories such as “in-home -- medical” (16 organizations), “in-home – non-medical” (44 organizations), and “personal services” (15 organizations).

That last category even includes one business, Mobile Haircutting Services, whose owner KC Cain will come to your home to cut your hair and provide other salon-type services such as manicures and pedicures.

But where do you even start? A good first step is to arrange for a comprehensive assessment by a Geriatric Care Manager certified by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. Certified Geriatric Care Managers meet extensive requirements for education, supervised professional experience after earning one or more degrees, and proficiency exams leading to certification. These qualifications help ensure that they understand and can effectively address a broad array of issues facing the elderly.

Ron Goldman, a Certified Geriatric Care Manager (and Licensed Master of Social Work as well as a Licensed Fiduciary) who founded Arizona Elder Care LLC (www.ArizonaElderCare.com), explained that a comprehensive assessment typically starts with 3-4 hours spent with the individual or couple in their home to understand the specifics of their situation.

This time may be split into two or three sessions if necessary. Then the care manager prepares a report detailing the current status of the individual(s), services needed, and options for getting those services. The report also looks to the future and identifies probable future needs as well.

The care manager will meet with the individual(s) and family members as appropriate to discuss findings, conclusions and recommendations.

The Area Agency on Aging of the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) also offers needs assessments for people age 60+ under its case management program. The agency prioritizes providing services to people who are frailer, older, and lower income. Call toll-free (877) 521-3500 for information and referrals.

Why not just get a free assessment from any of the many in-home service agencies that offer them?

You may find that a free assessment serves simply to identify the services that the organization offers that can be useful to you or your relative -- and you may not immediately realize that a number of other services that the organization doesn’t offer are needed as well.

Issues that you or your relative may be facing may include the risk of financial mismanagement, dangers of complications and side effects associated with taking a large number of prescription drugs, safety problems arising from living in a cluttered environment, potential emotional concerns such as depression and social isolation, possible health problems resulting from keeping or eating spoiled food, risks of falls related to poor balance, malnutrition if buying food and preparing meals have become difficult, specific concerns related to particular medical conditions, and so forth.

A Certified Geriatric Care Manager can help you understand the different types of service organizations, and the pros and cons of using each. Individual organizations that provide a subset of the services needed are likely to focus on describing the benefits of engaging them – not on explaining the larger picture.

This point was emphasized to me when a reader wrote to me about her confusion arising from the fact that two different organizations each said that it was the only option in the area for a certain type of service. In fact, seven organizations in town are licensed to provide that particular service – and one of the two that claimed to her that it is the only one licensed in fact isn’t licensed to provide that service at all.

-- Next -- 106. Qualifying for Medicare-Paid Medical Services at Home