May is National Aging Life Care Month

The Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) – the nonprofit association representing 2,000 leaders in Aging Life Care™ / care management – is celebrating the profession during the month of May. Special events come on the heels of a virtual professional conference April 21-24, where presenters and participants tackled the toughest issues related to aging today.

As Founder of Westchester Senior Home Care I am proud to be a member of ALCA. We uphold the highest professional standards of Aging Life Care. Please contact us to set up a free 30-minute consultation to discuss the challenges you and your family are facing.

What is Aging Life Care™ and Why Should I Care?

While the practice and profession of Aging Life Care is not new, there is more attention being paid to the impact our aging population has on communities and resources. Aging Life Care plays an important role as these professionals are prepared to help aging adults plan for and face age-related challenges.

Aging Life Care is a holistic, client-centered approach to caring for older adults or others facing health challenges. The Aging Life Care Professional® is a health and human services specialist who is a guide, advocate, and resource for families caring for an older relative or disabled adult. Working with families, the expertise of Aging Life Care Professionals provides the answers at a time of uncertainty. Their guidance leads families to the actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal life for those they love, thus reducing worry, stress and time off of work for family caregivers.

They have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of resources in their communities. Aging Life Care Professionals are members of the Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA), must meet stringent education, experience, and certification requirements of the organization, and all members are required to adhere to a strict code of ethics and standards of practice.

Aging Life Care Professionals’ 8 Knowledge Areas (Graphic from ALCA)

The association was formed in 1985 by a group of about 50 members – mainly social workers and nurses – who came together to build a profession from the ground up. The association was the first to represent the pioneers in a growing and developing field.

ALCA recognizes the vulnerable population our professionals serve, and has developed the highest standards by which to hold our members accountable – for both the protection of the client and the public. Aging Life Care Professionals may be trained in any of a number of fields related to long-term care. These include counseling, gerontology, mental health, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, and other allied health professions, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging.

Source: sections of this article are republished with permission from aginglifecare.org.