Overwhelmed by caregiving?
A personalized care plan can help you...
Preserve Independence
Understand Cost of Care
Decide with Confidence
Prepare for the Long Term
Reduce Stress
Do you feel like you're drowning in responsibility, exhausted from trying so hard, all alone in an ocean of overwhelm, and sinking under the weight of caring for your spouse, parent, or other loved one?
Caring for a loved one can feel like you are stranded in a stormy sea without a map, battered by crisis after crisis, rocked by towering waves of paperwork and bills, forced to make agonizing choices in the eye of the hurricane, tossed overboard with the worry and fear of what comes next, and just bone-deep tired.
Here's the reality...
According to the AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving
53 million Americans currently serve as family caregivers to someone who is aging, ill, or disabled.
57% of family caregivers reported high levels of stress, anxiety, and/or depression.
21% of family caregivers report their own health is fair to poor and 23% say caregiving as made their health worse.
61% of family caregivers also work outside the home and 45% have negative financial impacts.
The hard truth about family caregiving is clear:
CARE COSTS MORE THAN COLLEGE - The average cost of a nursing home bed is more than $110,000/year, and 24-hour home care services cost more than $280,000/year.
MOST PEOPLE WHO NEED CARE HAVE NOT PROPERLY PLANNED FOR CARE - 70% of people over 65 years old will need care at some point and less than 5% have proper plans in place.
MANY FAMILY CAREGIVERS DON’T HAVE EXPERIENCE - Care management requires expertise across multiple domains: medical, legal, financial, housing, family dynamics, and crisis response.
FAMILY MEMBERS OFTEN DISAGREE ABOUT CARE - Family caregiving can create painful conflicts between spouses, parents/children, siblings, and other loved ones.
CAREGIVING IS THE TOUGHEST JOB YOU WILL EVER HAVE - Care requires tough conversation, tough decisions, and even tougher boundaries.
Overwhelming, right??
People who accept the responsibility of family caregiving often think:
My Loved One, My Problem.
WRONG! Not only does the endless “to do” list NOT have to rest entirely on your shoulders, but making choices, planning, and finding help doesn’t either.
Ironically, when you accept the reality of caregiving, and that you can't do this all on your own — your loved one will thrive if you seek out the expert help you need — your peace of mind will speak for itself.
And - what’s more?
While you’re stuck doing all the caregiving stuff yourself (and making every big decision alone), your life is on hold, you are treading water, barely able to take a breath, and the waves just keep on coming.
LET US BE YOUR LIFE PRESERVER AND PULL YOU TO SAFETY.
Wouldn't it feel nice to float instead of drown?
“There are only four kinds of people in the world––those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”
- Rosalynn Carter, Former First Lady of the United States
As a family caregiver, you need:
A comprehensive needs assessment and personalized care plan.
Support that understands the unique challenges of caregiving.
Unbiased guidance, professional referrals, and expert advice.
START MAKING CARE DECISIONS WITH CONFIDENCE ...
We've been through thick and thin with many family caregivers, tackling tough situations and teaming up with experts in health, law, and finances to figure out the best ways to care for loved ones who need assistance.
With all this know-how, we've put together special help just for family caregivers like you. Think of us as your life preserver or guiding lighthouse, offering a helping hand to assess your needs, create a plan tailored just for your family, and give you the support you need. This way, you can catch your breath, avoid costly mistakes, and find more peace, love, and joy in your journey as a caregiver.
Independent Care Managers
Independent Care Managers provide premium comprehensive needs assessments, care plans, unbiased guidance, and expert advice for caregivers who care for someone who is aging, ill or disabled.
The Details:
Independent Care Managers serve a limited number clients in order to provide VIP level support. Many of our clients choose to remain with their Independent Care Manager for several years, frequently leading to a waitlist for ongoing support. We are specifically looking for family caregivers who need assistance planning for care and sourcing professional referrals with private pay. Currently, our focus does not extend to families seeking Medicaid resources. Please reach out to your local Department of Disability and Aging Services if your loved one qualifies for Medicaid.
The first step in retaining our services requires a comprehensive needs assessment and a personalized care plan. This allows our team to understand your unique care situation and customize our recommendations based on your resources, needs and preferences. If we believe that you and your loved ones will benefit from our ongoing support we will discuss those options after we complete the care plan. Our goal is to create human-centered care teams that preserve independence, minimize costs, reduce stress, promote family harmony, and provide the best opportunity for peace, love, and joy in the face of aging, illness and disability.
The results are extraordinary when you experience a focused group of care professionals in action, working towards a shared goal of personalized and human-centered care services.
Independent Care Managers provide three essential elements:
Comprehensive Needs Assessments
Personalized Care Plans
Unbiased Guidance and Expert Advice
#1
Comprehensive Needs Assessments
Our services start with a comprehensive needs assessment centered on the person who needs care and the primary caregiver.
This includes:
Health Care and Medical Needs - Medical providers, medication compliance, durable medical equipment, hospice.
Non-Medical Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) - Walking, feeding, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring.
Incidental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) - Transportation, shopping, meal preparation, housekeeping, etc.
Legal Documentation - POAs, advance care directives, POLSTs, HIPPA authorizations, wills, trusts.
Financial Resources - Medicare, long term care insurance, liquid and real assets.
Housing - Home safety, home care and/or assisted living providers.
Emergency Preparedness - Crisis response, natural disaster readiness, evacuation plans.
Family Support - Family location, interpersonal dynamics, roles, and resources.
Community Resources - Day programs, support groups, etc.
#2
Personalized Care Plans
Our personalized care plans address the areas of evaluation discussed in the comprehensive needs assessment and make recommendations based on your resources, needs, and preferences.
This includes:
Establishing Goals - Functional, social, emotional, quality of life, etc.
Customizing Action Steps - Who does what, when, and how.
Financial Planning and Cost Minimizing Strategies - Budgeting, realistic cost of care calculations, asset allocation.
Analyzing Housing Options - Independent evaluation of both in-home and facilities based care.
Supporting Primary Caregiver - Local resources, self-care recommendations, advocacy.
Educating about Family Dynamics - Conversation starters, conflict resolution strategies.
#3
Unbiased Guidance and Expert Advice
We offer unbiased guidance and expert advice free from the influence of any home care organization or assisted living facilities, which means you get recommendations that prioritize your family's well-being and peace of mind.
This includes:
Tailored Solutions Over One-Size-Fits-All - We focus solely on your unique situation, offering unbiased advice that's all about what's best for your loved one, not what's best for a care facility's bottom line.
Wide-Ranging Expertise Without Conflicts of Interest - We aren't tied to any specific home care organizations or assisted living facilities, so our advice spans a broad spectrum of options without conflict of interest.
Flexibility and Freedom of Choice - We give you the freedom to choose from a wide array of services and providers and this flexibility ensures that you can make decisions based on quality and fit, not on a restricted list of options.
Advocacy and Support from an Outsider’s Perspective - Our outsider's perspective can also bring new solutions to light, which might not be considered within the confines of a single organization.
Cost-Effective Decision Making - Our primary aim is to find the most effective care plan within your budget, free from the incentive to fill beds or sell services that might come with care managers tied to specific facilities. This approach can lead to more cost-effective care decisions, ensuring that your money is spent wisely on services that truly benefit your loved one.
That’s the essential foundation of Independent Care Managers.
Organizational Leadership
Rachel Kirkbride, CEO
Rachel's journey into eldercare was inspired by her personal experiences with family caregiving. This profound experience propelled her to serve as an Ombudsman for Long Term Care Facilities in San Francisco County, advocating for the rights and well-being of the elderly. Since 2018, Rachel has been dedicatedly serving clients in Rossmoor, a community with which she shares a personal connection through her mother, a former resident.
At the heart of Rachel's professional ethos lies a commitment to human-centered care, a principle that guides every facet of her work. She is dedicated to assembling care teams that not only uphold the independence of the elderly but also work diligently to minimize costs and reduce the stress often associated with caregiving. Rachel's approach is rooted in the belief that promoting family harmony is crucial to navigating the challenges of aging, illness, and disability. She strives to create environments where peace, love, and joy are not mere aspirations but achievable realities for the families she serves. This commitment to compassionate care reflects Rachel's core values and her vision for a world where every individual receives the support they need to face the complexities of aging with dignity and grace.
Before transitioning to the eldercare sector, Rachel contributed significantly to the field of education as an Assistant Principal, Computer Science Instructor, and elementary school teacher. Her teaching career spanned several esteemed institutions across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Holy Names High School, Convent and Stuart Hall, Phillips Brooks School, and the Harker School.
Rachel brings a rich and diverse background to her role in the eldercare industry, marked by a strong educational foundation and a wide range of professional experiences. She holds a Master of Management with a certificate in Advanced Accounting from Mills College, Lorry I. Lokey Graduate School of Business, and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Santa Clara University. Further enhancing her expertise, Rachel has earned a Certificate in Professional Fiduciary Management for Trustees from California State University, Fullerton.
Her credentials include being a State of California Certified Administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), a Board Certified Case Manager through the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist awarded by the National Home Builders Association, and she has achieved Platinum Certification in LGBTQ+ Cultural Competency Training through Sage Care.
Rachel and her team were a big help in managing everything about my parents' long-term care insurance, making sure they got back more than $1.5 Million in reimbursements that they should have because of the home care costs they had already paid for. - Susan, San Francisco, CA
She’s got this amazing knack for bringing everyone together, making our quirky family vibe work together as a caring and supportive network. She's like a ninja in handling any drama, always tactful and discrete. Seriously, she's a godsend when it comes to dealing with my crazy family. - Margaret, Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, CA
Integrity, kindness, and wisdom. I wholeheartedly rely on her counsel and advice as my wife and I approach the later stages of our lives. - Bob, Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, CA
Rachel's wit, intelligence, and heart of gold make her a powerful and delightful advocate to have on your side. She provided a sense of ease and comfort during a time in my life that can only be described as “walking through hell.” - Linda, Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, CA
Next Steps...
If you're looking for a thorough understanding of your loved one's needs through Comprehensive Needs Assessments...
If you need Personalized Care Plans tailored to your family member's unique situation...
If you're seeking Unbiased Guidance and Expert Advice to navigate the caregiving journey with confidence...
You can book a free call now with Independent Care Managers
Comprehensive Care Planning and Management
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FOR SUPPORT ISSUES OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE EMAIL US AT SUPPORT@INDEPENDENTCAREMANAGERS.COM