How a Geriatric Care Manager Helps Seniors Thrive at Home and in Facilities with Amy O’Connor

In this episode of Unlocking Senior Resources, I chat with Amy O’Connor, a licensed social worker and seasoned geriatric care manager from Long Island. Amy brings decades of wisdom, wit, and practical know-how to the table. Whether she’s helping families navigate a sudden hospitalization, guiding someone through the Medicaid maze, or learning to troubleshoot a senior’s printer or car, Amy’s role is as dynamic as the needs of the people she serves.

We dive deep into the real, raw challenges of aging care, from long-term care insurance surprises and Medicare miscommunications to the emotional tug-of-war between seniors and their adult children. Amy’s stories will have you laughing, nodding in recognition, and most of all, better equipped to support the seniors in your life.

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Timeline Summary:

• [0:00] – Introduction
• [1:06] – How personal family experience inspired Amy’s career in care management
• [3:07] – The flexible, “meet-them-where-they-are” model of geriatric care
• [5:04] – Advocating for seniors post-discharge when the system drops the ball
• [9:06] – Why Amy always puts the client’s voice above the family’s expectations
• [10:02] – Diabetic dilemmas and the limits of control in family caregiving
• [12:53] – Providing companionship, advocacy, and even printer support
• [14:10] – Helping clients master technology, from printers to modern vehicles
• [18:14] – Expanding her scope: working with clients in their 50s with disabilities
• [23:05] – Understanding what you can and shouldn’t expect from Medicare
• [29:26] – What an in-home assessment really looks like and why it matters
• [32:52] – Dementia and denial: how awareness fades before capabilities
• [35:24] – Long-term care insurance frustrations and the battle to appeal
• [40:02] – Why “35 hours of Medicare home care” is mostly a myth
• [44:09] – Medicaid strategies, timelines, and the value of knowing the system
• [48:04] – Penalties for late Medicare enrollment, and other surprise rules
• [49:29] – The most important lesson: don’t go through this process alone

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5 Key Takeaways:

1. You don’t have to, and shouldn’t, do this alone. Navigating senior care is too complex to tackle without experienced support.
2. The client comes first. Amy prioritizes the seniors’ wishes and well-being, even when families push for control.
3. Medicare and Medicaid are not intuitive. Many benefits are misunderstood or misrepresented, and the appeals process requires advocacy.
4. It’s not just for seniors. Amy works with younger clients too, including those with disabilities or mental health needs.
5. The “little things” matter. From helping someone learn to use a car to fixing a printer, care management goes far beyond medical needs.

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Links & Resources:

• Where you can find credentialed care managers like Amy: ⁠https://www.aginglifecare.org/⁠
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