Interview with a Community Case Manager

I had the privilege of interviewing Sara Thompson, a case manager at Sunny Days

Assisted Living Facility, to learn more about her role serving older adults in our community.

Sunny Days is a non-profit assisted living facility that provides housing, meals, medication

management, and other supportive services to seniors who require some assistance with daily

living but wish to remain as independent as possible. The facility can house up to 100 residents

and provides personalized care based on each individual's needs and preferences. Sunny Days

offers private studio and one-bedroom apartments along with common living spaces to

encourage residents to interact and socialize. Their mission is to promote dignity, choice, and

wellbeing for seniors through individualized quality care in a homelike setting. I contacted Sara

last week to request an informational interview for a class assignment and she generously agreed

despite her busy schedule.

Sara has worked as a case manager at Sunny Days for 5 years. She completed her

bachelor's degree in social work and is a licensed social worker in our state. Her primary

responsibilities include conducting assessments of new residents, developing and updating

individualized service plans, coordinating services and resources, advocating for residents, and

providing counseling and support. Sara meets with prospective residents and their families to

learn about their needs, goals, and medical history. This helps inform placement decisions and

allows Sara to begin establishing relationships early on. For existing residents, Sara monitors

changes in condition and adjusts care plans accordingly. She also helps resolve any concerns that

arise with residents or family members. Sara likes that her role allows her to get to know

residents deeply over years of care while ensuring their needs are met.
 When asked about her typical caseload, Sara reported that she is currently the case

manager for 65 residents. She aims to meet with each resident at least monthly, with more

frequent check-ins for higher-need individuals. She described the need to be highly organized in

order to effectively manage her large caseload and varied responsibilities. Sara uses a

spreadsheet to track meetings and key details about each resident. This helps her follow up

appropriately and recall pertinent information. Though demanding at times, Sara enjoys getting

to work one-on-one with residents to provide person-centered care. The relationships she forms

are incredibly rewarding. She finds care planning meetings very collaborative and aims to

include the resident, family, and care staff in key decisions.

Regarding the most important aspects of her role, Sara emphasized the value of building

trust with residents. She strives to create an open, comfortable environment so that residents will

share concerns and challenges they are facing. Sara also discussed the importance of

coordination, sharing that she collaborates closely with residents’ family members, facility staff,

physicians, and community agencies to ensure needs are met. Regular communication enables

Sara to coordinate the care team and resources around the resident for a unified approach. She

serves as the hub connecting all parties and ensuring quality care. Sara values advocacy as well,

using her expertise to help residents access benefits and services they are entitled to.

In response to a question about confidentiality, Sara acknowledged that “there are times

when it feels challenging to balance being transparent with family members while also

respecting the resident’s privacy.” She described using discretion and checking with the resident

first before sharing any sensitive information. Sara undergoes regular training on HIPAA

regulations to ensure she is handling residents' private medical and personal information

appropriately. Only details essential for a family member or provider to know are relayed after
obtaining the resident's consent. She errs on the side of protecting the resident's confidentiality if

they request so.

When asked if she has ever become emotionally involved with a case, Sara responded

transparently. She explained, “When you work so closely with residents for years, it’s impossible

not to feel invested and develop care for them.” She went on to state that while boundaries are

important, “I’m human - if a resident is grieving or ill, I can’t help but feel touched by their

situation.” Sara shared that colleagues are a great resource for processing difficult situations. The

case management team meets regularly to support one another and discuss challenging cases.

This helps mitigate burnout. Self-care is so important, as compassion fatigue is common in

caregiving roles.

In closing, I asked Sara what advice she would offer new case managers. “It takes time to

develop confidence in this role. Don’t be afraid to ask tons of questions and lean on more

experienced case workers,” she emphasized. Sara also encouraged new case managers to actively

listen, show empathy, and remember that “connection is just as important as coordinating care.”

She stressed the importance of not rushing visits and really taking time to engage with each

resident. This work requires compassion just as much as clinical skill. Sara urged new case

managers to believe in themselves and remember they were hired for a reason.

The interview provided invaluable insights into the multifaceted role of a case manager

serving older adults. I appreciated Sara’s openness in sharing the joys and challenges of her

profession. Her compassion and dedication to the residents was clearly evident. The conversation

exemplified how case managers must skillfully balance complex resident needs, ethical

dilemmas, coordination with multiple agencies, and emerging issues. I am grateful to Sara for

taking the time to share her experiences and for her commitment to improving quality of life for
older adults in our community. This interview reinforced my passion for working with seniors

and helping provide person-centered, dignified care.