Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging geriatric care manager receives national certification

Jessica Dakin, BSN, CMC, CDP, geriatric care manager with Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, was recently designated as a Certified Dementia Practitioner by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.

The goal of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners is to develop and encourage comprehensive standards of excellence in direct-care skills, education and sensitivity in the area of dementia care. Certification indicates that the individual has extensive experience and has pursued continuing education, staying current with trends, regulations and new developments related to dementia.

Dakin, a Canton resident, began working in 2014 for Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, a resource and assessment center whose mission is to enhance access to services and information related to attaining optimal quality of life for seniors and their caregivers. Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging is a not for profit member of Hartford HealthCare Senior Services, a Hartford HealthCare Partner.

Dakin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a Care Management Certification through the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. She is also a certified CHOICES counselor, whose role is to advise, educate and empower persons in understanding the increasingly complex Medicare program.

In her role as geriatric care manager, she works with the older population and their families, helping them navigate the health care system. She provides comprehensive medical, physical and social needs assessments and develops, coordinates and modifies individual care plans to assist with day-to-day activities for her patients. She arranges and monitors in-home help or services, acts as a liaison to families who are far away, and attends medical appointments. She also provides counseling and crisis intervention to address emergency situations for clients.

Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging offers a free Dementia Caregiver Resource Guide accessible at the website cthealthyaging.org. For more information about Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, visit the website or call toll-free 1-877-4AGING1 (1-877-424-4641).