What is a Care Team?

Your care team is a group of individuals and providers who collectively take responsibility for your care. The composition of your care team will depend on your needs and desires. Care teams are often multidisciplinary or a blend of multidisciplinary skills. In addition to YOU, members of your care team may include your physicians and nurses, specialists, therapists, pharmacists, dieticians and nutritionists, social workers and social service providers, teachers and related special educators, care coordinators, lawyers and legal representatives, family and friends, and other supports you identify as beneficial to your care and life.

Approaches to Care and Care Teams:

There are three approaches to how care teams often work. Historically, many people have viewed their doctor, care manager or funding source as the leader of their care team. This approach can result in a lack of understanding what your full array of options may be. In addition, it may lead to feeling like the care you recieve is beyond your control. An increasingly common approach to care teams is the “Person-Centered” approach to care. This approach is a way of thinking and serving that sees people using health and social services as “equal” partners in planning, developing, and monitoring care. Providers see themselves as making decisions “with” people rather than “for” them. While both of these approaches to care can yield positive outcomes, it may be increasingly true that providers may intentionally or unintentionally steer you and your loved ones to make decisions that are more in the providers best interest than your best interest.

ACS’s philosophy of care and care teams takes a critical step forward with a third approach that puts YOU as the LEADER of your care and care team. This “Client-Led” or “Person-Led” approach acknowledges the expertise and opinions of each care team member AND allows and respects YOUR Autonomy TO DETERMINE YOUR COURSE OF CARE. YOUR NEEDS, DESIRES AND WISHES SUPERSEDE the desires of others.

How ACS can help YOU!

As a member of your care team, ACS will help educate you and better equip you to lead your care team. We will assist you to be as independent as you desire, while providing support and assistance at your direction. Being more informed, empowered, and able to build a team that best meets your needs is the FIRST STEP in leading your care team. An initial ACS consultation may be all you or your legal representatives need to move toward greater independence for your wellbeing; and ACS is here to continue to help you more as you desire or as your needs change and additional assistance would be helpful.

ACS’s priority is to equip you to make better informed decisions and better help yourself and your loved ones as much as possible. This can save you money and stretch your budget much further. If you are feeling exhausted or want additional assistance beyond consultation, ACS can help you make necessary adjustments to your care team. You will be in control and the leader of your care team!