A study of case managers' decision-making processes

Decision-making processes were explored in a study of 122 case managers from community-based aging network agencies. Of interest was how often case managers employed a consumer-driven model whereby elders' input is always considered during the assessment and decision-making processes. Approximately 80% always used clients as a source of information during assessment but less than a majority always used client recommendations in decision making. The case managers indicated that safety was more frequently a guiding principle used in decision making than the least restrictive alternative, disruption to lifestyle, and freedom. When clients disagreed with the case managers' decisions, attempting to convince the client was the strategy the greatest proportion of respondents employed. Case manager characteristics (gender and degree) were not found to be associated with consumer-oriented methods of assessment or decision making. The authors concluded that the respondents tended to use a consumer-oriented approach when assessing clients but moved away from the consumer-driven model when making decisions with regard to clients. Safety, rather than freedom, was the prevailing guiding principle.