Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Lori Birch works with seniors at the Neighborhood Center and makes house calls to seniors for case management work.

Youthful case manager helps seniors with their problems

By Bob Aldrich

Lori Birch, new case manager of Family Service Association, may be found in her office at the Neighborhood Center daily from 9 a.m. to noon.

At other times, Birch, 25, who succeeds Meg Basinski in the job, may be making home visits to any of some 50 homebound and disabled persons on her client list in Los Gatos, Saratoga and Campbell, the region she serves.

"These people are disabled or isolated. They depend on us," Birch says.

When calling on a new client, she does what she calls a "bio-psycho-social" survey asking numerous questions concerning home care, income, family support and particular needs.

"I ask a lot of questions, including their hobbies and what they like to do," she says. "I link them to various agencies or support services that may be able to help."

Birch attended Menlo-Atherton High School and studied psychology and Spanish at UC-Riverside before entering the College of Social Sciences at San Jose State University, where she earned a master's degree in social work.

While some young women might consider it a less-than-glamorous career, she went in for special studies on aging and the problems of older adults. As a student, she interned at the Veterans Administration Nursing Home in Menlo Park and volunteered in a hospice program.

"I was attracted to the study of the aging partly as a result of my association with my own parents and grandparents," she says.

Birch served as senior case manager for the Community Services Agency of Mountain View. There, her supervisor, Jo Faroque, heard of an opening at the Family Service association and put her in contact with Marilyn Rumelhart, the association's president and CEO. Birch started in her new job June 17, after Basinski resigned for personal and family reasons.

Her case load may grow as more requests for home care services are received. In addition to home visits, she regularly visits senior centers and housing projects to learn seniors' needs.

"The No. 1 problem among these seniors is affordable housing," Birch says. "Second is home care, and third comes escorted transportation. But low income [among seniors] is really the main thing."

When she confronts a client with a serious problem, she makes referrals to appropriate resource agencies. Mental health problems or needs for nutrition and socialization are among conditions Family Service may try to resolve.

"I work closely with Eleanor Vora, manager of the Live Oak Nutrition Center, and a similar center in Campbell," Birch says.

Family Service's hours are 9 a.m. to noon. To make an appointment, call 354-1514, or visit the Senior Drop-In Center at the Neighborhood Center, 208 E. Main St.