It is estimated that more than 7 million Americans have the responsibility of caring for an older relative or friend. Unfortunately there are many miles that separate them and that fuels caregiver stress, worry, and guilt.  Persons over the age of 85 are the fastest growing segment of the population and statistics and studies reveal that more than half of them will need some help with personal care. Want to ease your concerns? You’re not alone. 

 A geriatric care manager (GCM) is a professional who specializes in assisting older persons and their families in meeting a variety of long-term care needs. Professional Geriatric Care Managers are typically trained in gerontology, social work, nursing, mental health, or counseling. They coordinate with other experts making elder care services easy to manage. 

Geriatric care managers help seniors and their families with the challenges and changes of aging. Care managers conduct screenings and problem solving strategies in order to coordinate services to utilize the highest quality of life for an elder given their individual circumstances.  Everyone is different and going to need individual attention and detail directed at their situation. A skilled professional geriatric care manager can:

·         Assess needs to identify problems and eligibility for assistance

·         Screen, arrange, and monitor in-home help or other services

·         Review financial, legal, or medical issues for wise care choices 

·         Provide telephone support, personal visits and crisis intervention

·         Coordinate care

·         Act as a liaison to families at a distance, and local professionals

·         Assist in establishing parameters to help people determine when it’s time for more services or move to or from a retirement complex, care home, or nursing home

·         Providing consumer education and advocacy

·         Offering counseling and support

·         Serve as a single access point to community resources for seniors

Care management services are offered in a variety of settings. Many practitioners offer:

·         Short-term or ongoing assistance

·         Personalized and compassionate service specifically to meet the client’s wants and needs

·         Continuity of care management to reduce miscommunications, time, stress, and costs to client

·         Ongoing monitoring to prevent costly crises and unnecessary hospitalizations

·         Accessibility 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Geriatric Care Management Services are billed privately on a fee-for-service basis. Currently Medicare or Medicaid does not cover these services. If you have long term care insurance, check with your policy. Hiring a care manager can sometimes be less expensive than moving a loved one into a long-term care setting. 

CHOOSING A GERIATRIC CARE MANAGER

Interview the care manager you have considered hiring and check references, previous experience, and credentials. Ask about membership in professional care manager associations. Good communication with a qualified care manager will help create a positive experience for all involved. 

Donna Gagnon is the President of Dignified Aging, Inc., serving families, attorneys, and trust officers across the nation. Offices are located in Pinellas and Hillsborough County Florida. Donna is widely known for her consumer advocacy efforts and  has served on the Board of Directors for the Florida Geriatric Care Association. She is a member of the National Association for Geriatric Care Mangers and is certified through the National Academy of Certified Care Managers.

For additional resources  contact the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. www.caremanager.org or the Florida Geriatric Care Managers Association www.fgcma.org