What Is a Geriatric Care Manager, and Do You Need One?

As our loved ones age, their care needs sometimes become more complex. Navigating elder care can be intimidating for lay people, especially when you are deeply emotionally invested in your parent’s or spouse’s wellbeing and safety. Among elder care professionals who can assist with understanding your options, a geriatric care manager brings specialized experience and skills in both practical guidance and emotional support.

The Benefits of Geriatric Care Management

Certified geriatric care managers are often also nurses, occupational therapists, or social workers who specialize in elder care management. They are gerontologists well-versed in the broad spectrum of care needs involved in geriatric case management. This includes:

• Conducting an assessment of care needs, both initially and on an ongoing basis, as needs change
• Understanding and educating on costs of care and payment options
• Collaborating with the client and their family on long- and short-term care plans
• Smooth coordination of multiple care providers, from services like meals and transportation to medical care and home health aides
• Finding care/service providers
• Providing education and emotional support around care to the client and their family

Beyond their knowledge and experience, these geriatric case managers are valued for the peace of mind and understanding they bring to the care process. They are trusted advocates and allies to the client and their loved ones.

When to Seek a Geriatric Care Manager

Spouses, children, and other relatives often provide many hours of unpaid care every week for their elderly loved one. While this is sustainable for some families in the short term, it can become untenable as chronic health conditions worsen or as life events such as job changes or young children’s needs increase demands on time and energy. It is also complicated when family members live far away from their aging relative, as many do.

Some conditions, such as dementia or mood swings caused by Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, become highly distressing to family members, as well as hard to manage safely without help from a professional. The deterioration of mobility or motor function can lead to full dependence for activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating (activities of daily living, or ADLs), which may be physically demanding or impossible for a family member to accommodate.

These are cues for the family to consider a geriatric care specialist. When there is no clear path forward for care, and the wealth of information from various sources seems impossible to implement, a geriatric care manager can bring an objective, informed perspective and a sense of stability. In some cases, an elderly loved one may open up more to their case manager than to their family because emotional ties and history are not an impediment. In addition, a geriatric care manager is experienced in dealing with various providers and services and can sometimes more easily cut through the noise and “red tape” to get the right care services rolling quickly.

How to Find a Geriatric Care Manager

Geriatric care managers can be found via different reputable outlets, such as the Aging Life Care Association search tool, the National Institute on Aging’s Eldercare Locator, and the Family Caregiver Alliance. Most keep their medical or social work licenses current, in addition to getting certified as geriatric care managers by either the National Academy of Certified Care Managers, the National Association of Social Workers, or the Commission for Case Manager Certification (which also has a search tool). It is not advised that a family hire a non-certified geriatric consultant.

Beyond licensing qualifications, families should ask their prospective care manager for:

• References from other clients
• Any specialties or deep experience (e.g., with memory care, cancer treatment, caring for deaf or blind patients/clients, etc.)
• Preferred communication methods (e.g., do they text or use a particular app or platform, do they call or email, how often, etc.)
• Their procedures and availability around crisis management, such as for seizures or falls
• Their fees and a cost estimate. Geriatric care managers are covered by some long term care insurance plans and employee assistance programs (EAPs), but not by Medicare or Medicaid, and often charge $75-$200 per hour for their services. The length and frequency of their involvement is worth understanding before committing to services.

Families caring for an aging loved one often feel alone and overwhelmed as care needs increase and health conditions become severe. Certified geriatric care managers are a powerful resource for families to access well-informed administrative help, as well as moral support and a clear head amidst an emotionally-taxing situation.

If your loved one needs home care, our VetAssist mission is to make home care easily and quickly accessible for those who qualify through the VA Pension with Aid and Attendance benefit. Veterans Home Care can help you determine whether you or your loved one will be eligible to receive the benefit, which can cover some or all of the cost of home care, and we make it easy to apply. Chat with us via our website, or call us at (888) 314-6075.