Geriatric care managers, also known as aging life care professionals, are elder care professionals who specialize in managing the care needs of elderly clients across a spectrum of services from home care, to care facilities, and other available services. Geriatric care managers often come from multidisciplinary backgrounds, including health care, social work, and psychology.
The range of services that geriatric care managers provide can range from an initial consultation to provide an evaluation of a person’s current needs all the way up to ongoing coordination of an individual’s care including 24/7 availability.
One potential drawback is that geriatric care managers are generally not covered by insurance and are not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. However, an effective geriatric care manager can often save individuals money through the use of their expertise.
If consulted early on, a geriatric care manager can save money through making recommendations that makes an individual’s home life more manageable. A care manager can also help family caregivers to make them more effective in providing assistance. Care managers can also make individuals and their families aware of local services that can assist them with their needs. By making home life more accommodating for a longer period of time, families can delay the need for an individual to enter into an expensive care facility.
As an individual’s needs progress, a care manager can coordinate care between different providers making sure that an individual is getting the proper care they need without being oversold. Care managers can also recommend specific facilities and health care providers that specialize in certain conditions that an individual may be dealing with.
If an individual eventually needs the services of a full-time, residential care facility, a geriatric care manager can work with the facility to make sure an individual is receiving exactly the care they need. Care managers have the experience to know what to look for in a facility and who to talk to get effective care. Many care managers have offices that provide 24/7 availability if there are sudden developments that require a response.
Throughout the elder care process, a care manager can also keep an individual’s family informed about the care an individual is receiving and the options that are available. By coordinating services, a care manager can free an individual and their family from many of the hassles of the elder care world thereby providing the peace of mind of knowing that an individual’s care needs are being provided for.
To make sure that your planning needs are being met, please call Martha C. Brown & Associates at (314) 962-0186.
