A Geriatric Care Manager helps you provide the best care for your older relative, your family and you. Balancing compassion with knowledge and critical thinking with advocacy, are an important resource to care for your loved one.
Care Managers act as advocates, liaison between physicians, establish plans of care and provide clear options for critical decision making and help families handle the stress and responsibility of caregiving.
Services
They can help by:
- Acting as an advocate for your senior loved one in receiving care
- Fully understand the overall care plan and prognosis of a senior’s aging years
- Negotiating with care facilities or senior communities to assure it is the best fit for a senior loved one
- Counseling with family members to have better flow of communication and gain consensus
- Coordinating care services of Respite care, home caregiving, and home health
- Working with Hospital discharge planners on next steps upon release from the hospital or rehab center.
- Being a liaison and support for families who live at a distance
Specialization
Geriatric Care Managers ensure that your senior loved one is getting the best care in a safe environment that fits their basic need. They have specialized understanding of eldercare, and can help pave a complicated road for families to provide clear options for critical decision-making.
Preparation
Before contacting a Geriatric Care Manager, understand that their role is to act and advise in the best interest of a senior. If you are acting on their behalf, you must have a Durable Power of Attorney and/or Healthcare Directive to be able to make major decisions for them, should they be unable to make them on their own.
Evaluation
Geriatric Care Managers should follow the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. As a result, make sure that they are a NAPGCM member. Questions you should ask are:
- How long have you been providing care management services?
- Are you available for emergencies?
- Does your company also provide home care services?
- How do you communicate information?
- What are your fees? (These should be provided to the consumer/responsible party in writing prior to services starting).
- Can you provide me with references?
- What are the primary services provided by your agency/business?
- How many Geriatric Care Managers are in your agency/business?
- Is there a fee for the initial consultation and, if so, how much?
- What are your professional credentials?
- Are you licensed in your profession?
- Are you a member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers?