Caring for an aging parent can be a stressful experience, especially if you are not in the same area as they are. There are so many choices to make regarding their care, needs, and what to do with their assets, that it can become overwhelming. However, someone has to make these decisions, especially if your parent or relative is no longer able to make them for themselves.
A health professional who could be of some assistance is a geriatric care manager. In this article, we are going to discuss what a geriatric care manager is, if you need one, and how to get one for your family. A geriatric care manager is just one option that you can choose from, but definitely one you should consider if your parent needs increasing assistance that you are unable to provide.
What is a geriatric care manager?
Geriatric care is the term for healthcare related to older adults. Seniors can often have complex health issues and require around the clock care with more frequent doctor visits, increasing number of medications, and health statuses that require constant monitoring.
Some common medical concerns for older adults include chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, obesity), immobility, impaired vision, cognitive decline and an inability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs).
A geriatric care manager is a licensed professional (nurse, social worker, etc.), that specialize in managing senior care. They can act as a “professional relative”, in the sense that they can suggestion sound choices without being swayed by family history, bias, or the emotional haul of making health decisions. They offer a voice of neutrality, laying out the decisions for older individuals in a clear and unbiased manner. They can create senior care plans that can help everyone involved feel at ease.
Responsibilities of a geriatric care manager
Geriatric care, or case, managers are trained to find resources that make it easier for families to make hard decisions. The eight care areas of knowledge that these managers have are: crisis intervention, health and disability, financial, housing, legal, family, advocacy and local resources. All of these are knowledge areas that often are overwhelming to families and the individual for whom they are caring.
However, all of them are extremely important and contribute to the overall quality of life that these individuals have. If caregivers live in the same area, and have the time to take care of these items, then they may not be as daunting. However, when caregivers or family members live in different states, it can be helpful to have someone to take care of all of these areas of one’s life.
Responsibilities of a geriatric care manager include providing a comprehensive assessment of care needs, making long and short-term care plans, addressing emotional concerns or worries, coordinating medical services among the various services or agencies, hiring a healthcare team of caregivers and professionals, providing guidance with transitions of care, guiding families through tough issues, and relieving caregiver stress.
Geriatric care managers are the families liaison that coordinates all different aspects of their client’s lives which can make it much more easier for the caregivers to feel at ease, while also giving them access to a professional that is familiar with the healthcare process and can really aid in some of those tough decisions.
Does your family need a geriatric care manager?
Deciding if your family needs a geriatric care manager is a tough decision. Financially, geriatric care managers can cost your family a lot of money. They are not covered by insurance or medicare, and vary in cost. Many charge an initial assessment fee, and then by the hour. This rate ranges from $75-$200 an hour. Some families will choose to just do the initial assessment and others will keep their geriatric care managers on for much longer. It all depends on their experience, cost of living in the area, etc.
You can mitigate these costs, or at least anticipate them by asking for approximations of time needed for specific services so you know how much the cost will be. Although they can be expensive, they may be able to save money at the end of the day because they are able to connect you with services that are financially efficient so you don’t end up wasting money in the long run on unnecessary services. They also can uncover resources that can reduce the financial burden on the families.
Another reason that geriatric care managers may be great options for your family is that they are available when health problems happen out of nowhere. Emergent cases of quickly declining health can be a great stressor for families, and having an expert who is readily available and knows the best health options can relieve a lot of that stress for caregivers.
Before hiring a healthcare manager, ask questions like if they have experience with your family members’ particular health needs, if they specialize in health crisis scenarios, any certification or professional licenses, and if they have reference in which you can check to see if they would be a good fit. Finally, definitely ask about their costs and fees upfront so you are not taken by surprise.
Home health
Geriatric care managers can also help you hire home health services, such as Diverse Health Services. DHS is a home health agency that can provide assistance to your loved ones in a variety of ways. Activities of daily living, transportation, feeding, food preparation, medication dispensing, bathing, clearning, etc. are just a few of the many services we offer.
We know caregiving can be stressful and demanding. Therefore, we are committed to relieving as much of that stress as possible. If you decide to hire a geriatric care manager, be sure to mention that we would be a great service. Also, you do not have to go through a geriatric care manager to hire us for your family, and some of our services may be covered by insurance. Please click on our services page to see if we would be a good fit for your family.
https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/geriatric-care-manager
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