Do You Need a Geriatric Care Manager?
You’ve noticed your parent or senior loved one needs more care than he or she is currently receiving, but you don’t know how to proceed. Is in-home care the right choice or should you consider a move to senior living? Where do you even start?
A geriatric care manager can help you sort through your options, being a voice of neutrality and leading families through difficult, emotionally-charged conversations. Learn more about their services, how they can help families navigate through senior care plans and when to involve them in your own family’s decisions.
Geriatric Care Managers
Geriatric care managers are licensed professionals, often nurses or social workers, who specialize in aging and managing senior care. They act as a “professional relative” and help families and seniors identify areas of concern, then work with that family and individual to create a senior care plan that can help give caregivers, family members and seniors peace of mind.
Geriatric care managers are specially trained to find resources that make it easier for families to make hard decisions.
Their main responsibilities include:
- Addressing emotional concerns and worries
- Coordinating medical services among several agencies
- Facilitating the discussion of tough topics
- Hiring a team of caregivers and medical professionals
- Making care recommendations and home visits
- Making long-term and short-term care plans
- Navigating families through complex issues
- Relieve caregiver stress
Your Guide Through Senior Care
When it comes to making senior care decisions for a parent or senior loved one, it can be incredibly intimidating. With a range of senior living choices offering everything from apartments to full-time care, in-home caregivers and rehabilitation, it can be overwhelming for families to research and understand which services their loved one needs – and when they need them.
That’s where geriatric care managers can help. They have extensive training on senior care options and can present a variety of options, helping families choose the one plan that works best for their unique situation.
These care managers are experts in their fields but have no emotional ties or family history to navigate. Their objectivity is valuable when it comes to navigating tough family conversations about the future of a senior loved one.
Acting as advocates and guides throughout the entire process, geriatric care managers, sometimes called “aging life care managers,” can help families be present at medical appointments, coordinate complex care plans, facilitate hard conversations and find residential care.
Ways to Cover Geriatric Care Manager Costs
Most geriatric care managers charge by the hour (ranging from $100-145 per hour) and the initial cost of an evaluation can be extremely expensive. While some families hire a care manager for just a one-time assessment, many choose to keep a care manager involved throughout the care process, finding that having an expert involved may even save money in the long run.
It’s important to note that most insurance plans will not cover the cost of a geriatric care manager and Medicare will not pay for their services. Most families that hire a geriatric care manager do so at their own expense.
If a geriatric care manager is not in your family budget, there are alternatives to help you navigate the complex and sometimes confusing world of senior care:
- Senior Advisors: These are regional representatives that can help you locate a local senior living community in a specific area. Advisors are paid through communities, so services are free to families. This is a great option for families who have already decided to make the move to senior living and want help in choosing the best community for their parent or senior loved one’s needs.
- The Senior Source: The Senior Source offers geriatric care managers for an hourly fee, but also provides information, resources for families and support groups to make educated decisions about senior care. With information about end-of-life-planning, hospice, in-home services, inter-state moves, legal services and mental health services, The Senior Source can help families begin to sort through their options in an organized and methodical way.
A Place for Mom has local Senior Living Advisors waiting to help you manage your senior care needs today. Our advisors are well-trained in what our partner communities offer and can walk your family through this confusing time in a compassionate and knowledgeable way. You are not alone in this and we can help your family make the best decisions for your loved one’s care. Contact us at: 866-333-2174.
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