Geriatric Care Managers Help Families With Caring for Loved Ones

By E. Morales, Owner Right at Home

Inundated by the logistical tsunami of coordinating a loved one’s care, many families are finding answers in one person: a professional geriatric care manager. Specializing in aging and elder care issues, a geriatric care manager is a health and human services professional who helps guide and advocate for families caring for older relatives and disabled adults. May is National Geriatric Care Manager Month when geriatric care managers nationwide will offer the public an assortment of seminars, webinars, educational activities and special events related to caring well for the elderly.

Geriatric care managers are educated and experienced in care management fields including nursing, gerontology, social work and psychology. Geriatric care managers help families make sound decisions and take appropriate actions to ensure best-quality, safe care for elderly loved ones. The care manager is the central link between the senior’s family and friends, primary physician, healthcare facilities, home care agency, pharmacy, attorney and any other facet of the client’s care. Geriatric care managers provide a holistic approach to a client’s health needs, assisting in a broad range of services including:

• Medical management—facilitating communication among doctors, client and family; attending doctor appointments

• Home care services—evaluating in-home care such as Right at Home to secure the safety and well-being of the client; assisting the family in overseeing the services

• Financial oversight—monitoring bill paying or consulting with the client’s accountant or power of attorney

• Legal concerns—consulting with or making a referral to an elder law attorney; in court, sharing an expert opinion for determining the appropriate level of care

For more information about National Geriatric Care Manager Month or to access a nationwide directory of professional geriatric care managers, please visit www.caremanager.org. Or, contact your local Right at Home office for home care services for your loved one.

What challenges are you facing with your loved ones' homecare needs?