#41 - The Swiss Army Knife of Elder Care: Understanding Geriatric Care Managers

Got a comment or idea? Send us a text.

Geriatric care managers are specialized professionals who help older adults and their families navigate the complex world of aging. They serve as personal guides, advocates, and problem-solvers for seniors and family members, providing comprehensive support services that improve quality of life and reduce caregiver stress.

• Geriatric care managers perform comprehensive assessments of medical, psychological, social, and environmental needs
• Care managers create personalized care plans and coordinate necessary services
• They advocate for older adults in medical settings and family meetings
• They provide ongoing monitoring and quick response to changing needs or crises
• Care managers connect families with local resources from meal programs to elder law attorneys
• They help families make informed decisions and mediate conflicts

Consider a care manager if you live far away, feel overwhelmed, face family conflicts, or manage complex medical issues. Benefits include peace of mind, better health outcomes, time savings, and potential cost savings

Thanks for listening!

Sign up to our Homeowners Newsletter - it's a weekly newsletter filled with expert tips and advice on how to age safely and more comfortably in your own home.

If you provide services for modifying homes for disabled or seniors aging in place, sign up to our directory and expand your business.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Aging in Place Directory podcast.
Today we're discussing a topicthat's both practical and,
frankly, a bit of a lifesaverfor families everywhere, and
that is understanding the roleof a geriatric care manager.
Whether you're an adult childwho's worried about your aging
parent, a spouse trying to keepup with a partner's changing

(00:22):
needs, or a senior determined tostay independent, this episode
is for you.
So picture this your mom is 85,fiercely independent and living
in her own home.
You live three states away andyou're juggling a career, kids
and your own life.
Suddenly, mom's not answeringthe phone as often, and when she

(00:44):
does, she sounds confused.
Or maybe your dad's health isdeclining and you're overwhelmed
by the maze of medicalappointments, insurance forms
and home safety concerns.
Sound familiar?
Well, you're not alone.
In today's world.
Families are often spread outand the responsibility for
caring for older loved ones canfall on one overwhelmed family

(01:07):
member, or sometimes no one atall.
Enter the unsung hero of theaging journey the geriatric care
manager.
A geriatric care manager,sometimes called an aging life
care manager, is a specializedprofessional, usually a licensed
nurse, social worker or someonewith a background in

(01:30):
gerontology, who helps olderadults and their families
navigate the complex world ofaging.
Think of them as your personalguide, advocate and problem
solver, all rolled into one.
They're not just for thewealthy or the very frail.
In fact, as the population agesand by 2054 nearly a quarter of

(01:52):
Americans will be over 65, theneed for these professionals is
growing fast.
So what does a geriatric caremanager actually do?
Well, let's break down theirrole.
Think about a Swiss Army knife,but for elder care.
Here is what a geriatric caremanager can do for you

(02:13):
Assessments they start byevaluating the older adult's
medical, psychological, socialand environmental needs.
This isn't just a checklist.
It's a holistic look at theperson's life, from medications
to mobility to mood Careplanning Based on their
assessment, they create apersonalized care plan.

(02:36):
This might include home careservices, medical appointments,
social activities or even a newliving arrangement.
Coordination they arrange andoversee services, from hiring
home health aides to findingtransportation for doctor's
visits.
Advocacy Whether it's at amedical appointment, in a family

(02:59):
meeting or navigating legalissues.
They stand up for the olderadults' wishes and needs.
Ongoing monitoring they checkin regularly with the elder,
adjusting the care plan as needschange and responding quickly
to crises.
Resource connection With theirdeep knowledge of local

(03:20):
resources, they can connectfamilies to everything from meal
programs to elder law attorneysand family support.
They help families makeinformed decisions, mediate
conflicts and provide emotionalsupport during tough times.
So let's bring this to life witha couple of real world examples

(03:41):
.
Case one the long-ance Daughter.
Samantha's mother, ruth, livesalone in Florida.
Samantha lives in Chicago.
When Ruth started missing hermedications and skipping meals,
samantha was frantic.
Enter the geriatric caremanager, who visited Ruth,
assessed her needs, arranged fora home health aid and set up a

(04:04):
medication reminder system.
Now Samantha gets regularupdates and can sleep at night
knowing her mom is in good hands.
Case number two the family feud.
The Jones siblings couldn'tagree on what was best for their
father, who had early dementia.
One wanted him in assistedliving, the other insisted he

(04:26):
stay home until he had to move.
A care manager was able to stepin, facilitate a family meeting
, explain their options and helpthe family reach a consensus
that put their father'swell-being first.
You might be thinking well,that sounds like a lot, and
you'd be right.
Here are just some of the hatsthese professionals wear

(04:48):
Mediator, when family membersdisagree.
Care managers help everyone geton the same page.
Coach they educate familiesabout aging dementia and
available resources.
Crisis manager.
When emergencies hit, or like afall, maybe, or a sudden
illness, they can jump in tostabilize the situation and

(05:11):
coordinate care and advocacy.
They make sure the olderadult's voice is heard, even
when the person can't speak forthemselves.
And also they are navigatorsthey guide families through the
health care and social servicesmaze, cutting through red tape
and jargon.
So when should you call ageriatric care manager?

(05:33):
Well, here is a quick checklistConsider reaching out if you
live far from your aging lovedone, if you're overwhelmed by
the complexity of their careneeds, if there are conflicts or
confusion among family members,if your loved one has multiple
medical or cognitive issues, ifyou need help finding or

(05:55):
coordinating services, if youneed help finding or
coordinating services, and ifthere's been a crisis like a
hospitalization, a fall or asudden decline.
My pro tip is don't wait for acrisis.
The earlier you involve a caremanager, the more options you'll

(06:16):
have and the less stressful theprocess will be.
So how about the benefits?
Why are families happy to workwith care managers?
Well, those who have workedwith a geriatric care manager
often describe them as alifeline or the glue that holds
everything together.
Here's why.
First, there's peace of mind.
Knowing a professional isoverseeing care can relieve
enormous stress on the family,as overseeing care can relieve

(06:41):
enormous stress on the family.
Better outcomes, becausecoordinated care means fewer
hospitalizations and a betterquality of life.
Time saved Care managers handlethe details, freeing families
to focus on relationships, notlogistics and cost savings.
By preventing crises andunnecessary services, they can
actually save money in the longrun.

(07:03):
So how do you find and choose ageriatric care manager?
Well, first of all, not allcare managers are created equal.
So here's what to look for.
First, look for credentials.
You want professionals withbackgrounds in nursing, social
work or gerontology, and youwant to check for certifications
from organizations like theAging Life Care Association.

(07:27):
You want experience, so askabout their experience with your
loved one's specific needs,such as dementia or mobility
issues, etc.
Definitely get references.
Be sure to talk to otherfamilies they've helped.
And you want transparency.
Make sure that you understandwhat their fees and services are

(07:50):
before you start.
Well, that brings up the cost.
Geriatric care managers areusually paid privately and costs
can vary.
Some will charge by the hour,others offer packages.
While it is an investment, manyfamilies find that the benefits
far outweigh the costs,especially when you consider the

(08:11):
value of expert guidance andpeace of mind.
How about myths andmisconceptions?
Well, let's bust a few of those.
Myth one only wealthy peoplecan afford a care manager.
The fact is, while the servicesare not covered by Medicare,
many families find the costmanageable, especially compared

(08:34):
to the price of a crisis or poorcare decisions.
Or what if you have to keeprunning back and forth from far
away and then you have problemswith your job?
So it can be very costeffective.
Myth number two is that caremanagers will take over and push
the family aside.
Well, the fact is, caremanagers the best ones will work

(08:57):
with a family, empowering themto make informed decisions.
Myth number three they'll onlyhelp with medical issues.
The fact is, their expertisespans medical, social, legal and
even financial concerns.
So why do geriatric caremanagers matter?
Well, at the end of the day,aging isn't just about

(09:21):
medications and mobility aids.
It's about dignity,independence and quality of life
.
Geriatric care managers bring ahuman touch.
They listen and understand andadvocate for what truly matters
to the older adult and theirfamily.
As one care manager put it wehelp people navigate longevity,

(09:42):
whatever that means for them.
We go to the person where theyare in that stage of life and we
help them navigate the system.
It's really a holistic,client-centered approach.
So, whether you're just startingto notice changes in a loved
one or you're knee-deep in thechallenges of caregiving,
remember you don't have to do italone.

(10:03):
Geriatric care managers are theallies you didn't know you
needed and they're ready toguide you through the journey
with expertise, compassion and alittle bit of humor along the
way.
If you're interested inlearning more or finding a care
manager in your area, check outresources like the Aging Life
Care Association or your localarea agency on aging.

(10:27):
So thanks for joining us on theAging in Place Directory
podcast today.
If you found this episodehelpful, please share it with
someone who could use a littlesupport on their own caregiving
journey.
And remember aging is a teamsport.
The right players, everyonewins.
Until next time, stay safe,stay connected and keep aging in

(10:49):
place with confidence.
Thanks for listening.
Bye.