The late First Lady Rosalyn Carter once said: “There are only four kinds of people in the world. Those who have been caregivers. Those who are currently caregivers. Those who will be caregivers, and those who will need a caregiver.”
Are you caring for an aging parent? Many clients tell us they feel it is an honor to care for those who once cared for them. That said, caregiving can be stressful, particularly if your parent is ill and/or you have other life responsibilities such as work or children. If you live far away from your parent and no family members are local, it adds another layer of complexity. The responsibility can feel overwhelming.
That’s where a geriatric care manager may be helpful. Also known as aging life managers, geriatric care managers typically come out of the social work, nursing, or similar helping professions. They can provide relief to you and assistance to your parent. They will assess your parent, identify his/her medical, social and physical needs, and find and coordinate needed services and support. Cathryn Devons, assistant clinical professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, says geriatric care managers “…seek to make the process easier by serving as an advocate or counselor — taking the pressure off of family members who often have other commitments, such as parenting and workplace responsibilities.”
Costs
Let’s pause here to address what you are probably wondering: What will it cost?
The process generally starts with the geriatric care manager doing an assessment of your parent. The fee for the initial evaluation can range from several hundred dollars to a few thousand. After the assessment, hourly charges may apply. According to the Aging Life Care Association, hourly charges typically range between $90 to $250.
Unfortunately, neither Medicare, Medicaid or private long-term care insurance will cover the costs. But keep this in mind: if you can swing the expense, you may actually save money over the long haul. That is because the manager can efficiently evaluate the type of assistance your parent truly needs, zero in on the required services to keep you from spending money and resources that are not needed, and save you days of struggling to find the needed help. And as far as peace of mind goes – well, it’s hard to put a price tag on that.
Services a Geriatric Care Manager Can Provide
Specific tasks you can expect a geriatric care manager to offer include:
- Assessing your parent’s health, cognitive functioning, and home situation.
- Referring you to appropriate medical resources and other resources, and coordinating them.
- Advocating for your parent and family.
- Referring to financial and legal professionals as needed.
- Researching and recommending suitable living arrangements, if needed. Can your parent live at home independently, or does he/she need some type of in-home help, and often? The care manager can interview, hire and monitor at-home help. Alternatively, an assisted living situation may be a better fit.
- Serving as liaison between your parent’s caregiver, other professionals, and you.
- Explaining complex medical and other circumstances to you and your parent.
Considerations When Hiring A Geriatric Care Manager
To find a geriatric care manager in a particular geographic area, check the non-profit Aging Life Association or eldercarelocator.gov.
What questions should you ask a candidate when your interview them? Some important questions include:
- Is the person a certified geriatric care manager? Two agencies that offer certification are the Commission for Case Manager Certification and the National Academy of Certified Case Managers.
- How long has the person been providing care management services?
- What are the person’s hours? Available 24/7?
- How will you and the manager stay in touch, and how frequently?
- What are the fees? Get this in writing and make sure you understand the fee schedule.
- Ask for references and be sure to check them!
If our parents live long enough, it’s only natural that we will be called on to care for them. Sometimes we just need some extra help to fulfill the role. A geriatric care manager can provide that extra help.
