How geriatric care managers can help

Planning for a major life transition is very difficult for everyone. As the social and medical landscapes have changed, it is easy for people to feel baffled when they most need to be decisive.

Most can anticipate at least 10 years when they may be dependent on others for their daily activities after they retire. Quite a number will be asked to make decisions for their loved ones, which cause them discomfort: a child for a parent, an able spouse for a partner who is disabled.

A geriatric care manager can help by providing:

• Professional assessments, including the evaluation of current conditions, an outline of choices of action and recommendations for the future.

• Direct services, which might mean individual and family counseling, determination of financial needs, budgeting, government and insurance forms and finding alternative housing.

• Care management, which covers the careful selection of linkages to community and private resources, coordination of services and monitoring of in-home and nursing home care.

• Nationwide referrals to other geriatric care managers.

Their abilities to solve problems related to aging are more targeted than that of generalists. For out-of-town or busy professional families, regular visits and a helping hand can keep a family member involved in a satisfactory lifestyle which age and illness previously prohibited.

Recommendations for choosing a geriatric care manager:

• Look for a member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. Their Web site is http://www.caremanager.org. These members have met certain criteria regarding education and experience in health sciences and social service.

• Ask for references.

• Ask for literature about their company, years of practice, Web sites and biography.

• Check with the Better Business Bureau.

• Ask about fees, contracts and extra charges like mileage or phone calls.

• Be sure to understand what services they provide and their on-call schedule. Will they be available 24 hours a day?

Remember that a geriatric care manager becomes one’s “eyes and ears,” especially for children who live some distance from their parents. Ask them about their process and their communication schedule: Will they report daily, weekly or monthly? Is the primary communication via telephone or e-mail?

Communicate any concerns immediately and work together as a team to accomplish the ultimate goal, which is keeping a loved one safe and well cared for.

A local RN geriatric care manager is Innovative Healthcare Consultants, Inc. Call them at (877) 731-1442 or look them up at http://www.innovativehc.com.