September 21, 2023

What is a Geriatric Care Manager?

About Nicole Pajer

Nicole Pajer is a Los Angeles-based freelance published in The New York Times, Woman's Day, AARP, Parade, Wired, Glamour, People and more.

a brookdale associate talking to prospective residents

Have an aging family member who needs a bit of extra assistance? Or maybe you’re finding yourself in a position where you could benefit from some guidance on how to live as comfortably and independently as possible as you grow into your older years. That’s where a geriatric care manager can help. These individuals are usually highly trained in dealing with issues related specifically to aging populations and come from diverse backgrounds in the medical industry. Many are licensed nurses or social workers who specialize specifically in geriatrics. They are often up-to-dateup to date on the latest legislation, medical services and necessities of aging adults and can help to coordinate care and advocate for you and your loved ones.

What services do geriatric care managers perform?

Geriatric care managers generally spend their days finding resources to make an aging person’s life easier. When bringing a new client one on board, they’ll usually start by performing an initial assessment of their client’s health and living situation. Then, they can hop into suggesting and coordinating helpful services and tasks like:

Arranging for and monitoring home health aides
Overseeing and coordinating medical appointments
Arranging transportation to healthcare appointments
Liaising between medical professionals, insurance companies, and loved ones who live far away
Visiting a client’s home, evaluating in-home care needs, and suggesting potentially needed or helpful services
Evaluating alternative living arrangements, including assisted living facilities and rehab centers
Helping relieve stress on caregivers
Assisting the family with short- and long-term plans
Leading conversations surrounding difficult topics to help get family members and caregivers on the same page
Answering questions that come up about geriatric care
Advocating for the patient through financial, medical, and legal issues that may arise

Who can benefit from working with a geriatric care manager?

These days, many families are all spread out across the country, and some even internationally. A geriatric care manager can be especially helpful for providing extra guidance for people who have families that don’t live nearby and aren’t able to help out locally as much. The services of a geriatric care worker can also be particularly helpful to families who are overwhelmed with care plans for loved ones and who need professional guidance in making specific choices and who are seeking out referrals. There are geriatric care managers that focus specifically on aging populations, as well as those who can assist with specific needs, like people who have certain disabilities or diseases.

How much does a geriatric care manager cost?

The majority of most private insurance plans don’t cover the services of geriatric care managers and this service is not covered by Medicare. Thus, the expense of geriatric case managers often falls out of pocket and is something that you and the family members will need to cover. The cost of an initial assessment varies but typically can run between $800 to $2,000. Then, once you begin working with one, you can usually expect to pay around $90 to $250 per hour for services. It’s important to also keep in mind that some geriatric care managers charge for phone calls, mileage and travel time. Before hiring one, experts recommend getting clarity on what services are included in the agreed upon fee so you’re not blindsided in the future with bills that you didn’t know you’d be charged for. Some workplaces have employee assistance programs that may cover some aspects of geriatric care management, since it may help caregivers avoid missing out on workdays.

How to find the right geriatric care manager for your family

To help find the right geriatric care for your family, you can ask a family physician for a referral. You can also search through directories such as the Aging Care Geriatric Care Manager directory. Once you locate one in your area, here are some things to consider when evaluating a potential geriatric care worker candidate:

Make sure your care manager is licensed and ask them to share their professional credentials with you. There are several nonprofit organizations, like the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) and the National Academy of Certified Care Managers (NACCM) that offer certification programs.
Ask for a geriatric care manager’s background and inquire about how long they have been doing their job.
Ask about how communications will work between family members, the patient, and the care worker. Make sure this method of communication works best for you.
Ask for a list of references and then speak to past and current clients to get their experiences working with that care manager.
Ask about availability. For instance, is this person available around the clock for emergencies? Can you only call them on certain dates and times?
Ask about what types of services they can arrange and coordinate for your loved one – i.e., in-home services vs. outpatient appointments.
Ask about how their fee structure works and make sure to inquire about anything that you would have to pay up front or hourly.
Inquire about their caseload. You may want to go with someone who doesn’t have too many clients signed on so that they can give you more attentive care for instance, versus a care worker who has a vast array of patients.