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Care Managers Emerge as New Force in Helping
When Hugh McGuire made a business trip to the Chicago area, he decided to visit his wife's 90-
year-old aunt and 88-year-old uncle, who lived nearby in their own home.
What McGuire found alarmed him. While the couple was still ambulatory and proud of their
independence, there was no food in the house and the formerly fastidious couple were no longer
taking care of themselves or their home.
Like a growing number of Americans taking care of aging
relatives from afar, McGuire responded to the situation by
hiring a geriatric care manager, a relatively new type of
professional who helps plan and organize care for disabled
elderly people.
What Does a Geriatric Care Manager Do?
More and more people "are learning that geriatric care managers are out there and that they can
help with these problems," says Erica Karp, who runs a geriatric care management firm in
Evanston, Ill.
She was able to help McGuire's relatives by arranging meals for them, straightening out their legal
affairs and eventually finding placement for the wife in a nursing home, where Karp continues to
visit her regularly.
McGuire's situation is hardly unusual. At least one in every four American families provides care
for an older relative. Many live hundreds of miles apart, compounding the stress and concerns of
caregivers: How can they be sure their relative is not refusing to eat or misusing medications or
mismanaging finances or feeling depressed?
Family members may also face tough decisions—such as choosing between assisted living, home
care or a nursing home—which may be complicated by a limited knowledge of available options.
Geriatric care managers aim to help families in these circumstances. They may be hired either by
family members or individuals needing care.
While care managers aren't regulated by state or federal government, they're usually licensed in a
field of specialization, typically social work or nursing. That means most care managers are
subject to disciplinary action by a state licensing board should a violation of standards occur.
Technically, however, anyone can hang out a "geriatric care manager" shingle.
Even so, more care managers are joining groups like the National Association of Professional
Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM), a voluntary organization with nearly 1,600 members. To
qualify, the association says applicants must be licensed in their fields and trained in geriatrics,
and they must adhere to professional guidelines and ethics.
NAPGCM has developed grievance procedures and will dismiss members who violate its
requirements.
WHAT'S THE COST OF CARE?
One potential downside of care management is the cost. Geriatric care managers charge between
$80 and $150 an hour, so over time the costs can add up significantly.
Long-term care insurance policies often cover the costs of a geriatric care manager, but Medicare
does not.
Despite the price, Jan Collins, a South Carolina attorney who specializes in elder law, frequently
recommends geriatric care managers to his clients. "Dealing with the elderly is a multidiscipline
event," he says.
He points out that a care manager may actually save money by connecting families to useful
community resources, including free ones, and steering them away from expensive living
arrangements where fees may quickly rise without warning.
"[Families] who have the least," Collins says, "have the most to lose."
When Hugh McGuire made a business trip to the Chicago area, he decided to visit his wife's 90-
year-old aunt and 88-year-old uncle, who lived nearby in their own home.
What McGuire found alarmed him. While the couple was still ambulatory and proud of their
independence, there was no food in the house and the formerly fastidious couple were no longer
taking care of themselves or their home.
Like a growing number of Americans taking care of aging
relatives from afar, McGuire responded to the situation by
hiring a geriatric care manager, a relatively new type of
professional who helps plan and organize care for disabled
elderly people.
What Does a Geriatric Care Manager Do?
- • Compiles an assessment of an older person's
needs and situation.
• Encourages the person to accept help and provides a "plan of care" with
specific recommendations.
• Finds and secures services such as legal counsel, home care, nursing care or
home maintenance.
• Supports and counsels family members.
More and more people "are learning that geriatric care managers are out there and that they can
help with these problems," says Erica Karp, who runs a geriatric care management firm in
Evanston, Ill.
She was able to help McGuire's relatives by arranging meals for them, straightening out their legal
affairs and eventually finding placement for the wife in a nursing home, where Karp continues to
visit her regularly.
McGuire's situation is hardly unusual. At least one in every four American families provides care
for an older relative. Many live hundreds of miles apart, compounding the stress and concerns of
caregivers: How can they be sure their relative is not refusing to eat or misusing medications or
mismanaging finances or feeling depressed?
Family members may also face tough decisions—such as choosing between assisted living, home
care or a nursing home—which may be complicated by a limited knowledge of available options.
Geriatric care managers aim to help families in these circumstances. They may be hired either by
family members or individuals needing care.
While care managers aren't regulated by state or federal government, they're usually licensed in a
field of specialization, typically social work or nursing. That means most care managers are
subject to disciplinary action by a state licensing board should a violation of standards occur.
Technically, however, anyone can hang out a "geriatric care manager" shingle.
Even so, more care managers are joining groups like the National Association of Professional
Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM), a voluntary organization with nearly 1,600 members. To
qualify, the association says applicants must be licensed in their fields and trained in geriatrics,
and they must adhere to professional guidelines and ethics.
NAPGCM has developed grievance procedures and will dismiss members who violate its
requirements.
WHAT'S THE COST OF CARE?
One potential downside of care management is the cost. Geriatric care managers charge between
$80 and $150 an hour, so over time the costs can add up significantly.
Long-term care insurance policies often cover the costs of a geriatric care manager, but Medicare
does not.
Despite the price, Jan Collins, a South Carolina attorney who specializes in elder law, frequently
recommends geriatric care managers to his clients. "Dealing with the elderly is a multidiscipline
event," he says.
He points out that a care manager may actually save money by connecting families to useful
community resources, including free ones, and steering them away from expensive living
arrangements where fees may quickly rise without warning.
"[Families] who have the least," Collins says, "have the most to lose."
