What Is a Geriatric Care Manager, and Do You Need One?
Families managing care from a distance, or juggling several problems at once, sometimes hire a professional to coordinate everything. These professionals are often called geriatric care managers or aging life care professionals. Here is what they do and when the cost tends to be worth it.
What they typically do
- Assess an older adult's needs at home: safety, memory, mobility, medications
- Write a care plan and arrange the services in it
- Find and vet home care agencies, communities or specialists
- Attend medical appointments and relay what was said to the family
- Coordinate between doctors, caregivers, and family members
- Step in during a crisis, such as a hospital discharge, and manage the next steps
Who benefits most
- Families who live far away from the person needing care
- Situations with several problems at once: memory changes, falls, medication issues and money worries
- Families who disagree about what should happen next, where a neutral professional helps
- Older adults with no close family nearby
- Complex transitions, such as hospital to rehab to home or a community
Backgrounds and credentials
Many come from nursing, social work or gerontology. Unlike doctors or nurses, the title itself is generally not licensed, so the professional background matters. Ask what licence they hold, what training they have, and whether they belong to a professional association with a code of ethics.
How they are usually paid
Most work privately for an hourly fee, sometimes with a flat fee for the initial assessment. Medicare generally doesn't pay for care management of this kind. Some long-term care insurance policies may include a care coordination benefit, so it's worth checking the policy. Ask for the hourly rate, what is billable, and whether travel and phone time are charged.
Questions to ask before hiring
- What does the first assessment include, and what does it cost?
- How do you charge, and will I get an itemised invoice?
- Do you receive any payment from agencies or communities you recommend?
- Who covers for you when you're away?
- How and how often will you update the family?
- Can you give references from families in a similar situation?
How this differs from a referral service
A senior living referral service, including HavenLine, helps families find and compare communities and is generally free to the family because communities pay a fee when a resident moves in. A care manager is hired and paid by the family, works across the whole care picture rather than placement alone, and stays involved over time. Many families use both, at different stages.
Lower-cost places to start
- Your local Area Agency on Aging, which can assess needs and point to local programs
- The Eldercare Locator, a national service linking people to local aging resources
- A hospital social worker or discharge planner during a hospital stay
- Your parent's doctor, for referrals to local services
Next step
If placement is the main question, a HavenLine advisor can talk through options near you at no cost. HavenLine is a referral service, not a care provider, and there is no obligation.
Questions
Does Medicare cover a geriatric care manager?
Generally no. Ask your long-term care insurer whether care coordination is included in the policy.
Is a care manager the same as a caregiver?
No. A care manager coordinates and oversees care; a caregiver provides the hands-on help.
Can they manage care long term?
Many do, with regular check-ins. Ask what an ongoing arrangement would cost.
General information only, not financial, legal or insurance advice. Rules, prices and benefits vary by state and by policy. A licensed professional can explain what applies to you.