According to the Aging Life Care® Association website, An Aging Life Care Professional, also known as a geriatric care manager, is a health and human services specialist who acts as a guide and advocate for families who are caring for older relatives or disabled adults.The Aging Life Care Professional is educated and experienced in any of several fields related to Aging Life Care / care management, including, but not limited to counseling, gerontology, mental health, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, or social work; with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care.The Aging Life Care Professional assists clients in attaining their maximum functional potential. The individual’s independence is encouraged, while safety and security concerns are also addressed. Aging Life Care Professionals are able to address a broad range of issues related to the well-being of their client. They also have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of resources in their communities.
Patients we accept include:
- Older adults with or without the support of nearby relatives.
- Older adults who need help with everyday tasks, but don't require nursing care.
- Patients suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
- Older adults struggling with complex medical needs.
Care Managers can be nurses, social workers, physical therapists, psychologists or other related professionals and are typically licensed in their specialty.
You should contact us if:
- Your family has just begun to help an elderly individual and needs direction about available services.
- The person you care for has limited or no family support.
- The person you care for has multiple medical or psychological issues.
- The person you care for is unable to live safely in his/her current environment.
- The person you care for is not pleased with current care providers and requires advocacy and change.
- The person you care for is confused about his/her own financial and/or legal situation.
- You live at a distance from your loved one.
- Your family is either “burnt out” or confused about care solutions.
- Your family has limited time and/or expertise in dealing with your loved ones’ chronic care needs.- Your family is at odds regarding care decisions.
- Your family needs education and/or direction in dealing with behaviors associated with dementia.
Our geriatric care management (GCM) services are private-pay. Medicare/insurance does not cover GCM services, and we do not accept Medicaid. Depending on individual policies, some long-term care (LTC) policies will cover the cost (in part or in whole) of GCM services. Please check with your LTC company regarding your policy prior to scheduling an appointment.
A care management client assessment is a comprehensive psychosocial tool that care managers utilize to evaluate an individual’s medical, emotional, mental and physical health in order to develop a coordinated plan to maximize overall health with aging.
