Long Distance Solutions

Looking Beyond Family to Assist the Elderly

Families are turning to a specialized group of professionals known as geriatric care managers to assist them in their efforts to care for older relatives.
Geriatric care managers ( GCMs) are licenced professionals who have extensive training and experience working with older people and their families who need assistance with caregiving issues. Geriatric care managers provide services such as; assessment of an individuals need for services, identification of specialized services such as housing, transportation, homemaker services, socialization programs and financial planning.
GCMs also assist families in the search for a suitable nursing home placement and explore entitlement eligibility. ( Medicare/Medicaid)
When an older family member is in need of assistance, families often find themselves faced with the difficult and time consuming task of negotiating a complex array of services. Attempting to figure out complicated eligibility requirements and locating the most suitable services for an elderly family member can create stress and conflict within families. It is at this point when adult children or grandchildren-especially those who are faced with career and other responsibilities in addition to their caregiving concern-seek out assistance of qualified professional care managers.
Most family members want to remain involved with the caregiving role as much as possible and use GCMs for initial assessment and periodic consultation. Others, especially those who live at great distance employ GCMs to oversee the long term plan that has been arranged.
Whether it is reaching across the miles or across the street geriatric care managers can bridge the distance in providing caregiving solutions for the elderly.