What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
Oct
13
Written by:
10/13/2010 11:15 AM
This is the first of my blog series on the challenges faced by those who help elders or others with special needs. We have heard it said that it takes a village to raise a child. In my experience as a Geriatric Care Manager, I have found that it takes a village to care for our elders and others with special needs as well. When you look to the needs of elders or others with special needs whom you know, it's a great help to know what resources are available in your village. And to know you are not alone. Yet it is not like you can Google "elders" for an answer. Most folks don't know where to turn when they are confronted with what is often a crisis...precipitated by a fall, by a stroke or an accident of some sort. This is where geriatric care managers (GCMs) can come in as one of the members of your "village" that you should know.
GCMs are trained to consult with seniors and their family about their medical, social and physical situation and connect them with appropriate professionals and resources as indicated. Certified by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, GCMs often have educational degrees in gerontology, nursing, social work, psychology or rehabilitation. I, for instance, have a Masters degree in rehabilitation, and the GCM is one of my five professional certifications.
Just as we go to a lawyer for legal needs and an accountant for financial needs, think of GCMs as the professionals who can help with the wide range of needs an older adult or others have. A GCM can recognize early onset of medical conditions and recommend appropriate specialists. They can put a client in touch with craftsmen who can adapt a household to accommodate the physical limitations of an aging adult. They are trained to look for signs of physical, emotional, or financial exploitation and to be there to help. (They are legally obligated to report abuse.)
GCMs also are family counselors, so they can step in to help families make collective decisions about care options. They can present the elder and the family with options like in-home services such as home care, or locate a suitable independent living community when home is no longer a viable option. If need be, they can direct clients to other resources or work with others within a care team. And a GCM can be there when the family members cannot. We all hear about the sandwich generation adults who are caregivers for both their children and their aging parents. GCMs can help take some of the strain off the "sandwiched adult." Local is a GCM's forte, a personalized care that is there when the family cannot be.
The Wall Street Journal said in an article in February 2007 that in addition to manageable fees, "GCMs can do everything from assessing your parents' long-term care needs and finding them a place to live to helping you navigate the health-care system."
This very short overview begins to show you what a GCM can do, but everyone's questions and needs are different, and that is the challenge that I find most exciting and rewarding about my profession. I would like to hear your questions, and I will offer some answers on these pages in the weeks ahead.
Charlotte Bishop is a Geriatric Care Manager and founder of Creative Case Management, certified professionals who are geriatric advocates, resources, counselors and friends to older adults and their families throughout metropolitan Chicago. Please email your questions to Charlotte Bishop.
Copyright ©2011
1 comment(s) so far...
Re: What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
Great information Charlotte! Very informative! I can't wait to read you next blog post.
By Chris Zahos on
10/13/2010 11:47 AM
|