Geriatric care management

Geriatric care management, also called Aging Life Care Management, is the process of planning and coordinating care of aging persons and others with physical and/or mental impairments to meet their needs and challenges in care, improve their quality of life, and maintain their independence for as long as possible. It entails working with clients and their families in coordinating, managing, and referring various types of health and social care services. Geriatric care managers, also called Aging Life Care Managers, accomplish this by combining a working knowledge of health and psychology, human development, family dynamics, public and private resources as well as funding sources, while advocating for their clients throughout the continuum of care. For example, they may assist families of older adults and others with chronic needs in the areas of activities of daily living, functional care, cognitive and memory decline, chronic illness or disability, and other challenges they face in long term care needs.

Geriatric care management
Other namesElder care management, Senior health care management and Professional care management and Aging Life Care Management"
SpecialtyGeriatrics Aging Elderly

Overview

Geriatric care management integrates health care and psychosocial care with other needed services such as: housing, in-home care, assistance with activities of daily living, social engagement programs, as well as referring to professionals who are qualified to help manage legal and financial decisions. A professional care plan is tailored for specific circumstances after a needs assessment is performed, and is continuously monitored and modified as needed. The assessment is thorough and includes demographic type data as well as a health history, social history, and legal/financial history. In addition other assessments may include; Falls risk assessment, Home safety assessment, Nutritional assessment, Depression assessment, Pain assessment, Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), MiniCog Clock Drawing Exam (Cognitive Assessment), SLUMS (St. Louis University Mental Status), MOCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), Balance and Gait assessment (ability to walk), and others as needed based on the unique needs of the client.

Geriatric care managers

Geriatric care managers typically have formal education and experience in nursing, social work, gerontology or other health service areas. They are expected to have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of services in their communities. In some countries and jurisdictions, professional certification is also promoted by their membership in the Aging Life Care Association (www.aginglifecare.org).

Professional care managers help individuals, families, and other caregivers adjust and cope with the challenges of aging or disability by:

  • Conducting care-planning assessments to identify needs, problems and eligibility for assistance;
  • Screening, arranging, and monitoring in-home help and other services;
  • Reviewing financial, legal, or medical issues;
  • Offering referrals to specialists to avoid future problems and to conserve assets;
  • Providing crisis intervention;
  • Acting as a liaison to families at a distance;
  • Making sure things are going well and alerting families of problems;
  • Assisting with moving their clients to or from a retirement complex, assisted living facility, rehabilitation facility or nursing home;
  • Providing client and family education and advocacy;
  • Offering counseling and support.

Depending on the country and health care organization, professional fees for the services of geriatric care managers are primarily billed privately on a privately paid fee-for-service basis. In the United States, they are not covered by Medicaid, Medicare nor by most private health insurance policies. However, clients may be able to bill some services to long term care insurance, depending on the history of the individual case.

See also
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