Geriatric Care Management is a relatively new profession that has emerged in strength over the past decade. Although Care Management as a profession has been around for a while, it has come into its own as the parents of the Boomer generation live in to their 80s and 90s and their grown children have started looking for help managing often very complicated care situations.

Check with any senior care resource and you will see the recommendation that you consult with a Geriatric Care Manager for a thorough assessment of your elder's status, help with making important decisions, and assistance with arranging for care or relocation.

A good Care Manager can be a lifesaver. When you don't know where to turn for unbiased advice, information about what's available in your community, or tips on how to navigate the medical maze, a good Care Manager will help you and your senior construct a map. Some will represent you, almost like a surrogate son or daughter, if you can't be there to do it yourself. Some will regularly monitor your elder's care, and even attend doctor visits.

What You May Not Know About Geriatric Care Managers

Anyone Can Be A "Geriatric Care Manager" (GCM)

While some resources will claim that Geriatric Care Managers are health and human services specialists, in fact there are no requirements to hang out a "Geriatric Care Manager" shingle. Your GCM could be a high school graduate (or less) with no professional education and little or no experience. He may be the marketing arm of a senior service provider. Geriatric Care Manager is a title that anyone may assume. Many do, because it sounds so "professional."

It is very important to know how a GCM has prepared for the profession and who, exactly, he or she works for now. Ask whether your GCM has a license to practice as a professional in your state. Maintaining a professional license as a nurse, a social worker, an attorney, or in a related profession insures that he or she meets and maintains educational and professional standards for that professional field.

Care Manager Background Determines Approach

Many extremely well qualified Care Managers come from backgrounds in either social work or medicine/nursing. Your care manager's focus will most likely reflect previous education and experience. A nurse will be more likely to focus on a senior's medical issues, often considering social and environmental needs second. A strong social work background gives a Care Manager strengths in managing social needs and finding community resources. These GCMs sometimes lack the medical knowledge necessary to manage complex health needs.

Assess your GCM's strengths and weaknesses before making a choice. Like all humans, every Care Manager will have strengths and weaknesses. Good ones will be happy to discuss them frankly, and they will have colleagues to consult with and who will back them up when necessary.

Many Care Managers are Part-Timers

Especially when starting out it is difficult to make a full time income as an independent GCM. Many Care Managers also work elsewhere. Others are trying to work around the needs of young children. As long as you and your Care Manager are clear about the hours your GCM will be available this should not present a problem.

If your senior is prone to emergencies and you will be depending on your Care Manager to be available 24/7, a part-timer may not be available when most needed. No Care Manager will take the place of 911. However, if an emergency takes your senior to the hospital, will you want your GCM to be there in the emergency room? If so, you will want to work with a full-time Geriatric Care Manager who also has backup for emergencies.

Hiring a GCM for advice and help with senior care is often the best thing a caregiver can do for an aging relative. Knowing what to watch for and what to ask a prospective GCM will put you on the fast track to finding the right Geriatric Care Manager for your particular needs.