What you need to know
What is Professional Geriatric Care Management?
What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
How do I Find a Geriatric Care Manager?
Do I Really Need a Professional Geriatric Care Manager?
What are the Benefits of Using a Geriatric Care Manager?
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What is Professional Geriatric Care Management?
Professional geriatric care management is the process of planning and coordinating the care of the elderly and disabled to improve their quality of life and maintain their independence for as long as possible. Health and psychological care are integrated with the best possible combination of services such as: housing, home care services, socialization programs, financial and legal planning.
A care plan tailored for each individual’s circumstances is prepared after a comprehensive assessment. The care plan is modified when necessary based on the professional geriatric care manager’s monitoring of the effectiveness of the components of the care plan. Professional geriatric care managers accomplish this by combining a working knowledge of health and psychology, human development, family dynamics, public and private resources and funding sources while advocating for the individual throughout the continuum of care.
What is a Geriatric Care Manager?
A Geriatric Care Manager is a health and human services specialist who helps families who are caring for older relatives. The Geriatric Care Manager is trained and experienced in any of several fields related to care management, including, but not limited to nursing, gerontology, social work, or psychology, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care.
The Geriatric Care Manager assists older adults and persons with disabilities in attaining their maximum functional potential. In addition, the Geriatric Care Manager is an experienced guide and resource for families of older adults and others with chronic needs, including helping those suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or Parkinsons or exhibiting symptoms of dementia.
Geriatric care managers who are members of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) are committed to adhering to the NAPGCM Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
How do I Find a Geriatric Care Manager?
Looking for a geriatric care manager? We have made it easy to locate a geriatric care manager near you with our Find a Care Manager Search feature. The search button is located throughout the website for easy access to the search feature.
The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) is an organization of practitioners whose goal is the advancement of expert assistance to the elderly and their families. NAPGCM is committed to maximizing the independence and autonomy of elders and strives to ensure the highest quality and most cost-effective health and human services. Through education, advocacy, counseling, and service delivery, NAPGCM members assist older persons and their families to cope with the challenges of aging.
NAPGCM promotes the highest standards of practice. Membership in NAPGCM as a Certified Geriatric Care Manager is open only to qualified individuals with specialized degrees and experience in human services, including social work, psychology, gerontology or nursing, and who hold one of four NAPGCM-approved certifications.
Do I Really Need a Professional Geriatric Care Manager?
When you are considering whether you need the services of a Geriatric Care Manager, you should evaluate whether you have the time, inclination, or skills to manage the challenges of geriatric care by yourself. If you are not sure, ask a trusted advisor to help you decide if an elder care expert may be helpful. Enlisting the support of other family members to consult a professional is a good way to build a consensus on the solutions.
Questions that you may wish to consider:
- Are the problems that you or your loved ones are facing becoming larger and more complex than you can comfortably manage?
- Are other demands and responsibilities now so great that you are not able to provide the desired level of supervision and attention to your loved one’s problems?
There are many places to find a Geriatric Care Manager in your area. This web site includes a searchable directory of geriatric care managers who belong to NAPGCM. You may also want to check with local agencies or hospitals to obtain a list of local referrals. Health professionals and elder law attorneys are other excellent referral sources.
What are the Benefits of Using a Geriatric Care Manager?
Professional Geriatric Care Management services are offered in a variety of settings. Geriatric Care Managers can serve the needs of their clients by providing:
- Personalized and compassionate service — focusing on the individual’s wants and needs.
- Accessibility — care is typically available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Continuity of care management – communications are coordinated between family members, doctors and other professionals, and service providers.
- Cost containment — inappropriate placements, duplication of services, and unnecessary hospitalizations are avoided.
- Quality control – care management services follow NAPGCM’S Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.