Reprinted June 2002

For some of you this might be a familiar term but to others, it is something new. A geriatric care manager is a consultant who specializes in assisting seniors and their families with care and living arrangements as well as supervise and/or recommend medical care. GCM’s can be of great assistance and provide peace of mind for family members. GCM’s usually provide written reports to the families to keep them abreast of their loved ones. Frequently, GCM’s have a background in nursing, social work, psychology or gerontology. Even for families nearby, GCM’s assist in assessing the individual. Sometimes, family members are too close to see the situation as it truly is.

There is a national association, the National Association of Geriatric Care Managers, that oversees the field and provides information to its members. However, there is no nationally recognized certification or licensing program.

Geriatric care managers bill for their services both hourly and on a fixed fee basis. If you need to use the services of a GCM, discuss the fee as well as what you can expect for that fee. It has been our experience that GCM’s have printed rate sheets and information that they can provide to you. The national association’s website is www.caremanager.org.

You might want to check out this site even if you don’t need assistance right now. You’ll be better prepared when you if you ever do.

We had several phone calls and notes from some geriatric care managers. It appears there is a national certification program.