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Understanding Geriatric Care Management
Increasing numbers of
older people are living to advanced ages in the United States.
Most older people prefer to remain in their homes as they age,
but that may be possible only with the help of family and
friends. In many cases, with or without family assistance, other
supportive services may be needed.
Finding the right
long-term care providers and services can be difficult.
Consumers often do not know exactly what kind of help they need,
how to find and arrange for services, and how much they must pay
for services. Persons with low incomes may be able to turn to a
local government agency or a nonprofit social service agency for
help. A different option has become available in recent years
for people whose incomes are too high for publicly funded
services — private geriatric care management.
Geriatric care management
can be a valuable option for older persons and their families
who can afford such services. Care management generally is
defined as a service that assesses an individual's medical and
social service needs, and then coordinates assistance from paid
service providers and unpaid help from family and friends to
enable persons with disabilities to live with as much
independence as possible. From assessment of needs to advice on
available resources, a well-trained care manager can help
individuals to remain as independent as possible, to live in
one's home with assistance, or to assess other living
arrangements such as supportive housing or assisted living
facilities.
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