Geriatric Care Managers - Who Are They? What Do They Do?

A Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) is a professional who develops and implements a plan of care to assist elders and their families with all aspects of long-term care. The care manager should have a graduate or post graduate degree in social work or nursing and be credentialled as a professional Geriatric Care Manager.

    American culture has become transient. Families are often separated by distance and many children find themselves juggling demanding careers, families, and the responsibility of caring for an aging parent. It would be ideal to live in a society where our parents and our elderly could be cared for easily, where extended families were in close proximity, and where both family members were not working full time.

    The reality is that for most of us this is not the case. There are many older people who live alone, far from children and other relatives. Even for those who live near children, the fact remains that all family members may be working and may not be in a position to do all that is required. When older people begin to have trouble coping with their daily lives, they often cannot turn to family members for help, and often, even more importantly, they do not wish to burden those they love with their care. Under these circumstance a Geriatric Care Manager can be very useful.