A Geriatric Care Manager will most likely have a background in nursing, social work, gerontology, or even a combination of these and are experienced in dealing with problems facing elders, particularly those with Alzheimer’s. Because they tend to have a lot of contacts in the community, a Geriatric Care Manager is also a valuable resource of information and help. They can assist in helping with anything you basically might need such as finding the right home care workers or even an appropriate program to deal with driving issues.
Not only can a Geriatric Care Manager connect you with a community of helpful resources, but they are a wonderful source of counseling and guidance for you as a caregiver, as well.
In this Elder Law Minute, Wes Coulson, Southern Illinois Elder Law attorney, presents another topic covered in The Alzheimer’s Guide: Practical Advice for Families, Caregivers and Professionals and explains what a Geriatric Care Manager is and why they are a valuable source of help to have as you go through the Alzheimer’s journey.
Alzheimer’s Planning: What Is A Geriatric Care Manager And Why Do You Need One?
Transcript:
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. This is another in a series of topics that we cover in our Alzheimer’s Guide. Let me, again, invite you to call us and obtain one. Today I want to talk to you about the value of enlisting the help of a Geriatric Care Manager as you go through the Alzheimer’s journey.
First of all, what is a Geriatric Care Manager?
Geriatric Care Managers have generally different backgrounds – either nursing, social work, gerontology, or in many cases some combination – and they are experienced in dealing with the problems of elders, particularly those with Alzheimer’s, and leading them through the journey. They tend to have a lot of contacts in the community, they can help you to find, for instance the right home care workers, the right programs to deal with maybe driving issues, basically anything that you might need.
They are particularly helpful in a few important respects. First of all, they can be the guiding hand (and the ear to listen to) to help you identify problems, to talk about them, to find solutions to the problems. By monitoring the situation, they can help you to stay a step ahead. And it’s very important to do that so that you are not reacting and lurching from one crisis to the next. As I mentioned, they can help to connect you with others in the community that can help. And finally, they are a wonderful source of counseling for caregivers as they go through this journey and help the person with Alzheimer’s.
So, again, if you’re going through the Alzheimer’s journey, really consider the help of a Geriatric Care Manager. Thanks.
For more topics from The Alzheimer’s Guide, visit these articles:
- How to Evaluate a Geriatric Care Facility
- Choosing The Right Level Of Care For Your Loved One With Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s and Driving: Why having “the conversation” can be a bad idea
“Your Trusted Advisor on the Elder Care Journey”
Dent-Coulson Elder Law is dedicated to providing families in the St. Louis area with their Elder Law needs. Our practice areas include Asset Preservation Planning, Veterans Benefits, Medicaid Eligibility, Alzheimer’s Planning, Special Needs Planning, Estate Planning and more. We understand the financial challenges you may face as you and your loved ones grow older. At Dent-Coulson Elder Law, our clients’ well-being is our number one priority. For immediate help, call (618)632-7000 or (314)567-9292 or Contact Us and we will get in touch as soon as possible.
