What is a care manager?

A  care manager is a professional who specializes in assisting caregivers in meeting the long-term care arrangements of their loved ones. Care managers have training in gerontology, social work, nursing, or counseling.

Care managers can help:

• Provide crisis intervention;

• Act as a liaison to families at a distance, making sure things are going well and alerting families to problems;

• Conduct care-planning assessments to identify problems, eligibility for assistance, and need for services;

• Screen, arrange and monitor in-home help or other services;

• Review financial, legal, or medical issues and offer referrals to geriatric specialists to avoid future problems and conserve assets;

• Assist with moving your loved one to or from a hospital, retirement complex, care home, or nursing home;

• Provide consumer education and advocacy; and

• Offer counseling and support.

Some care managers also provide family or individual therapy, money management, and conservatorship or guardianship assistance. Care managers have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of services in their community. One call to a care manager will connect you with the services you may need.

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