Geriatric Care Managers Can Save Seniors and Their Families Time and Money

Connecticut is increasingly looking to geriatric care managers from companies like Hartford HealthCare to help older adults and their loved ones, reports the Hartford Courant . Care managers administer and organize many aspects of daily life, including home safety checks, gauging financial circumstances, and hiring someone to pay bills and file paperwork. They also can help seniors make doctor's appointments, ensure medication refills, and guarantee proper handling of legal documents like advance directives. Some care managers have nursing degrees and certifications in dementia care, while others are social workers or have other degrees related to geriatrics. Hartford HealthCare's geriatric care manager services cost users $125 an hour, and while clients pay out of pocket for the most part, certain long-term care insurance policies may cover the service. University of Connecticut Professor Rupal Parekh says hiring a care manager can save time, money, and effort for older adults and their families. "For folks in a crisis situation who may be moving from home to a nursing community or hospice, it can be critical to having that move go smoothly," he notes. "A geriatric care manager offers an outside perspective."