A geriatric care manager is a professional who specializes in assisting older people and their families in meeting their long-term care arrangements. GCM’s have training in gerontology, social work, nursing, or counseling. They typically provide the following services:

• 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;
• Provide crisis intervention;
• Act as a liaison to families at a distance, making sure things are going well and alerting families to problems;
• Assist with moving an older person to or from a retirement complex, care home, or nursing home;
• Provide consumer education and advocacy
• Offer counseling and support.

Some GCM’s also provide family or individual therapy, money management, and conservatorship or guardianship assistance. GCM’s have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of services in their community.