Understanding the Expertise of
a Geriatric Care Manager

What is a Professional Geriatric Care Manager (GCM)?
Professional Geriatric Care Managers (GCMs) are trained health and human service professionals. They have the education, training, and expertise to work with older adults, caregivers, and families. A GCM has specific education, experience, and training to work with older adults coping with chronic illness, frailty, disabilities, or dementia, to support older adults’ quality of life and well-being, and help elders maximize their abilities and participate in activities that provide pleasure and meaning in their lives.

How can a Professional GCM help me?
GCMs can help you by assessing your loved one's care needs, and working together with you to develop an individualized care plan to address your particular needs and goals.

How do I Know if a GCM Can help me?
Help May be Needed if You Are Concerned about Your Love One's:

• Safety and ability to live at home
• Ability to care for himself/herself (including bathing and eating)
• Judgment, particularly when taking medication or using the stove
• Ability to manage bills and household tasks
• Ability to call for help in case of emergency
• Emotional stability or stress level
• Forgetfulness and problem solving abilities
• Personality changes
• Difficulty caring for their health care needs
• Increasing fatigue and declining abilities

What kinds of services can a Professional GCM provide?
They can provide many services. GCMs are skilled in providing individual and family consultation, assessing client needs, and working with older adults with chronic health problems and disabilities, and families to address each person’s individual needs and goals. Services may include design of personalized care plans for safe living at home, supervision of caregivers, client, caregiver, and family education and training, counseling, recommendations for in-home services or alternative housing, assistance obtaining services, advocacy, long term care planning, and referral to other geriatric specialists. GCMs can monitor clients when family members are unable to do so and can act as resources to families. With written request GCMs can assist clients dealing with multiple health and human service providers.

What education do Professional GCMs have?
Members of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) have specialized education and clinical experience in fields that include social work, gerontology, occupational therapy, nursing, or psychology. NAPGCM members must have certification as either a: Care Manager Certified (CMC), Certified Case Manager (CCM), Certified Social Work Case Manager (C-SWCM), or Certified Advanced Social Work Case Manager (C-ASWCM).

Certified GCMs with membership in the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) are committed to adhering to high ethical standards and Standards of Practice.