The Professional Geriatric Care Manager’s Blog

The question on the tip of your tongue; What is a Geriatric Care Manager?

As the years pass and the baby boomers start to shift into the older adult population, more and more members of the sandwich generation find themselves faced with a troubling dilemma; caring for their children while caring for their parents. Raising a child alone can be a daunting task, but when coupled with two aging parents, two aging parents-in-law and an average of two children per household, the life of a caregiver can become downright impossible. Most people don’t know who to turn to in a situation like this, and end up trying to muddle through the mess of finances and care plans all by themselves, missing valuable opportunities and putting their loved ones at risk.

Luckily for those overwhelmed adult children, there exists a specialized caregiver ready to step in when the task of caring for a parent becomes too much to handle – the Professional Geriatric Care Manager. One such Geriatric Care Management Practice is located right in Bergen County, New Jersey: Distinctive Care Geriatric Care Management. Founded by Sophia Heftler, RN, CALA, GCM almost two years ago, Distinctive Care truly takes its ideal of “Distinguished Aging” to heart. The simple truth that makes Distinctive Care Distinctive is that, unlike our competitors, all of our Care Managers are nurses, able to provide unparalleled care and the proper medical background to handle complex cases.

I know a lot of readers are wondering, what exactly does a Geriatric Care Management Practice do? The question I most often hear when bringing up our title is where our facility is located. I’d like to let you all in on what Geriatric Care Managers are able to do for you and your family. Beginning day one, they conduct thorough and complete care planning assessments on both the individual and the home, ensuring the highest degree of safety. They advocate for the family, reviewing financial, legal, and medical issues while screening, arranging and monitoring in-home help or other similar services. They are able to counsel and support, as well as act as a liaison for families at a distance, whether they’re across the country or around the world. Geriatric Care Managers provide the support that can mean the difference between life and death in times of crisis.

If, when reading this, you’re thinking to yourself that you might need a service like this, you’re more than likely correct. All too often Geriatric Care Managers are contacted in times of desperation, when in reality it’s preferable to all parties involved that they become a part of the solution before the problem becomes too serious. By introducing Geriatric Care Managers into the equation prior to the fall, or the failure, they can provide their personalized and compassionate care, getting to properly know the client, becoming more and more able to diagnose small problems before they mushroom into catastrophes. They know how to properly navigate the system and it’s cost, saving the family money in the long run. And we at Distinctive Care do our very best to keep the client in their home, exactly the place they want to be, with the family that loves them. If you think you need Distinctive Care, you probably do, and shouldn’t hesitate to contact us or your local Geriatric Care Management Practice as soon as possible.