Some caregiving situations grow too complicated to manage on your own, a parent with several conditions, a family that can't agree, or a crisis that hits while you're hundreds of miles away. A geriatric care manager is the professional you can hire to step into exactly that gap. They assess what your loved one needs, build a plan, coordinate the care, and become your trusted eyes and ears on the ground. This guide explains what they do, what they cost, and how to find a good one.
We'll cover the role, the price (and why insurance usually won't cover it), when one is worth the money, and where to look.
What a Geriatric Care Manager Is
A geriatric care manager, also called an aging life care professional or care coordinator, is a professional, usually a licensed nurse or social worker, who specializes in geriatrics, the health care of older adults, and works with families to identify needs, make a care plan, and find services in the community. Think of them as a private case manager for your family: someone with clinical training and deep local knowledge whose entire job is to help an older adult get the right care.
What They Do
The role is hands-on and wide-ranging. A geriatric care manager typically:
- Assesses needs and builds a care plan tailored to the older adult's health, home, and finances.
- Arranges and coordinates services, including in-home help, medical appointments, and community resources.
- Acts as a liaison and advocate with doctors and other providers, so someone who understands the medical picture is in the room.
- Helps during a crisis or a hospital-to-home transition, when the decisions come fast and the stakes are high.
- Keeps the family informed, which is especially valuable when a caregiver lives far away.
- Helps navigate benefits and long-term-care options.
For a family running on empty, handing this coordination to a professional can be the thing that makes the rest survivable.
What They Cost
Be clear-eyed about the money. Geriatric care managers generally charge by the hour, and Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for this service. Most private health insurance plans also do not cover it, so most families pay for some or all of it themselves, though long-term care insurance may cover some costs.
That out-of-pocket cost is real, and it's the main reason families hesitate. The counterweight is that a good care manager can prevent expensive crises, avoidable hospital readmissions, the wrong placement, and can free a working or far-away family member from a second full-time job. For the right situation, it pays for itself in money and in sanity.
Wondering whether a geriatric care manager is worth it for your family's situation? Ask Brevy and we'll help you weigh it.
When One Is Worth It
A geriatric care manager is especially worth considering when:
- The needs are complex, with multiple conditions, medications, and providers to juggle.
- Family members disagree about care, and a neutral professional can break the deadlock.
- The primary caregiver lives at a distance and can't be there day to day.
- A hospitalization has just happened, and the transition home needs to be managed carefully.
If none of those apply and the situation is stable, you may not need one yet. If several do, it's worth a call.
How to Find One
There's no single registry, so use more than one path:
- Ask for a referral from your parent's doctor or a hospital discharge planner.
- Call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, or visit eldercare.acl.gov, to reach your local Area Agency on Aging.
- Search the Aging Life Care Association directory at aginglifecare.org, the professional association's tool for finding members.
When you talk to a candidate, ask about their license and background (nurse, social worker), their hourly fee and how the initial assessment works, their experience with your parent's specific conditions, and how they communicate with families. Trust your read on whether they listen.
Free Resources Worth Saving
- Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116, connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging
- National Institute on Aging, nia.nih.gov/health/what-geriatric-care-manager, clear guidance on what a care manager does
- VA Caregiver Support Line, 1-855-260-3274, if your parent is a veteran
FAQ
Generally no. Medicare and Medicaid do not pay for geriatric care management, and most private health insurance plans don't cover it either, so most families pay out of pocket. Long-term care insurance may cover some of the cost. Geriatric care managers usually charge by the hour.
They assess an older adult's needs and build a care plan, arrange and coordinate in-home help and medical appointments and other services, act as a liaison and advocate with doctors, help during a crisis or hospital-to-home transition, keep family informed, and help navigate benefits and long-term-care options. They are often a licensed nurse or social worker.
A geriatric care manager is most worth it when care needs are complex, when family members disagree about care, when the main caregiver lives far away, or after a hospitalization. In those situations, the coordination they provide can prevent costly crises and ease an impossible load.
Ask your parent's doctor or a hospital discharge planner for a referral, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach your Area Agency on Aging, or search the Aging Life Care Association directory at aginglifecare.org. Ask each candidate about their license, fees, and experience with your parent's conditions.
Learn More
- Long-Distance Caregiving: How to Help an Aging Parent From Far Away
- How to Hire In-Home Help for an Aging Parent: Agencies, Aides, and the Tax Part
- Respite Care for Family Caregivers: How to Get a Break and How to Pay for It
- Advance Directives and Health Care Power of Attorney: What Every Family Needs Before a Crisis
- When an Aging Parent Refuses Help: How to Talk About It and What to Watch For
The right professional can turn an overwhelming situation into a managed one. If you want help deciding whether a geriatric care manager fits your family, start with Brevy. We'll stay with you for as long as it takes.
Find personalized help coordinating a loved one's care at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.