A geriatric care manager is often the person who helps connect the different parts of an older adult’s care, putting geriatric care for seniors into practice day to day. A parent may have regular appointments with different doctors, need help after a hospital stay, require a nurse or attendant at home, or simply need someone to keep track of ongoing care.
For families living in another city or country, managing all of this can be difficult. A geriatric care manager helps organise these needs and coordinates with the people involved in the older adult’s care. They can also keep the family informed about important updates and changes.
The role can be different for every older adult. Some may need help for a few weeks after an illness or surgery, while others may need regular care coordination.
What Does a Geriatric Care Manager Do?
The role can cover several areas, depending on the older adult’s situation.
Assesses the Older Adult’s Needs
A care manager first needs to understand the older adult’s situation.
This can include their health conditions, mobility, daily routine, living arrangements, existing support and upcoming healthcare needs.
This information helps the care manager understand what kind of support may be required.
Coordinates Doctor Visits and Follow-Ups
Older adults may see several doctors and have regular tests or follow-up appointments.
A care manager can help organise these appointments, coordinate visits and keep track of follow-ups. They can also communicate relevant information between the family and the care team.
Arranges Home-Care Support
An older adult may need a nurse, attendant, physiotherapist or another professional at home.
A care manager can help identify the required support and coordinate the arrangement. They can also stay in touch with the people providing care and flag concerns to the family when needed.
Helps After Hospitalisation
Coming home from a hospital can involve more than just following a prescription.
There may be follow-up visits, tests, medication changes, physiotherapy or temporary assistance at home.
A care manager can help organise these requirements and make the transition back home easier to manage.
Keeps the Family Updated
When children live away from their parents, they may not know what is happening day to day.
A care manager can keep them informed about important appointments, health-related changes and care requirements. This gives family members a clearer picture of what is happening without requiring them to coordinate every small detail themselves.
Responds to Urgent Situations
An unexpected health issue can be particularly difficult when family members are not nearby.
Depending on the service, a care manager may help coordinate the immediate response, communicate with the family and arrange the required support.
Families should check what emergency assistance is actually included before choosing a care management service.
Need help coordinating care? Not sure whether your parent needs a care manager or simpler support? Answer 12 quick questions, about 6 minutes, to get a clearer picture of their needs.
How Does a Geriatric Care Manager Help Older Adults?
Care management is not only about arranging medical services. The care manager also gets to understand how the older adult is managing at home and what kind of help they are comfortable with. For example, an older adult may want to continue living at home, attend their usual activities or manage certain parts of their routine independently. The care plan can take these preferences into account.
A care manager may also notice changes that family members do not see because they live away. This could be difficulty with mobility, changes in routine or problems managing everyday tasks. If something seems concerning, the care manager can bring it to the family’s attention and suggest involving the appropriate professional.
How Does a Geriatric Care Manager Help Family Caregivers?
Family members often remain closely involved in an older parent’s care even when they live far away.
The difficulty is that many practical tasks still need to be handled locally.
A care manager can take responsibility for some of this coordination.
This may include:
- Scheduling and coordinating medical appointments
- Following up on tests and consultations
- Coordinating nurses, attendants and other home-care professionals
- Helping with hospital visits and discharge-related requirements
- Sharing important updates with family members
- Identifying changes in the older adult’s needs
- Coordinating support during an urgent situation
This allows family members to stay involved in important decisions without having to manage every practical task themselves.
Geriatric Care Manager Vs Home Care Attendant
A geriatric care manager and a home care attendant have different responsibilities.
| Geriatric Care Manager | Home Care Attendant |
| Assesses and coordinates care needs | Provides day-to-day assistance |
| Coordinates with doctors and other professionals | Helps with daily activities, depending on their role and training |
| Helps organise appointments and follow-ups | May assist with mobility, bathing, dressing, meals and other routine needs |
| Coordinates different care services | Provides hands-on support at home |
| Keeps family members informed about care | Shares relevant concerns with the family or care team |
For example, an attendant may help an older adult with their daily routine at home. The care manager may coordinate that attendant, arrange a doctor’s visit and make sure the family knows about any important developments.
When Can a Geriatric Care Manager Be Useful?
A care manager can be useful in several situations.
When Children Live Away
If the family lives in another city or country, a care manager can provide local coordination and keep them informed, one of the ways professional care bridges the gap in long-distance elder care.
After a Hospital Stay
The period after discharge can involve several appointments, medicines, tests and changes at home. A care manager can help organise these requirements.
When There Are Multiple Healthcare Needs
Managing several doctors, appointments and follow-ups can become complicated. A care manager can bring these different requirements together.
When an Older Adult Lives Alone
An older adult living alone may need someone to keep an eye on changing needs and coordinate help when required.
When Family Caregivers Are Finding It Difficult to Manage Everything
Family members may be willing to help but may not have the time or local access needed to coordinate every part of care.
A care manager can take on some of this responsibility.
Does Every Older Adult Need a Geriatric Care Manager?
No.
Some older adults have family members nearby who can manage their appointments, healthcare and daily needs themselves.
Care management may be more useful when an older adult has several care requirements, lives alone, has children living away or needs help coordinating different professionals. It is one of several types of elder care services available in India, a family can arrange. It can also be temporary. A family may choose care management for a few weeks or months after surgery, hospitalisation or another major change.
What Should You Ask Before Choosing a Geriatric Care Manager?
Before hiring a care manager or care management service, ask what the service actually includes.
- What services are included in the care plan?
- Who will be the main person looking after my parent’s care coordination?
- How often will the care manager visit or speak with my parent?
- Can you coordinate with my parent’s existing doctors?
- Can you arrange nurses, attendants or other home-care professionals?
- How will you keep the family updated?
- What support is available during an emergency?
- Can the care plan be changed if my parent’s needs change?
- Can you help after hospital discharge?
- What are the charges and what is included in them?
It is also worth asking about the qualifications and experience of the people who will be involved in your parent’s care.
How Samarth Helps Older Adults and Their Families
At Samarth, Care Managers help families coordinate different aspects of an older adult’s care.
Depending on the elder’s needs, this can include healthcare visits, tests, vaccinations, home assistance, regular check-ins and emergency coordination.
The Care Manager also stays connected with the family, helping children who live away stay informed about their parent’s care.
For the older adult, this means having someone who understands their needs and can help coordinate the right support. For the family, it means having a trusted point of contact when they cannot always be there themselves.
Tell us about your parent and your own situation, and a Care Advisor will help you plan support at home, including whether a Care Manager can coordinate it.
FAQs
What Is the Main Role of a Geriatric Care Manager?
A geriatric care manager assesses an older adult’s care needs and coordinates the services required. This can include healthcare appointments, home-care support, follow-ups and communication with family members.
Can a Geriatric Care Manager Help If My Parents Live Alone?
Yes. Depending on the service, a care manager can make regular visits, coordinate healthcare and arrange other support based on the older adult’s needs.
Can a Geriatric Care Manager Help Families Living Abroad?
Yes. A care manager can act as a local point of contact for families living abroad and keep them informed about important developments in their parent’s care.
Is a Geriatric Care Manager a Doctor or a Nurse?
Not necessarily. Geriatric care managers can come from different professional backgrounds. Their role is generally focused on care assessment and coordination rather than replacing a doctor or nurse.
Is a Geriatric Care Manager the Same as an Attendant?
No. An attendant generally provides hands-on help with daily activities, while a care manager coordinates the wider care plan and different services.
Can a Geriatric Care Manager Help After Hospitalisation?
Yes. Depending on the service, they can help coordinate follow-up appointments, tests, home-care support and other requirements after discharge.
Can Care Management Be Arranged for a Short Period?
It depends on the provider. Some care management services can be arranged for a specific period, such as after surgery, during recovery or when a family caregiver is unavailable.
Does an Older Adult Have to Be Sick to Need a Care Manager?
No. Care management can also be useful for an older adult who lives alone, has several healthcare appointments or needs help coordinating different aspects of care.
