By the ElderTree Care Team
When a loved one needs more help, families start hearing new job titles all at once. A discharge planner mentions home care. A friend suggests a placement service. Someone else says to find a care manager. Each one helps in a different way, and it can be hard to tell which you need.
Here’s the short version. A home care agency sends aides to help at home. A placement service helps you find an assisted living or memory care community. A patient advocate helps with a specific medical or insurance problem. A geriatric care manager looks at the whole situation, makes a plan and helps coordinate everyone else. Many families work with more than one.
The four side by side
| Geriatric care manager | Home care agency | Senior placement service | Patient advocate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | The whole picture | Daily care at home | Finding the right community | One medical or insurance issue |
| What they do | Assess the situation, make a care plan, coordinate doctors, agencies and family, and step in when something changes | Provide aides who help with bathing, dressing, meals, medication reminders and company | Suggest assisted living or memory care communities and arrange tours | Help with a specific issue, like understanding a diagnosis or appealing an insurance denial |
| Often a good fit when | There are many moving parts, a big decision, or family lives far away | Your loved one needs hands-on help at home | You’re looking for a community and want help finding options | One medical or insurance problem needs untangling |
What a care manager does
A care manager keeps the whole picture in view. In practice, that usually means:
- An assessment of health, safety, finances, family and the home, so the plan fits the real situation
- A written care plan the whole family can see
- One care manager as your main point of contact, with a team behind them
- Going to appointments, asking questions and writing up what was said
- Helping you find and choose home care agencies, communities and other providers, then keeping an eye on how things are going
- A care manager on call, day or night, when something goes wrong
A care manager doesn’t replace a home care aide, a doctor or any of the others here. We help you find the right ones and keep everyone working together.
Working with more than one
Many families do. These are the combinations we see most:
- A care manager and a home care agency. The aide provides the hands-on help. The care manager helps your family choose the right agency, keeps an eye on how things are going and updates the plan as needs change.
- A care manager and a placement service. A placement service can help you find and tour communities. A care manager helps you decide whether a move is needed, which level of care fits and which communities suit your loved one. Then we help plan the move and check in afterward.
- A care manager and a patient advocate or elder law attorney. For a complicated insurance appeal or a legal question, we work alongside specialists and bring them in when it helps.
Which one fits your situation right now?
Perhaps one of these sounds familiar.
- “Mom needs help with bathing and meals, and everything else is under control.” Start with a home care agency. If you’d like help choosing one, a care manager can help.
- “My husband is being discharged on Friday and we don’t know if he can go home.” A care manager. We help families with fast decisions like this every week. See what to do now.
- “We’d like to see some assisted living options.” A placement service can help you find and tour communities.
- “The insurance company denied coverage for rehab.” A patient advocate or a care manager can help you sort through the paperwork and, where it makes sense, file an appeal.
- “It’s all of the above, and I’m the one everyone calls.” That’s what care management is for. We can take the day-to-day off you.
Questions to ask anyone you’re considering
- What training or credentials do the people working with us have?
- Who is my main point of contact, and how quickly do they get back to me?
- What happens at night or on weekends?
- How do you charge, and what’s included?
- Will you put your recommendations in writing?
Frequently asked questions
Is a geriatric care manager the same as a hospital case manager?
No. A hospital or insurance case manager works for the hospital or insurer, and their job usually centers on discharge or coverage. A private geriatric care manager works for your family and stays involved after discharge.
Is home care the same as home health care?
No. Home care is non-medical help with daily life, like bathing, meals and company. Home health care is skilled care, such as nursing or physical therapy, ordered by a doctor. Medicare may cover home health for people who qualify. It generally doesn’t cover ongoing non-medical home care.
Do I need a care manager if I’m already managing things myself?
Not always. Some families want to stay in charge and would like an experienced person to talk decisions through with. That’s what our Compass coaching program is for.
Not sure where to start?
You don’t need to know which kind of help you need before you call. Take our two-minute quiz, or find the situation that sounds most like yours. The first conversation is free, and if someone else would serve you better, we’ll tell you.
Talk to a care manager
Or call us now on (703) 424-7575. A care manager is on call, day or night. If this is a medical emergency, please call 911 first.
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