Living far away from a loved one can complicate many things, not the least of which is their daily care. If you live in a different city or state from your aging parent or loved one, as the miles expand so do your worries. You must try to understand their health and day-to-day needs from a distance. Long-distance caregivers, It’s not easy.

Also, now that COVID has swept through the nation, we are not able to visit our loved ones often if at all. This has added to many seniors’ mental decline as they are isolated at home alone. With the holidays approaching, it’s scary to think our elderly loved ones may have to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas alone.

How to care for a loved one from afar or due to social distancing for long-distance caregivers

Geriatric Care Management can step in and provide daily companionship support to provide you with peace of mind. According to Pew Research, an estimated 40 million caregivers of adults ages 65 and older in the United States. Of that group, nine-in-ten are providing care for an aging relative, and a plurality is caring for a parent.

Geriatric care managers can help to ease the pressure on family members and help find better and more efficient ways of providing care for a loved one.

The concept is simple. The family hires a professional adviser to act as a guide through the maze of long-term care services and providers. The care manager visits as many times as they need. The initial visit is typically the longest as the care manager performs a thorough assessment to include but not limited to: inspection of the home to make sure the senior is in a safe living environment, accurate medications or to set up additional services like home health and/or private duty if needed.

All care managers wear full PPE equipment and practice social distancing inside the home.

Here are some other examples to help decide when an individual may need a care manager:

• multiple medical or psychological issues
• is not able to live safely in their current environment
• has concerns with current care providers and need advocacy
• is confused about or needs assistance with their own financial and/or legal situation
• has limited or no support from family or friends

At North Star Cares, we can also assist in locating an assisted living or memory care if your elderly loved one is no longer safe living by themselves. It’s also a great way to receive socialization and oversight. During the holidays, assisted living communities provide festive activities and dinner events, along with the chance to make new friends.

24/7 home care can be an option; however, this tends to add up very quickly upwards to $13k or more each month. The average cost for assisted living starts closer to $3500/month.

How Much Does a Geriatric Care Manager Cost?

Geriatric Care Managers charge clients in a variety of ways, but typically it is an hourly rate between $50-$200 /hr. Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance, unfortunately, does not cover these costs. Long term care insurance might, but most often this is an out-of-pocket cost.

However, Care Managers usually save families money despite being an out-of-pocket cost because their needs assessments align an individual’s present condition with only those services that are necessary at that point in time.

Having a care manager be the main point of contact for all health-related services is a real lifesaver for many families. It eliminates most of that confusion when trying to keep up with several phone numbers of different companies. Family members have peace of mind that one individual is ensuring their senior loved one is being taken care of, whether it is through home health services, home safety evals, accurate medication management, or companionship.

That is why North Star Cares is here for you, long-distance caregivers. We know there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to caring. Our dedicated team of compassionate and experienced care managers want to help your loved ones through the holidays!

Visit northstarsa.com to learn what a geriatric care manager can do for your family or call us today at 407-796-1582.