Older people get more and different chronic conditions as they age. Each of these comorbidities falls into a different medical disease silo with its own specialist. Geriatricians are physicians who take a holistic medical approach and look at the “5M”s: Mind, Mobility, Medications, Multi Complexity, and Matters Most to Me. They develop medical care plans for elderly people.

Geriatric managers or planners are licensed nurses or social workers who help caregivers and care recipients implement the required long-term care plans in their daily lives. The initial evaluation can be expensive, but they can help family members coordinate. They charge by the hour, and insurance probably won’t pay it. The eldercare locator serves as a hub to locate long-term care planning information across government departments if you choose to undertake the effort yourself.

If you need someone with experience to help you, the Aging Life Care Association may help. Members are professionals with relevant degrees and certifications. The association expects them to follow standards of practice and a code of ethics. The association also offers a directory of its members to the public.

The National Academy of Certified Care Managers (NACCM) supports competence in care management with a Care Manager Certified (CMC) certification and recertification program. An alphabetical list of managers with a CMC designation is available on their website.