The subtle shift from providing informal help to ongoing care to parents has left many Baby Boomers unprepared for their new roles. Although all caregivers can feel overwhelmed by cascading events, long distance caregivers feel the need to move from reactive to proactive caregiving most intensely. Local professionals called care managers can manage day-to-day tasks and develop the plan that has eluded caregivers.

Seven million Baby Boomers find it necessary to provide assistance to elderly parents who live hours away. Despite their best efforts and traveling an average of 450 miles each way, these long distance caregivers cannot get everything done. They find themselves caught up in an array of unanticipated events that need to be addressed. A readily available but often overlooked resource, geriatric care managers, can provide assistance. These specialists can insure that elderly parents’ day-to-day needs are managed within a well coordinated plan.

Eldercare advisor and gerontologist Esther Koch offers hope for caregivers in her featured article on Parent Care. Koch is uniquely qualified to address both sides of the caregiving coin. As a gerontologist and a geriatric care manager she assists employers with employee-related eldercare needs. As a long term caregiver to her own elderly mother, she literally practices what she preaches.

From her dual care manager/caregiver perspective, Koch details the benefits care managers provide to Boomers and their parents. She also relates the numerous instances in which she has applied them to her own role of caregiver.

Parent Care research indicates that few long distance eldercare providers are aware of geriatric care managers’ availability. Fewer still are aware that these professionals can manage not only tasks that are frustrating caregivers but can also provide an important service that eludes most– planning ahead. “Koch provides concrete examples of our philosophy”, Gillis says, “Caregivers, parents and the care manager should together assess parents’ health, emotional and financial situation to help prepare for the future.”

For more information visit ParentCareInc.com.

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