How a Geriatric Case Manager Broke a Caregiving Impasse

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When Christy Byrne Yates's parents resisted transitioning to assisted living, she hired a geriatric case manager and geriatric nurse through a local organization to conduct an in-home evaluation. The outside professionals identified safety concerns — including Yates's mother, who had early Alzheimer's, tampering with her husband's complex medication regimen — and presented findings directly to her parents in a formal, data-backed way. Because the information came from credentialed neutrals rather than a family member, her parents received it differently and were willing to act. Yates notes that geriatric case managers can be found by searching online in your area, and that local Area Agencies on Aging are another access point. She also flagged that her parents' long-term-care insurance policy — from John Hancock, a type she says is no longer written — covered only nursing home and assisted living, not in-home care, which shaped the family's options.