Celebrating National Aging Life Care™ Month
As the aging population continues to grow, so does the demand for caregivers. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, the number of family caregivers in the United States grew by 9.5 million from 2015 to 2020.
During National Aging Life Care™ Month in May, the Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA) is raising awareness around a solution for caregivers and families of aging adults—Aging Life Care Managers®.
Our “all-in” commitment to expertise
LifeCare Advocates’ care managers are experts in aging, helping ensure a client’s optimal quality of life while reducing stress, worry and time away from work for family caregivers. In fact, LifeCare Advocates is part of “ALCA All In,” which recognizes the commitment and dedication of Aging Life Care management practices in which all care manager employees are ALCA members. We have invested in our staff to ensure they have the necessary certifications to be a member of ALCA, therefore assuring our clients that all members of our team have the necessary credentials and expertise to guide them on the aging journey.
Learn more about our team here.
A holistic, client-centered approach
ALCA launched National Aging Life Care Month 11 years ago to raise awareness of a solution for families and caregivers supporting aging loved ones. Aging Life Care is a holistic, client-centered approach to caring for older adults, dependent adults, and others facing ongoing health challenges. Aging Life Care Managers, sometimes called geriatric care managers, are strategic planners with key knowledge in:
- Crisis intervention
- Housing
- Health and disability
- Advocacy
- Family legal needs
- Financial and local resources
“Aging Life Care Managers collaborate with families and professionals to ensure the needs of vulnerable seniors are met and optimal quality of life is obtained,” says Debbie Feldman, ALCA president. “We help navigate through the medical, financial, legal, and social challenges that are part of the aging journey.”
Aging Life Care Managers come from a variety of backgrounds in the health and human services fields, including social work, nursing, gerontology, mental health, as well as occupational, physical, and recreational therapies.
Essential to long-distance family
As Feldman watched the pandemic separate families and isolate aging adults, she knew that her job as an Aging Life Care Manager was essential to the lives of her clients. “Families could not travel to check on their out-of-town loved ones; long-term care facilities shut their doors to the outside; and medical care became virtual,” Feldman reflects. “Aging Life Care Managers became essential workers and the lifeline to isolated, aging adults.”
To learn more about the Aging Life Care Association, visit aginglifecare.org, where you’ll also find a nationwide directory of professionals.