If you are a long-distance caregiver with no local family members, you may worry about your loved one and wonder what you can do to support their needs. Regular phone calls may not provide the true state of affairs, as older adults may mask the truth, omitting important details.

One solution would be to hire a geriatric care manager, who can assess the elders needs, develop a care plan and provide ongoing monitoring, as appropriate. Care managers are often called surrogate siblings, providing the type and level of care that you would like to provide yourself, if only you lived closer.

When family members have ongoing disagreements over the elders care, such as residency decisions or home care, a mediator may be appropriate to unite the family towards common issues. A geriatric care manager advocates for the older adults needs. An elder mediator is an impartial party, involving the concerns of all generations. Often, new ideas are generated through the process of mediation that nobody would have thought of on their own!