Care management

A care manager is a professional who helps a person and their family plan and coordinate care, especially when needs are complicated. Depending on the type, they may assess needs, arrange services, connect you with community resources, and keep doctors and family on the same page. The title covers a few different roles, so it helps to ask who the person works for and what they are responsible for.

Hospital case managers, discharge planners, and social workers are part of the hospital team. Their main job is planning a safe discharge, which can include arranging home health, rehab, equipment, or a move to a nursing facility. They work for the hospital and usually focus on the hospital stay and the handoff afterward, not long-term coordination.

These are professionals families hire directly to guide care for an older adult over time. The Aging Life Care Association describes their expertise as covering health and disability, housing, finances, family dynamics, local resources, advocacy, legal coordination, and crisis help. They usually start with a full assessment and a written care plan, and many will attend doctor visits and help the family communicate with providers.

A hospital case manager is assigned by the hospital and focuses on getting a patient safely discharged. A private care manager works for your family, can stay involved for months or years, and can follow your loved one across settings, from home to hospital to assisted living. Some families use both: the hospital team for discharge, and a private care manager for everything after.

If your loved one has Medicare, they should receive a notice called "An Important Message from Medicare" explaining their rights, and you can ask for it if you have not seen it. Following the notice’s directions by the scheduled discharge day starts a fast appeal to an independent reviewer, and your loved one can generally stay while it is reviewed. Medicare Advantage plans have their own appeal rules, so ask the plan or the hospital’s case manager.

It depends on location, experience, and how much help you need. The Aging Life Care Association notes that rates vary and may not be covered by insurance, so most families pay privately. Ask about the initial assessment fee, the hourly or ongoing rate, and how travel and phone time are billed, and get the fees in writing before services begin.

Private care management is usually paid out of pocket, and the Aging Life Care Association says these fees may not be covered by insurance. Check any long-term care insurance policy your loved one has and ask the insurer directly. If cost is a barrier, your local Area Agency on Aging may be able to connect you with free or lower-cost help.

Care managers come from fields like nursing, social work, counseling, gerontology, psychology, and occupational or physical therapy, and many hold a state license in their field. Members of the Aging Life Care Association must meet education, experience, and certification requirements and follow a code of ethics. You can confirm a Utah professional license, such as a nursing or social work license, through the state’s online license lookup.

Ask about their experience, credentials, and areas of expertise, and how long they have done this work. Ask whether they are available in emergencies, how they communicate with families, and what they charge. Ask whether their company also sells home care, since that could affect their recommendations, and request references.

The Aging Life Care Association has a free online directory you can search by city or zip code. Your local Area Agency on Aging and the federal Eldercare Locator can also point you toward local services. Interview more than one person if you can.

It often helps when your loved one has several medical or mental health conditions, is no longer safe living where they are, or has little family support. It can also help when family members disagree about care, are burned out, or live far away. If you are spending hours each week making calls and still feel lost, that is a sign too.

Yes, that is one of the most common reasons families hire one. A local care manager can visit, attend appointments, check on the quality of care, and report back to you. Agree up front on how often they will update you and by what method.

Utah’s Area Agencies on Aging, which serve every county, can explain local services, caregiver support, and programs such as the Medicaid Aging Waiver. Utah’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) offers free Medicare counseling. These are good first calls, even if you later decide to hire a private care manager.

No. Utah Care Network is free for families and for providers, and no one pays it for referrals. Before hiring anyone, we encourage you to check credentials and get fees in writing.

A Medicaid waiver is a program that pays for services at home or in the community for people who would otherwise need nursing home or other institutional care. Utah has several waivers for different groups, and many include a case manager who helps plan and arrange services. Space is limited, and some waivers have waiting lists.

The Aging Waiver helps adults 65 and older who need a nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid’s financial rules stay in their homes. Services can include case management, homemaker help, adult day health, respite care, personal attendant services, and emergency response systems. There is a waiting list, and referrals start with your local Area Agency on Aging.

The New Choices Waiver helps people who have been living long term in a nursing facility, assisted living, or similar licensed facility move back to a home or community setting. It serves adults 65 and older, and adults 21 to 64 who meet disability criteria, who need a nursing-facility level of care and meet Medicaid’s financial rules. Services include case management, attendant care, respite care, and home-delivered meals. You apply through the New Choices Waiver program office at Utah Medicaid.

Yes. Utah also has waivers for people with physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, and severe disabilities that began before age 22, run through the Division of Services for People with Disabilities. Eligibility rules and waiting lists differ by waiver, so call the program directly to ask what applies.

A power of attorney is a document in which a person, called the principal, names someone they trust, called the agent, to handle matters for them, such as finances. In Utah, a power of attorney keeps working if the principal later loses capacity unless the document says otherwise. It must be signed in front of a notary, and the agent must act in the principal’s interest, not their own. An estate planning attorney can help make sure it fits your family’s situation.

No. Utah’s court guidance explains that a regular power of attorney does not allow the agent to make health care decisions. Medical decisions are handled through an advance health care directive, where a person can name a health care agent and write down their wishes. Utah updated its health care decision law effective January 1, 2026, and the law includes an optional directive form.

A person must have enough mental capacity to understand what they are signing, so planning early matters. If your parent no longer has capacity and never signed a power of attorney or directive, Utah law has a priority list of people who may make health care decisions, starting with someone the person named, then a spouse, then adult children or parents, and so on. For finances and broader decisions, a court guardianship or conservatorship may be needed. Talk with an attorney or the Utah Courts Self-Help Center about your options.

In Utah, both are appointed by a court for someone who cannot make certain decisions on their own. In general, a guardian handles personal decisions like care and living arrangements, while a conservator manages money and property. Both must file regular reports with the court. The court process involves a petition, notice to your loved one, and a hearing, so legal advice is wise.

The Utah Courts Self-Help Center offers free help with forms and court processes for people without a lawyer, though it cannot give legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult an attorney who handles guardianship or elder law. For adults who need a guardian and have no family or friends able to serve, Utah’s Office of Public Guardian may be able to help.

Report it to Utah Adult Protective Services at 1-800-371-7897. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 first.