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Aging life care managers coordinate medical, housing and support needs for older adults, often helping families respond to complex care situations. The KFF Health News report describes their independent role, typical hourly fees of $150 to $350 among association members, and limited public awareness. The source material does not include the results of a cited 2025 survey.
A KFF Health News report highlights how aging life care managers help families coordinate medical appointments, housing moves and support for older adults, particularly when relatives live far away or care needs change quickly. The professionals work for clients and their families rather than hospitals or insurers, but hourly fees can range from $150 to $350 among members of their professional association, and many families do not learn the service exists until a crisis.
The report follows Kristin Martinelli, a care manager with Mir Care Consultants in Central Texas, as she handled Medicaid paperwork for one client and helped an 85-year-old woman with advanced dementia prepare to move into a secure memory care unit. When the doctor who was expected to complete the move-in forms could not do so that day, Martinelli arranged for a home-care worker because the woman was not safe alone at home. Martinelli said she asked a trusted agency to provide a caregiver within four hours.
Aging life care managers may coordinate moves, communicate with insurers, accompany clients to appointments, monitor how care is going and connect families with local specialists and services. They are coordinators, not hands-on caregivers, and can also act as a sounding board or mediator for relatives. Their work may continue through regular visits after an immediate crisis or move has passed.
The report says most enter the profession from nursing or social work, while others have backgrounds such as physical or occupational therapy or gerontology. Certification requires a specified combination of education and supervised experience, followed by an exam. The Aging Life Care Association, the nonprofit representing the profession, has more than 2,000 members, according to the report.
Independent Help With Complex Care
For families coordinating care across distance, an independent manager can serve as a consistent point of contact between an older adult, relatives, clinicians and service providers. The role may be especially relevant when family members are balancing work and other responsibilities or when a change in health makes existing arrangements unsafe. Martinelli’s case illustrates how quickly a planned move can turn into an urgent need for temporary care.
Independence is a key distinction described in the report. The association’s code of ethics prohibits members from taking or giving referral fees, fee splitting or kickbacks for client referrals. That differs from referral companies whose websites disclose that care facilities pay them for directing prospective residents. The report notes that financial arrangements can affect what options a referral service presents; families may want to ask who pays the adviser and whether recommendations include services that do not pay referral fees.
Cost can limit access. Association chief executive Julie Wagner told KFF Health News that members’ hourly fees range from $150 to $350, with location affecting the price. Some families split the expense, and the report says social service agencies in some cities offer services on a sliding scale. The source does not establish how widely those reduced-cost options are available.
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A Profession Families May Miss
The field was previously known as geriatric care management and adopted the name aging life care management about a decade ago, according to the report. Its providers often enter the picture when adult children discover that a parent’s health or living situation has changed, sometimes during a hospital stay or an unexpected visit. The association says adult children are typically the people who call.
Susy Elder Murphy, who owns Aging Well Eldercare in the Washington, D.C., area, said callers often tell her they wish they had known about the service earlier. The report describes this limited awareness as a persistent problem for the profession. It also distinguishes care managers from senior-care advisers and similar services by their stated independence and professional ethics, rather than by a single shared title across the field.
“I wish I could have called you six months ago, but I didn’t know you existed.”
— Susy Elder Murphy, owner of Aging Well Eldercare
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Costs and Access Vary
The report provides a range of association members’ hourly rates and examples from Texas and the Washington area, but it does not give a national average, estimate of total costs for a typical client, or details on insurance coverage. It also does not establish how many older adults use care managers or how accessible services are in rural areas and lower-income communities.
The source excerpt refers to a 2025 survey of clients and families commissioned by the association, but ends before reporting any results. No survey findings should be inferred from the material provided. The report also does not establish that every person using the title has the same credentials or belongs to the association; families would need to check an individual manager’s training, experience, fees and professional affiliations.
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Questions Families Can Ask
The report describes an existing service rather than announcing a new policy or program, and it identifies no scheduled next milestone. Families considering a care manager can ask about professional background, certification, hourly rates, billing increments, availability during emergencies and the scope of services. They can also ask directly whether the manager receives referral payments and request an explanation of how recommendations are selected.
For families who need help but cannot meet private hourly fees, the report points to social service agencies in some cities that offer sliding-scale support. Availability and eligibility will depend on local programs; the source does not provide a directory. The immediate practical next step is to contact local agencies or the professional association to check what services and costs apply in a particular area.
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Key Questions
What does an aging life care manager do?
An aging life care manager coordinates services and plans for an older adult. Duties may include arranging a move, communicating with Medicare or Medicaid, attending appointments, recommending local providers and checking in on how care is going. The report says they coordinate care rather than provide hands-on caregiving.
How much do aging life care managers charge?
Julie Wagner of the Aging Life Care Association told KFF Health News that members’ hourly rates range from $150 to $350, with substantial geographic variation. The report cites rates of $185 an hour at a Texas practice and $210 an hour at a Washington-area practice. These are examples, not a national average.
Are aging life care managers independent?
The report says they work for the client and family paying them, rather than for hospitals or insurers. The Aging Life Care Association’s code of ethics prohibits members from taking or giving referral fees, fee splitting or kickbacks. Families can ask any prospective manager to explain their compensation and referral policies.
When might a family contact a care manager?
Families may seek help when an older adult’s health or living situation changes, when relatives live far away, or when coordinating appointments, housing and support becomes difficult. The report describes families often making contact during a crisis, but it does not set a specific point at which a care manager should be hired.
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