If you need to get help for a parent who lives out of state or you must find a caregiver on short notice, a geriatric-care manager is invaluable. She'll assess your parent's situation and make specific recommendations about the kind of care that's appropriate and available where your parent lives. The initial assessment costs a few hundred dollars, depending on location. For an additional fee (usually $70 to $130 per hour), a care manager will screen and interview caregivers, make arrangements for your parent's care, and oversee it on an ongoing basis.

A care manager is also a godsend if your schedule is stretched to the breaking point, or if you have to coordinate several different kinds of care for your parent.

Before signing on with a geriatric-care manager, ask how long she's been in business and how long she's worked in that community. Also ask if she's accredited as a care manager certified (CMC) or certified case manager (CCM). "Certification is a sign that the person is invested in their field and on the cutting edge of what's current," says Dianne Boazman, president of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.