The Essential Guide to Geriatric Care Management with Christine Yancey

Carolynn Castillo
Jun 5
7 min read

For you or a loved one, navigating the aging process can be a daunting task. Managing finances, scheduling medical visits, balancing prescription drugs, and making sure the house is secure and cozy are just a few of the many things to consider. It's simple to feel anxious or uncertain about how to offer the best assistance.

Someone like Christine Yancey can help with that. First Coast Senior Care was founded by Christine, a geriatric care manager with extensive experience and compassion. Helping seniors and their families find balance is her straightforward but significant mission. She strives to close the gap between self-sufficiency and the assistance required to live well and prosper.

Christine provides peace of mind in addition to care. She is dedicated to educating her community in addition to working one-on-one with seniors. She recently gave a talk at a wellness group discussion, offering insightful advice on providing care, empowering elderly people, and developing individualized plans for aging with honor.

Let's review Christine's work and the impact it is having.

What Does a Geriatric Care Manager Do?

Christine puts it best: a geriatric care manager is like “the family member you wish you always had.” Her role is all about helping seniors stay safe, independent, and happy by handling the many challenges of aging. Here’s how she helps:

Legal Support: Aging comes with legal complexities, and Christine helps ensure everything is in order. From estate planning to healthcare directives, she makes sure seniors and their families are prepared. For example, she recently helped a client clarify their end-of-life wishes, which eased a lot of tension within the family during a medical emergency.
Financial Organization: Did you know seniors are often targeted by scams? Christine steps in to review bills, spot fraud, and organize finances. In one case, she saved a client thousands of dollars by catching unnecessary double insurance payments.
Health & Disability Management: With her background in physical therapy, Christine goes beyond helping with appointments—she actively monitors health, advocates for proper care, and follows up on treatment plans. Once, she noticed a client wasn’t being treated for osteoporosis despite test results indicating a need for care, and she made sure they got the help they needed.
Home Safety: Aging at home can be wonderful, but only if the home is safe. Christine recommends upgrades like grab bars and fall-proofing to ensure clients can live securely. She also helps families decide if staying at home or moving to a facility makes the most sense.
Family Mediation: Caring for a senior can strain family relationships. Christine acts as a neutral voice, helping families work through disagreements—whether it’s about finances, caregiving responsibilities, or future plans.
Advocacy: Seniors sometimes need a strong advocate to ensure their needs are met. Christine speaks up in medical settings, legal situations, and more. She recently helped a client transition out of a care facility that wasn’t serving their needs, allowing them to recover and thrive at home instead.
Crisis Support: Emergencies happen, and Christine is there when they do. From hospital stays to natural disasters, she coordinates care and keeps families informed during high-stress moments.
Connecting to Resources: Need a reliable contractor? A hospice service? A financial advisor? Christine’s extensive network of trusted professionals ensures her clients get the help they need, fast.

Christine’s holistic approach is what makes her so invaluable. She handles the tough stuff so families can focus on what matters most: spending quality time with their loved ones.

Aging isn’t always easy, but with someone like Christine Yancey by your side, it’s possible to navigate it with confidence and care.

Tailored Support for Unique Needs

Not every family or senior needs the same kind of help, and Christine is passionate about offering personalized support for each unique situation. Her services are designed to meet a wide range of challenges:

Day-to-Day Practical Help: For some clients, Christine handles tasks like organizing bills, scheduling medical appointments, coordinating transportation, and ensuring healthcare plans stay on track. She makes sure nothing important slips through the cracks, giving families peace of mind.
Companionship and Emotional Support: For others, her focus is on easing loneliness, providing emotional support, and making life feel less isolating. She also connects clients with reliable home services, such as cleaners, gardeners, or contractors, keeping their environment safe and functional.
Standalone Assessments: Some families just need a one-time deep dive. Christine can provide a detailed evaluation of a loved one’s physical, mental, and social needs, along with actionable recommendations for things like living arrangements, care plans, or services to improve their quality of life.

Christine’s compassionate approach ensures that seniors feel supported and families feel empowered to make thoughtful decisions.

Helping Families Navigate Conflict

Family disagreements can be one of the toughest parts of caring for an aging loved one. Whether it’s over finances, medical decisions, or care plans, these conflicts can create stress and strain relationships. That’s where Christine’s expertise in mediation and advocacy comes in:

Resolving Disputes: Christine helps calm tensions and creates a safe space for families to have open, honest conversations. Her approach shifts the focus away from internal arguments and back to what truly matters—ensuring the senior’s well-being.
Strengthening Family Bonds: By fostering understanding and collaboration, Christine helps families work through tough issues and rebuild trust. The goal is always to find solutions that everyone can feel good about.
Providing Advocacy: Christine also acts as a bridge between seniors, families, and healthcare providers. She makes sure the senior’s needs are front and center while helping families navigate complex decisions with clarity.

With Christine’s guidance, families can move forward together, confident that their loved one is receiving the care and attention they deserve.

Aging can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right support, families can focus on what matters most—loving and supporting each other through every step of the journey.

Christine Yancey’s Two-Fold Approach

At First Coast Senior Care, we believe seniors deserve support that goes beyond the basics. That’s why we’ve created a unique combination of services to meet their needs—whether it’s help with daily tasks or navigating life’s more complex challenges:

Companion Care: From meal prep and light housekeeping to medication reminders and gentle exercise, we’re here to make daily life easier and more enjoyable. Beyond the practical support, companionship is at the heart of what we do, helping to ease loneliness and provide emotional connection so seniors feel safe, supported, and comfortable at home.
Care Management: Aging comes with challenges, but our team is here to lighten the load. We help with managing medical appointments, medications, financial planning, and even legal paperwork. Think of us as a trusted guide, helping seniors and their families handle life’s complexities with grace and ease.

Together, these services create a seamless support system that takes care of both the simple, everyday needs and the bigger challenges that come with aging. Our mission is to empower seniors to live with dignity and to give families peace of mind knowing their loved ones are in good hands.

Planning Ahead for Aging

Christine is passionate about the power of planning when it comes to aging. Preparing early can make a world of difference in navigating this stage of life:

When to Start: Building a relationship with a care manager in your 60s or early 70s can set the foundation for a smoother, more manageable aging journey. Starting early allows time to build trust, set meaningful goals, and create a plan that grows and adapts to your needs over time.
Why It Matters: Proactive planning helps maintain independence, reduces the risk of unexpected crises, and ensures there’s a solid safety net in place for life’s transitions. It’s about staying in control of your future and enjoying the best quality of life possible.

Christine’s approach reminds us that no one should have to face the challenges of aging alone. With the right support from caring professionals, seniors and their families can navigate the emotional and practical aspects of this stage with confidence. Thoughtful preparation transforms aging into a journey filled with dignity, care, and security for what’s ahead.

Conclusion: A Comprehensive Approach to Aging

Aging successfully requires more than just reactive care during a crisis—it demands thoughtful, proactive planning to ensure long-term stability and peace of mind. Christine Yancey’s detailed, compassionate approach to geriatric care management highlights the immense value of looking ahead. By focusing on key areas such as legal stability, health monitoring, financial management, housing safety, and family dynamics, Christine not only enhances the quality of life for her clients but also provides a reassuring sense of peace and security for their loved ones.

Through her services, seniors can maintain dignity, independence, and a sense of control over their lives, while families avoid the stress and chaos often associated with aging and unexpected health crises. Whether it’s coordinating medical appointments, managing medications, ensuring a home is safe, or mediating family conversations about care needs, Christine’s expertise ensures that every detail is handled with care and precision. Her ability to navigate the complexities of senior care means no challenge is too big, and no senior is left unsupported.

Christine also serves as a bridge between families, seniors, and the healthcare system, making sure that all stakeholders are on the same page. Her holistic approach goes beyond just meeting immediate needs—it’s about building a foundation for long-term well-being. She works closely with families to create customized care plans, ensuring that every aspect of a senior’s life is addressed with thoughtfulness and care.

If your family is seeking a trusted partner to guide you through the intricate process of aging, now is the time to take action. Set solid plans in motion today and experience the confidence that comes from knowing your loved ones’ future is in capable and caring hands. With Christine Yancey, you can rest assured that every step of the journey will be handled with expertise, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to quality care.

About Christine Yancey

Christine Yancey is a highly experienced geriatric care manager and founder of First Coast Senior Care. With a background in physical therapy and specialized certifications in senior and dementia care, Christine is dedicated to helping seniors thrive with dignity and independence. Her expertise spans care planning, advocacy, and family mediation to ensure aging transitions are smooth and supported.

LinkedIn: Christine Yancey

About First Coast Senior Care

First Coast Senior Care, based in St. Augustine, Florida, provides comprehensive geriatric care management and compassionate companion caregiving services. Their mission is to empower seniors and their families by addressing aging challenges with tailored solutions. From health advocacy to daily living assistance, they help seniors age gracefully and safely.

Website: firstcoastseniorcare.com

Instagram: @firstcoastseniorcare