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ALCA Membership Levels
MID-ATLANTIC CHAPTER Mid-Atlantic Chapter
The Aging Life Care Association® (ALCA) offers several levels of individual membership and benefits that respond to the needs of Aging Life Care Professionals™ at every step of their careers.
The profession of Aging Life Care® / geriatric care management is growing and different professionals within the field have different levels of experience, education and certification that support their practice. ALCA is proactively meeting the needs of the profession by creating membership categories that recognize high certification standards and professionalism, while also being inclusive to allow all practitioners of Aging Life Care/care management a home within ALCA. The end goal of ALCA and all its members is improved service and quality of life for older adults and their families.
Advanced Professional Member
Advanced Professional Members must: • Hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s or
Ph.D. with at least one degree in a field related to Aging Life Care/ care management (i.e. counseling, gerontology, mental health, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology or social work); • Be primarily engaged in a paid position in the direct practice, administration or supervision of client-centered services to the elderly and their families; • Have two years of post-degree supervised experience in a paid position in the field of Aging Life Care/ care management within the last ten years; and • Hold a current ALCA-approved certification.
Professionals can also qualify for the Advanced Membership level if they hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree in a field unrelated to Aging Life Care/care management. However, these members must meet all of the other criteria outlined above, and they must have three years of post-degree supervised experience in the field of Aging Life Care/care management within the last ten years.
The Advanced Professional level also includes members designated as Fellows of the Leadership Academy.
Professional Member
Professional Members must: • Hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s,
Master’s or Ph.D. degree with at least one degree held in a field related to
Aging Life Care/care management (i.e. counseling, gerontology, mental health, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology or social work); • Be primarily engaged in a paid position in the direct practice, administration or supervision of client-centered services to the elderly and their families; and • Have two years of post-degree supervised experience in a paid position in the field of Aging Life
Care/care management within the last ten years.
Members may also qualify if they hold an Associate’s Nursing degree or Diploma in Nursing and meet all of the other criteria outlined above.
Practitioners can also qualify for the Professional Membership level if they hold a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. degree in a field unrelated to Aging Life Care/care management. However, these members must meet all of the other criteria outlined above, and they must have three years of post-degree supervised experience in the field of Aging Life Care/care management within the last ten years.
Associate
Associate Members must: • Hold an Associate’s, Bachelor’s,
Master’s or Ph.D. degree; • Be primarily engaged in a paid position in the direct practice, administration or supervision of client-centered services to the elderly and their families.
Members may also qualify if they hold an Associate’s Nursing degree or Diploma in Nursing and meet all of the other criteria outlined above.
Practitioners can also qualify if they hold an LPN, PTA or OTA license and meet all of the other criteria outlined above.
Student Member
A member who is presently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or certificate program from an accredited University or College with an interest in Aging Life Care/care management. Members must show proof of enrollment with each renewal.
Emeritus Member
A member who is retired from the active practice of Aging Life Care/ care management and has been an ALCA member in good standing at the Advanced level (formerly Certified Geriatric Care Manager) for a minimum of five (5) years.
