The Importance of Having a Care Advocate and How You’re First Home Care Can Help
As we age, we may find ourselves in situations where we need someone to advocate for us, whether it’s with healthcare providers, insurance companies, or doctors. Having an advocate can be essential to ensure that our needs are met and that we receive the appropriate care and support we need.
Why You Need a Care Advocate
Facing complex healthcare needs, navigating complicated insurance systems, and dealing with information about our health or other challenging situations can be daunting at best. Healthcare is very personal but has been made impersonal today, being herded in like cattle to doctors or not truly heard when discussing a healthcare challenge we face. Being sent for test after test without much follow-up or given medication that may or may not be needed without understanding what the desired goal is happening more and more frequently today.
Without an advocate, it can be difficult to understand your options, make informed decisions, and ensure that your needs are being met.
A Care advocate helps in many ways, including:
• Articulate your health concerns using terminology doctors, nurse practitioners, insurance companies, and others connected with your care understand.
• Discuss conditions/concerns unemotionally, getting to the heart of the matter quickly and concisely.
• Provide emotional support, guidance, and education about challenges/conditions.
• Ensure healthcare providers are communicating effectively with each other (we call this connecting the dots) and that all information is accurate.
• Coordinate care across different providers and in the home care setting.
• Educate clients/patients and their family members about the care the client is receiving.
• Advocate for your rights and your needs.
You’re First Care Can Help
We are an excellent resource for those who require an advocate. Our home care providers can offer a range of services that can help you navigate the healthcare system, coordinate care, and ensure that your needs are being met. In addition to the items above, ways we can help include:
• Make sure you stay on top of your treatment plans and doctors’ instructions.
• Help coordinate appointments and other services, as well as transportation to these appointments and activities.
• Household tasks and activities of daily living.
• Assistant with therapies.
In short, You’re First Care can serve as an advocate for you, navigating the many challenges you may face as you age to ensure you receive the care and support needed to live your best life!