Benefits of Having a Healthcare Advocate for Better Aging in Place

Navigating a complex healthcare system can be a challenging task, especially for an aging population. Therefore, it’s advisable to have a healthcare advocate who properly understands the needs of your loved ones and also knows what’s best suited for their health. 

  • Keeping track: A healthcare advocate is someone who specializes in the task of analyzing the past and present medical conditions of a senior and accordingly decides upon a future course of action. They are also well-aware of any adverse reactions that the senior might face due to certain medications. 
  • Better understanding: Quite often, in the case of aging adults, there may be few people including doctors that will take the time to carefully listen and understand their issues. A health advocate plays a vital role in understanding the core challenges of seniors since they have a diverse set of experiences. Sometimes they are in a better position to resolve issues pertaining to aging adults than doctors themselves. 
  • Better resources: Owing to the fact that healthcare advocates come with a background that consists of a diverse set of experiences, they may also be the best resource to rely upon when seeking specialized medical support. Their vast network can be helpful here. 
  • Medication management: Similar to caregivers, healthcare advocates too take personal interest in the medications of seniors. They are in a good position to summarize the correct schedule for medications including the dosages, timings and  more. 
  • Insurance management: Healthcare advocates are entrusted with the responsibility to determine the right doctor, hospital and/lor best insurance suitable for your loved ones.  Advocates can often advise on the best insurance plan for a senior with the goal of improving coverage and/or reducing financial burden. Additionally, they can sometimes undertake the responsibility of filing claims. 

A healthcare advocate can be a valued resource for seniors, particularly those that live away from their families or have no family at all. We must consider the importance of a health advocate, including looking for ways to make them an integral part of our lives

Read Next

Flower petals in water
Most Viewed
Mariposa

Why I Care

My mother, Edie, passed away in December. As I sit down to write this post, memories of her flood my mind. First and foremost, my mother was generous and kind. She loved me unconditionally and was always there for me throughout my life, and when she was diagnosed with a rare atypical form of Parkinsonism, I knew that I had to be there for her and my father. It was a challenging road at times, but I knew it was a path I had to take.

Read More »
Shares