The Importance of a Healthcare Advocate
/Several years ago, when my husband had a stroke, my eyes were opened to the importance of having a healthcare advocate. It was very clear how a patient needs someone to navigate the healthcare system and be a second set of eyes and ears. After that, came the care coordination role – organizing doctor appointments, testing, procedures, medications, and more.
More recently, I have taken over care for an elderly family member showing signs of cognitive deterioration. What started as a conversation about her financial struggles, quickly turned into a realization that she was not capable of managing her life. We needed to take over her financial life, manage her medicines and take care of all the other things associated with daily living. Eventually, we arranged for her to move into assisted living for a safer living environment.
Thankfully, in between these two events, I met a professional healthcare advocate that provided guidance as I navigated the healthcare system and looked for an assisted living facility for my family member. The expertise was invaluable, allowing me to focus my energy in other areas, and I have become a fan of this profession. A qualified healthcare advocate can coordinate care, help you navigate the healthcare system, and be a resource when you need help getting services. They are there to get to know you, your situation and your needs so they can spring into action when needed.
As you can imagine, developing a relationship with a healthcare advocate prior to a crisis is preferred, so consider exploring this while you are healthy. The Aging LifeCare Association is the national association for these professionals. Because this is a membership organization, not an accreditation, you will want to look for those with nursing or social work backgrounds, and interview candidates to find the one that’s right for you.
- Juli Erhart-Graves, CFP®, Worley Erhart-Graves Financial Advisors
