Patient advocacy is any type of activity or any form of behavior that is engaged in or performed in order to assist and provide a benefit to patients. While there are patient advocates for individuals of all ages, it is becoming increasingly prevalent to have specially-trained advocates for senior patients. 
Any individual that has a medical background qualifies to become a patient advocate. In most instances, though, nurses take the role of patient advocacy. In this brief guide, you will learn 5 ways that nurses provide advocacy for older patients.
The Role of the Elder Patient Advocate
The patient advocate that provides care for senior patients will perform a multitude of tasks. As a person grows older, they experience many changes and challenges.
These may include – but are not limited to – acquired medical conditions and/or diseases, the management of multiple medications, memory loss issues, being faced with a multitude of medical decisions, and loneliness.
Patient advocates for our aging population help older patients save themselves a lot of time, money, and aid in reducing stress levels. They place an emphasis on the patient’s health and general well-being.
5 Common Patient Advocacy Methods
While there are a multitude of ways that an elder patient advocate can assist a patient, the following outlines the 5 most common methods:
- Education – Nurses that act as elder patient advocates place a focus on educating the patients that they serve on the medical conditions in which they suffer, the medications that they take, and the general steps that they may take themselves in order to optimize their overall health and general quality of life.
- Safety – The next activity that a senior patient advocate performs is ensuring that each of their patients are safe. It does not matter if they are being cared for privately in their home, are placed in an assisted living facility, live in a nursing home, or are simply admitted to the hospital, these nurses make certain that their patients are safe, comfortable, and being treated with the highest level of respect.
- Act as the Patient’s Voice – Nurse patient advocates act as the “voice” of their patients. There are many ways that they do this. However, the most common method is by offering support when meeting with medical practitioners, asking questions, obtaining answers, translating complicated jargon used in the medical community, and communicating with family members, caseworkers, social workers, and other important staff members that are part of the individual’s care team.
- Protecting Rights and Choices – Nurse patient advocates work directly with a patient to ensure that their wishes are upheld, their choices are put first, and their rights are protected. They do this with family members, caseworkers, doctors, and others that are part of the care team.
- Information on Resources – The next way that a nurse advocates for elderly patients is by connecting them to resources that will provide a boost to their well-being. Examples may include information on insurance coverage, financial assistance, help with transportation, and caregivers.
We Can Help
If you are in search of a patient advocate that can assist your elderly loved one, we here at Beacon Senior Advisors can help you.
We can set your family up with a personalized consultation, provide you with comprehensive education on resources that are available to you, and assist you on a one-on-one basis in uncovering care and placement options for your loved one.
If you would like to learn more about what we do and how we can help your loved one, simply call us today at: 973-713-0096