This post has been shared by the AdvoConnection Blog. It was written with a patient-client audience in mind, but might be useful to you, too.
It is provided so you can find it in a search here at myAPHA.org, but you’ll need to link to the original post to read it in its entirety. Find the link to that post at the end of the excerpt.
Aging and Alone? Who Will Hold Your Hand Through Healthcare?
There are many names now being used to describe those of the baby-boomer generation who are aging and alone. “Elder Orphans” or “Solo Seniors” are two of them; describing the concept of someone who is older and has no family or younger friends to help them in time of medical crisis (or any other life-assisting event like moving, or shifting financial needs.) Who can help them make end-of-life decisions? Who can make decisions for them if they get sick? Who can help them decide to move to assisted-living or skilled nursing care? Who can help them organize and review overwhelming medical bills? …. and that’s just the start. Does that describe you, or someone you know? If so, then we have a solution. Consider Mr. Matthews, a 78-year-old retired veteran. He and his wife, who he lost three years ago, never had children. His siblings, all older than he, have passed on, too. He’s quite healthy at the moment, but knows that could change at any time. He has many friends, but they are in his same age group, so he doesn’t want to depend on them to be there when his health is challenged. So a very forward-thinking Mr. Matthews went in search of someone to help him make decisions now. He wanted help with his advance directives (living will, healthcare proxy paperwork, DNR – do-not-resuscitate order, and others). He also wanted to find someone who could make medical decisions for him, if that time ever came. Suppose he suffered a stroke or a heart attack, or some other medical or accidental event that took away his ability to make his own decisions? Who would make sure his directives and choices were honored? Mr. Matthews’ neighbor Carleen told him about a service she had used when her mother, who lives hundreds of miles away, was suddenly hospitalized: AdvoConnection.com. Through AdvoConnection, she found a health advocate named Jan who lived and worked not far from her mother, and was able to coordinate all the services her mother needed. Jan jumped in immediately to keep an eye on her mom until Carleen got there the next day. She was able to provide advice about the steps needed when Carleen’s mom was discharged to a skilled nursing center, and the details that needed to be attended to at her mother’s home (who would feed the cat, or water the plants?). Jan had…