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Caregiving 101-How to be Your Own Advocate
There are times when caregivers need to advocate for themselves or for the person they care for. Situations may range from advocating for better educational services for a child with special needs, changing medical protocol, making an insurance claim, obtaining a VISA to visit another country, acquiring Social Security benefits for a person with disabilties, or settling an unscrupulous business transaction. Obtaining a beneficial outcome in an advocacy situation depends upon 1.) accurately documenting information, 2.) maintaining good records, and 3.) contacting the right people. Care teams and other professionals in your support system can often be good advocacy resources. But in order to be more independent and better prepared, you should be prepared to be your own advocate if the need arises. Here are a few helpful tips that may prove beneficial.
Identify the Problem
Clearly state what the problem is and what outcome you seek. Take time to formulate a written statement so that it focuses your efforts. In the end, you don’t want the solution to be confusing because you were unclear about your goals. Write down your simple statement and keep it at the front of your notebook.
Gather Information
Use a notebook and folder to get organized. Once the problem and desired outcome are identified, start gathering together all relevant information in a safe place. Use a notebook to record all relevant phone calls, contacts and other important information, along with an envelope or folder to keep all correspondence and transactions regarding the issue. If you need to appear before a committee, lawyer or a board, coming to a meeting with an organized notebook can better prepare you and assure a better outcome.
Keep Detailed Phone Records
Dedicate a section of your notebook to a phone log. For each relevant call, make sure to log a.) the date and time, b.) who was contacted and by whom, and c.) exactly what was said to the best of your ability.
Always verify your understanding during the conversation. Repeat back all important steps that you, or a third party, will need to take and write them down in the phone log with the expected time frame for completion of the activity. Here are a couple of examples of clarifying statements to help you document conversations accurately:
- “You will be out to fix the problem no later than Friday of next week?”
- “I need to fill out the form, have it notarized, mail it in, and then I will hear from you in writing within 20 business days. Correct?”
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