3 Tips to Caregivers Can Use to Advocate for a Loved One

As a caregiver, you will often find that you need to advocate for your loved one. While you may not have, or need, a formal power of attorney, it is common for caregivers to work with the healthcare team on behalf of their loved one.

If you find yourself in this role, you’ll typically put in more effort advocating for a loved one than you would for yourself, and you’ll spend a lot of time explaining why it is you, and not “the named customer” who is talking to companies and individuals on their behalf. It’s not an easy thing to do, and it can be somewhat draining, but if you follow these three recommendations you will find advocacy less challenging:

Be on good terms with a local elected representative

A lot of the advocacy work that you do as a caregiver is like what an elected representative does for their constituents. Like you, they will push for more transparency from local businesses and will try to organize help in matters such as disabled access and healthcare needs. Where they have an advantage is in having the power of an office behind them. Sometimes, caregivers can find themselves being patronized or stalled by businesses and bodies – so if you can call on the help of a representative, and sometimes even just use their name on a phone call, it can smooth things a great deal.

Make it clear that you speak as a caregiver

In an ideal world, things would just get done because we ask for them, and yet much of the time, that simply isn’t the case. If you are caring for a loved one, and speak as their son or daughter, their mother or father, or a friend or family member, you can find it hard to make progress. Whether you’re dealing with their bank or a utility company, or trying to work out issues such as health insurance and hearing aids, referring to yourself as a caregiver rather than with your relationship to your loved one can focus people’s minds. It underlines that this is something you do daily and you’re to be taken seriously. It helps if you can get authority to discuss things officially.

Speak softly, but firmly

Many companies have hit upon the realization that many complaints can be stalled by putting a large wall of customer service employees between their management and the customer. Often, the role of these employees is largely to state company policy and offer reassurance that “your issue is being dealt with,” and they have little power to affect things meaningfully – and none of this is their fault.

When speaking to people on a loved one’s behalf, always be polite and courteous, but be clear that you’re not going to go away until the issue is sorted satisfactorily. The phrase “I would like to speak to a manager” has taken on some derogatory overtones in recent years, but you are entitled to speak to people in positions of seniority if you feel an issue is not being handled appropriately.

Sometimes as a caregiver, you’ll need to be persistent to make sure your loved one gets the best results.