Ensuring proper care: Advocating for older loved ones in medical settings
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Hospital visits for older adults are becoming more common as the aging baby boomer generation continues to expand the over-65 population.
Emergency situations often place family members in positions where they must make decisions quickly and advocate effectively.
Older patients generally face more complex recoveries and require careful attention to detail in their care.
Understanding how to step in and support them can significantly impact their safety and overall outcomes.
Go to the Hospital With Your Loved One
The first and most important step in supporting an older family member is to accompany them to the hospital whenever possible. Experts emphasize that your role is to speak up when your loved one cannot, provide essential medical history, and clarify details of the event leading to hospitalization.
"Just being there to hold the person's hand is really important," says Kathleen Cameron, a healthy aging expert. Dr. Saket Saxena of Cleveland Clinic adds, "Play a supportive role for both your loved one and for your provider. You are bridging that gap for your family members."
Bring Essential Information to the Hospital
In a crisis, older adults often cannot communicate vital details about their health or preferences. Family members should come prepared with identification, insurance details, medical histories, medication lists, and important legal documents such as advance directives or health care proxies.
Cameron recommends consulting a local lawyer or geriatric care manager to ensure documents comply with state laws and reflect personal wishes accurately. Having assistive devices and a hospital-ready bag with essentials like glasses, chargers, and sleepwear can make the experience more manageable.
Ask Questions
Being proactive with questions helps ensure that providers are delivering care that meets both medical needs and quality-of-life considerations. Families should ask about treatments, possible side effects, alternative options, expected recovery paths, and mobility support.
Key personnel like nurses, specialists, and therapists play different roles, and it is important to know whom to consult about each aspect of care. Cameron points out that geriatric emergency departments can provide specialized evaluations that general practitioners may overlook.
Communicate Your Concerns
Open, clear communication with the hospital care team is essential when advocating for an older patient. Relaying background information, providing context, and asking direct questions help doctors and nurses avoid oversights.
Writing down responses can prevent misunderstandings and reduce the risk of medical errors. If necessary, families should request further explanation or seek a second opinion, particularly when discussing long-term outcomes or end-of-life wishes.
Also read: You don’t have to be there to show you care: A senior’s guide to long-distance caregiving
Seek Out Hospital Resources
Many hospitals offer resources beyond the immediate medical team that can benefit both patients and families. Patient advocates, social workers, chaplains, and even emotional support animals are available to provide additional support during difficult stays.
Social workers and case managers can coordinate post-discharge planning and connect families to community programs. These resources can ease both emotional stress and logistical challenges while ensuring more comprehensive care.
Plan for Discharge and Post-Hospitalization Care
Hospitalization is only the beginning of recovery, and many older adults need significant help after discharge. Families should understand medication regimens, rehabilitation requirements, and potential risks of complications before leaving the hospital.
Cameron explains, "Being an advocate means having access to those discharge papers, having time with someone from the hospital team to go through all the discharge instructions, and answering any questions they may have." Preparing for possible transitions to rehab, long-term care, or in-home support can make recovery safer and smoother.
Also read: Assisted living qualifications: What to expect and who it’s designed for
Not every family member can be physically present during a hospitalization, but resources exist for those supporting from afar.
Geriatric care managers, Area Agencies on Aging, and local volunteer groups can step in to provide on-site support and connect older adults with meal services, senior programs, and in-home care.
Dr. Saxena advises families to remain engaged by phone, noting, "That sort of openness has helped immensely in (a) fast-moving acute care environment." Understanding local options in advance helps caregivers coordinate effectively even from a distance.
Read next: How to choose the right assisted living facility: your step-by-step checklist
What steps have you taken to prepare for the possibility of an older loved one being hospitalized, and how do you approach advocating for them during emergencies? Share your experiences and advice in the comments to help others navigate these challenging situations.
Emergency situations often place family members in positions where they must make decisions quickly and advocate effectively.
Older patients generally face more complex recoveries and require careful attention to detail in their care.
Understanding how to step in and support them can significantly impact their safety and overall outcomes.
Go to the Hospital With Your Loved One
The first and most important step in supporting an older family member is to accompany them to the hospital whenever possible. Experts emphasize that your role is to speak up when your loved one cannot, provide essential medical history, and clarify details of the event leading to hospitalization.
"Just being there to hold the person's hand is really important," says Kathleen Cameron, a healthy aging expert. Dr. Saket Saxena of Cleveland Clinic adds, "Play a supportive role for both your loved one and for your provider. You are bridging that gap for your family members."
Bring Essential Information to the Hospital
In a crisis, older adults often cannot communicate vital details about their health or preferences. Family members should come prepared with identification, insurance details, medical histories, medication lists, and important legal documents such as advance directives or health care proxies.
Cameron recommends consulting a local lawyer or geriatric care manager to ensure documents comply with state laws and reflect personal wishes accurately. Having assistive devices and a hospital-ready bag with essentials like glasses, chargers, and sleepwear can make the experience more manageable.
Ensuring proper care: Advocating for older loved ones in medical settings. Image source: Sweet Life / Unsplash
Ask Questions
Being proactive with questions helps ensure that providers are delivering care that meets both medical needs and quality-of-life considerations. Families should ask about treatments, possible side effects, alternative options, expected recovery paths, and mobility support.
Key personnel like nurses, specialists, and therapists play different roles, and it is important to know whom to consult about each aspect of care. Cameron points out that geriatric emergency departments can provide specialized evaluations that general practitioners may overlook.
Communicate Your Concerns
Open, clear communication with the hospital care team is essential when advocating for an older patient. Relaying background information, providing context, and asking direct questions help doctors and nurses avoid oversights.
Writing down responses can prevent misunderstandings and reduce the risk of medical errors. If necessary, families should request further explanation or seek a second opinion, particularly when discussing long-term outcomes or end-of-life wishes.
Also read: You don’t have to be there to show you care: A senior’s guide to long-distance caregiving
Seek Out Hospital Resources
Many hospitals offer resources beyond the immediate medical team that can benefit both patients and families. Patient advocates, social workers, chaplains, and even emotional support animals are available to provide additional support during difficult stays.
Social workers and case managers can coordinate post-discharge planning and connect families to community programs. These resources can ease both emotional stress and logistical challenges while ensuring more comprehensive care.
Plan for Discharge and Post-Hospitalization Care
Hospitalization is only the beginning of recovery, and many older adults need significant help after discharge. Families should understand medication regimens, rehabilitation requirements, and potential risks of complications before leaving the hospital.
Cameron explains, "Being an advocate means having access to those discharge papers, having time with someone from the hospital team to go through all the discharge instructions, and answering any questions they may have." Preparing for possible transitions to rehab, long-term care, or in-home support can make recovery safer and smoother.
Also read: Assisted living qualifications: What to expect and who it’s designed for
Not every family member can be physically present during a hospitalization, but resources exist for those supporting from afar.
Geriatric care managers, Area Agencies on Aging, and local volunteer groups can step in to provide on-site support and connect older adults with meal services, senior programs, and in-home care.
Dr. Saxena advises families to remain engaged by phone, noting, "That sort of openness has helped immensely in (a) fast-moving acute care environment." Understanding local options in advance helps caregivers coordinate effectively even from a distance.
Read next: How to choose the right assisted living facility: your step-by-step checklist
