It’s easy to feel helpless and stressed in the face of life’s changes, especially when you are responsible for the welfare of a family member who cannot speak or advocate for themselves. To help you take action, we’ve collected 5 ways you, as a caregiver, can advocate on behalf of your loved one, and ensure they are getting the fair treatment and care they deserve.
1. Contact an Aging Life Care Specialist
The Aging Life Care Association will help you find a specialist who can walk you through everything from home care to insurance, to crisis intervention and conservatorship.
2. Become an Essential Caregiver
We’ve talked about this legislation before, but it is important enough to mention again. Essential Caregivers are allowed inside care facilities to take care of and visit loved ones during the Covid-19 Pandemic. You can read more about the Essential Caregivers Act here. This is one of the best ways to ensure your loved one receives regular visitors and gets the care they need at their senior living facility.
3. Get In Touch with Your Local Ombudsman.
A long-term care ombudsman is responsible for advocating for the rights of those living in care facilities. If you have questions, or need someone to take charge of a situation, the ombudsman can help you get the help and information you need. Care facilities are required to have the phone number of your local ombudsman displayed prominently. Wise and Healthy Aging provides more information about ombudsmen and their role in elderly care and rights.
4. Contact Your Congressman
Occasionally there are laws and acts proposed in Congress that improve assisted care facility policies and provide more funds and grants dedicated to taking care of elders across the country. We recently posted about one of these proposed laws, and encourage you to contact your congressman to implore them to take action on these policies. It is one of the best ways to utilize the law to advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves.
5. Call Gharibian Law.
When a situation has gone far enough and you know your loved one has been taken advantage of or abused, call Gharibian Law (866-642-5915). While a lawsuit might seem daunting, we are here to guide you through the process and give you the best legal representation possible.
