Frequently Asked Questions

• I become your partner in your parent's healthcare journey.  I help you and your parent navigate appointments and I can attend medical appointments, as needed.   I help guide you and help you understand medical information, treatment plans, how to manage medications, appointments and help with communicating with your parent's doctors. 
   

• A doctor's time with you can be very brief.  My role is to help make things clearer and more manageable for the adult child(ren) caring for an aging parent.  I help you reduce stress by assisting you with some of your parent's health care items, and check that your parent receives safe, patient-centered and well-coordinated care. 

• Yes.  As long as your parent lives within the serving areas, I can attend appointments in-person or virtually (as set up by your parent and doctor).   My current local service areas are: Milton, Washington, Federal Way, and a few other surrounding areas in the South Sound area of Washington State.  
   

• I will help ask key questions, and provide a summary afterwards for you to keep. 

• Great question.  Hospital patient advocates, case managers and social workers work for the hospital or facility as employees. Their time spent with you may be limited and they must serve hundreds of clients at the same time. At this service, time spent is flexible and each client is served individually over a short or long period, based upon your needs.  
   

• As an independent advocate, I work exclusively for you.  I provide personalized, ongoing support as needed, putting your parent's needs and best interests first.  My obligation and focus is your parent's care first, and nothing else. 
   

• I have a background in nursing (over 20 years) and personal experience helping and supporting my own family members through chronic and complex health challenges and healthcare situations.   
   

• Having this unique combination allows me to advocate with both professional healthcare insight, a concern for safety and deep empathy.  I understand how hard this can be---I'm in it---and I know how to help. 

• I offer flexible options, including one-time consultations and on-going support plans, depending on your parent's  (and family) needs.  Services are private pay, and pricing is transparent based on each person's needs. 

• We'll talk about your needs during a complimentary, initial phone consultation, and I will recommend a plan that fits your situation and discuss pricing.   Each person's needs are different.  A pricing example may be: 
   

  • One person may need an extra set of ears at a parent's medical appointment (when a family member is not available to attend), and then have me explain things verbally, and/or in a written summary afterwards.  A few hours of advocate time may be estimated between $100. - $ 175. (as an example).     

    More about the benefits to you: 

• The extra help a independent Healthcare Advocate offers can be very valuable to patients and family members. Review the testimonials on the Home and About pages. 

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• Not at all.  Each parent's needs and situations are different.  Some families just need short-term help with a specific issue, while others need help for a longer period of time.  The length of service will be different for each person. 
   

• Others appreciate having me available for ongoing support and peace of mind.  We'll create a plan that meets your parent's specific needs.  

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• No.  At Simply Explained Health Advocacy work is done with doctors.   I help your parent's doctor(s) by keeping track of any changes in your parent's health condition, share updates with them as needed, and help make sure any communication gaps are minimized as much as possible, so your parent gets the best possible care.  It is really a team effort. 
   

• Start by reaching out to me with a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation.