Advocacy

For Canadians with complicated health issues, it can be overwhelming to remember which doctor they’re seeing, which medications they need, and what’s coming next in care plans, or where to get the home support that they need.

That’s why an entire industry is growing of professionals who help patients and their families navigate their way through an increasingly complex health care and social services system as well as offering support with practical tools. The goal is to allow caregivers to focus on taking care of their loved ones while confident they are getting the support from the system that they need.

Claire Marson has a long history of patient advocacy, beginning with the care she provided and managed for her grandmother, then her mother and finally her father. He was considered a complex care patient with multiple issues including Parkinson’s Disease for 29 years and renal failure. One of his physicians asked her if she had considered working in Patient Advocacy. At that time, as a burnt out caregiver, that was the last thing she was interested in hearing.

As Stonebridge Haven has grown over the past seven years, Claire has found herself again and again supporting families in tough medical and caregiving situations. This even included helping Dan with his in-laws’ health crisis which eventually led to them moving in with him and his wife.

Recognising the growing need for senoir support, Scanlon Manor was created where Dan offers transitional bridge housing and advocacy advice. While caring for his first client at Scanlon Manor, he found himself providing the family with a lot of support in getting doctor’s orders clarified, prescriptions updated and filled, sorting out personal care and managing LHIN services.

At Stonebridge Haven not only do we offer a variety of advocy services, we are also willing to provide emergency patient advocacy services, helping families deal with a crisis, whether they are at the hospital or home. Call us at (613) 624-5518 if you need immediate crisis help or contact us directly for more information.