Since You Care Guide: Becoming an Effective Advocate for Care Available Free from...

Since You Care Guide: Becoming an Effective Advocate for Care Available Free from the Metlife Mature Market Institute

WESTPORT, Conn.--(Business Wire)--
The MetLife Mature Market Institute(R) has advice for caregivers
about acting on behalf of a loved one with regard to health care
matters. The recently updated guide, Becoming an Effective Advocate
for Care, from the Institute's series of Since You Care guides, is
available free to the public.

The 20-page booklet has practical advice for those who represent a
loved one and a list of print and online resources with physicians and
other health care professionals, insurance companies, hospitals,
nursing homes and home health care agencies.

"With the many advances in medical care, people with significant
health problems and disabilities can extend their lives for many more
years. Family members will therefore be called upon more and more to
advocate for their loved ones - a task that can be stressful and
challenging for almost everyone," said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D.,
director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute. "This publication
will be useful in answering questions and providing information on
meaningful steps families can take to effectively communicate their
loved one's needs and make sure they receive appropriate medical
attention and quality care."

The guide includes advice for: talking with physicians and
insurance company personnel, working with hospital staff and hospital
discharge planners, advocating when a family member is dealing with a
terminal illness or receiving care at home, in a nursing home or
assisted living facility. It also contains two record-keeping tools on
which to enter a care recipient's health care, insurance and personal
information. One tool lists information that is pertinent to those
providing direct care services, e.g. home health aides. The other has
data to be shared with health care providers, such as emergency
personnel, hospitals and new doctors a care recipient may be seeing.

"Our aim is to deliver a message of: respect, comfort, safety and
dignity," said Dr. Timmermann. "If caregivers keep those words in mind
and add patience and persistence, they'll be a valuable advocate for
their loved one. It's important to keep in mind that individuals
generally receive better care when their families are involved in a
positive way."

The guide cautions family members to have a signed authorization
to allow health care providers to share medical information. Above
all, it counsels readers to communicate with the person being cared
for to best assess that individual's wishes, and to do so before the
person becomes ill, if possible.

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Specific tips are:

1. Determine what information you need. The kinds of information a
caregiver may need include, among other things, medical, legal,
financial and insurance issues, community resources, housing
options, and care choices either at home or in a facility.
2. Learn the language and definitions of care. Health care
facilities, insurance companies, pharmacists, health services
personnel and physicians use specific language. To improve your
ability to find answers to your questions, you will need to speak
in a way that the providers will hear.
3. Learn what questions to ask and be prepared. Decide what
information is most important to you and ask those questions
first. Write down your questions prior to any conversation. Write
down the responses you receive to your questions as well.
4. Learn how to ask. Be concise. Phrase your questions clearly so you
get the information you want. First state what you need to know
and then why you need to know it.
5. Be persistent and follow up. Multiple phone calls may be required
to find the information you want. Sending a letter or an email is
another method to obtain what you need. Do not give up, as
repeated attempts do produce results.
6. Write things down. Do not assume you will remember all you have
been told. Keep a log of contacts, phone numbers, names, dates,
and information obtained because details will be important.
7. Determine your strengths as a caregiver and those of your family
member. What things can you realistically do and what activities
can the person you are helping perform? After you decide what
each of you can do, determine what level of help you need from
others.
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About the MetLife Mature Market Institute

Established in 1997, the Mature Market Institute (MMI) is
MetLife's center on aging and the 50+ market. MMI's groundbreaking
research, gerontology expertise, national partnerships, and
educational materials work to expand the knowledge and choices for
those in, approaching, or caring for the mature market.

The Mature Market Institute supports MetLife's long-standing
commitment to identifying emerging issues and innovative solutions for
the challenges of life. MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:
MET), is celebrating 140 years and is a leading provider of insurance
and financial services to individual and institutional customers.

For a free copy of the Since You Care guide: Becoming an Effective
Advocate for Care, call (203) 221-6580, e-mail:
MatureMarketInstitute@metlife.com, or download the guide from
www.maturemarketinstitute.com, by searching under "All Publications"
and selecting "Since You Care guides" from the drop down menu. You may
also write to request a copy from the MetLife Mature Market Institute,
57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880.

For more information about the MetLife Mature Market Institute,
visit: www.maturemarketinstitute.com.

Editor's note: The Since You Care guide: Becoming an Effective
Advocate for Care is available at:
http://www.maturemarketinstitute.com/; search under "All Publications"
and select "Since You Care guides" from the drop-down menu.

DJC Communications
Debra Caruso, 212-907-0051
debra@djccommunications.com
or
MetLife
Christine Bonney, 212-578-9558
cbonney@metlife.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008