5 Expert Tips for Managing Your Elderly Parent’s Healthcare

senior parent with adult child

Your parents raised you. They changed your diapers, loved you, and supported you when you tried everything from soccer to dance. As an adult child, you want to take care of your elderly parents and make sure they have the best life possible.

Securing quality healthcare for your elderly parent can be one of the most complex and overwhelming tasks. Healthcare is complex. Your mom or dad may have multiple diagnoses and take many medications. Or they may work with several doctors and specialists that clearly are not speaking to each other. Navigating health insurance and Medicare rules is also challenging.

Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to make sure your elderly parent gets the highest quality healthcare. Here are five essential tips to help guide you through this journey:


1. Review Your Elderly Parent’s Medical Records


If your elderly parent can no longer manage their own healthcare or their medical issues have become complex, the first thing you need to do is get an understanding of their medical history, medications, and current treatment plan.

There are several ways to do this. First, have your parent make you an authorized user of their patient portal so you can see their electronic health record. Once you have access, you’ll be able to see all their visits, tests, medications, and bills. If their providers are on different systems, you may have to be added to more than one system. If your parent cannot give you access or cannot figure out how to do it, set aside time to have them login and show you around.

Logging into your elderly parent’s health insurance portal is another approach. As an authorized user, you should find all the claims filed at least in the last year. These claims will help you gather a list of providers and facilities that are treating your senior parent. You can also review their past medical bills to find providers if they don’t have that list all in one place for you.

You may also reach out to your mom or dad’s primary care provider, who should be able to help you identify their care plan and medications. They may have information about other doctors they see. You’ll need your parent’s permission to talk to any provider on their behalf. Usually, providers have forms your elderly parent can fill out to give you that permission.


2. Attend Doctor’s Appointments and Ask Questions


One of the best ways to manage your parent’s healthcare is to attend doctor’s appointments, even if that’s just by phone or video conference. Whether your parent is cognitively compromised or just overwhelmed by a new diagnosis, often you can more effectively scrutinize the treatment plan and ask questions. It will also enable you to coordinate between doctors, because unfortunately providers often don’t communicate well with each other.

Come prepared to each appointment. Bring an updated list of medications your senior mom or dad is taking and a list of questions. If they are able, let your parent lead the conversation but be sure to check your list to make sure all symptoms are mentioned. You can also share your perspective on behavior or symptoms you notice. It’s also good to triple check the doctor has an updated list of medications. Listen critically to the treatment plan. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or ask your doctor to explain medical terms.

When it comes to major medical decisions, such as surgery or complex treatments, seeking a second opinion can provide invaluable clarity. Consulting another physician or specialist gives you additional insights into your parent’s diagnosis and treatment options. This step can help confirm the initial recommendation or present alternative approaches that might be more suitable.


3. Secure a Power of Attorney for Your Elderly Parent


It’s going to be a lot easier to manage your senior parent’s healthcare if you have a power of attorney (POA). Doctors cannot legally speak with you unless your parent approves it or you have a POA. Same for health plans and facilities. A POA will let you access your parent’s medical records. You can also speak for your parent if they are unable to speak for themselves, even if temporarily due to a surgery or illness.

A family lawyer, or even an online legal service, can help you get a POA in place. POAs are usually easy to set up if your parent has the cognitive ability to sign for themselves. That’s why it’s important to establish a POA even when your senior parent seems capable of managing their own healthcare. Accidents or illness can happen suddenly and may impair your parent so they cannot sign a POA. Getting it done in advance will make things a lot easier.


4. Ensure Proper Medication Management


As people age, they often take multiple medications, which can sometimes lead to confusion or even dangerous interactions. Managing medications is critical to maintaining your parent’s health. Ensure that your parent has a consistent medication schedule and that all prescriptions are clearly understood.

Consider using a medication management service or setting up a system with weekly pill dividers. Regularly review your parent’s medication list with their healthcare providers to ensure that everything is still necessary and that there are no harmful interactions. Bring a list of medications to every doctor’s appointment to make sure all providers have current information. Entries into a medical record can get outdated quickly.


5. Hire a Private Patient Advocate to Coordinate Senior Care for Your Elderly Parent


There’s a lot to manage when it comes to your parent’s healthcare. It can quickly become overwhelming. From coordinating appointments to checking medications, there’s no shortage of tasks. Not to mention the challenge of understanding elaborate treatment plans and confusing medical terms.

Patient advocates have deep healthcare experience. They can help with administrative tasks and coordinate senior care. Using their health expertise, they can ask the right questions, prevent errors, or suggest alternative treatments. Most importantly, they help you do everything possible to get them the best care.

Private patient advocates work for you and your family, no one else. They can gather and organize medical records, providers, and medications. They audit medical records to identify gaps and arm you with questions to ask a doctor. And they can help manage transitions, like discharge from the hospital or rehab.

If you need regular, ongoing help, an independent patient advocate can coordinate your elderly’s parent’s healthcare entirely. Patient advocates can set up a medication management system that ensures safety and compliance. They can schedule appointments and can even be there on the ground at doctor’s appointments or during hospital stays. Depending on your preference, they can provide you with regular updates as well as a monthly report so you fully understand what’s going on.

With deep expertise navigating the healthcare system, a patient advocate will represent your parent’s best interests, help you avoid missteps, and ensure your loved one gets the highest quality care possible.


Navigating your parent’s healthcare journey can be a challenging and time-consuming task, but by reviewing your parent’s medical records, attending provider appointments, securing a power of attorney, managing medications, and hiring a skilled independent patient advocate, you can ensure that your elderly parent receives the best healthcare possible.