Who are you? Who are you helping?
I am the daughter of a dad with Alzheimer’s. I am the son of a mom with Parkinson’s. I am the wife of a man that has had a stroke. I am the husband of a woman that has breast cancer. I am the partner of one that has complications of diabetes. When...
The Mercereau Report Vol. 2 Ivermectin? What is the real story here…….
This is the second in a series of blogs written by patient advocacy pioneer and longtime educator, Karen Mercereau. Ivermectin?..........What is the real story here? There are many reports on the efficacy of Ivermectin in the early stages of...
More thinking is not always good thinking.
3 Things to do when you don’t know what to do. December 14, 2021 You are in a crappy situation. You don’t really know what the right decision is, but you know that you must make a decision. Your jaw gets tight from clenching, you start shallow...
What Pulse is About
A few times a year someone will call me and say they want to be a patient advocate because they want to help people who need a voice, or they see a problem with medical care in their local health system and want to be helpful. Some people have...
Wednesday Wonderings …Rules for “Vivi the Ventor” and “Lindsay the Listener”
Written December 1, 2021 Right off the bat … Let’s have an agreement for the “Ventor” and the “Ventee” (aka the Listener). What will this agreement do? It will get everyone on the same page at the same time. It will improve your communication...
Is Medical Speech Recognition a Health Care Hazard?
By now, I think we’ve all had the infuriating experience of calling our cable provider or any number of other oversized companies and being asked by a friendly but thinly disguised ‘robot’ voice to explain the reason for your call. It then...
Difficult Changes for the Advocate
Sometimes, things get worse. Sometimes it's not obvious. Sometimes it falls on you to make that call. In this blog, I will be talking about two kinds of difficult changes that an advocate will likely have to make at some point in their practice...
How can I tell people what I need? (Hint, you cannot be subtle nor can you use telepathy.)
Wednesday Wonderings Written November 17, 2021 It would be much easier if other people just knew what you needed and did it, but no one can read your mind. Only you can fully understand what you are going through. Even if they have helped take...
Healthcare Planning: Don’t Wait for the Crisis
Last month, I received an email from Patricia and Walter, an older couple who were thinking about working with us. Here is an excerpt of what they asked: “In our meeting, we would like to have you explain what services Healthassist will provide...
Wednesday Wonderings … Oopsie! That did not work, now what?
November 10, 2021 You worked and you thought and you worked some more. By golly, you have a plan. It is a good plan. You are so proud (and relieved). Now, it is time to work the plan. I mean you are so excited and you just know that this is the...
The Mercereau Report...Advocacy News You Can Use
This is the first in a series of blogs written by patient advocacy pioneer and longtime educator, Karen Mercereau. Hello everyone, I am Karen Mercereau, RN, iRNPA, and I have been actively involved in the field of Patient Advocacy since 2002. I...
Are my meds working for me? How can I know for sure?
November 3, 2021 Have you ever wondered if the medications that you are taking or someone that you love is taking are helping you, hurting you or even working at all? Have you ever wondered if you are having an unexpected reaction or side effect...
Wednesday Wonderings … When there are no good choices, how do we decide what to do?
October 27, 2021 Right, Wrong, Good, Bad – those are the words we use to describe our decision-making choices. What makes a decision right or wrong? What makes a decision good or bad? Yeah, I know, it’s like porn. You can’t describe it, but you’ll...
8 Reasons Why Healthcare Advocacy is Important
Guest Blog: This blog was written ad submitted by Aussy Aportadera, a writer who covers topics that explore Lifestyle, Business, HR, and other related issues. She's published articles in Esquire, Smart Parenting, and FemaleNetwork.com Healthcare...
Wednesday Wonderings … How to rest, relax and recharge without taking a break.
It started out as a few hours a week. An afternoon here. An evening there. A Saturday or two. You handled whatever arose. No big deal. You love them and it was manageable. It happened so slowly that you did not even realize that you became a...