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Listfriends, Recent posts from Barb, Rita, Joy, Beth and others remind me vividly of the time 2 yrs ago when my Dad was in the hospital (actually 4 of them, plus a rehab facility) in NJ/PA while my sibs and I lived in NC, MA, NH and KS and made many many many frantic phone calls and trips. This despite the geriatric social worker we hired, on retainer, to coordinate Mom's increasingly needed care and keep tabs on Dad's. The need for advocacy for anyone in a hospital or nursing home is very, very real. What if we all brainstormed this issue??? (FAST, in time for Barb M's surgery, OK?) I'll get us started: 1. Barb's idea of hiring an advocate is not so far out -- something similar is being done now for childbirth, with a lay "doula" there JUST to see to the mother's comfort. Nor is hiring an advocate so different from private duty nursing. 2. Several months ago, someone on the CARE list suggested that caregivers network geographically. That is, for ex., if someone had a family member or friend PWP who had only long-distance cgs but needed on-the-spot TLC or whatever, they would know be able to contact someone else's friend or relative for help. That sounds convoluted. How's this: if you were long-distance cg for someone living in the KC area, and you needed someone to step in and lend a hand, you could call me here in KC. Maybe it's time we followed thru with this idea? 3. Back in NJ, a buncha churches got together and formed an "Interfaith Caregivers" volunteer group. Mom, and some of her neighbors, used them mostly for rides to the doctor, but they offered other services, too. 4. A woman whose mother lives at Mom's NH offers her services (at a price, but hey) to basically do stuff that the family can't because of distance or time. What else is possible? Please respond! Mary Rack cg for Mom 75/6 [log in to unmask]