Communicating Effectively

Becoming a Healthcare Advocate for Your Loved One and Yourself

NFCA offers workshops to family caregivers on becoming adept at communicating with healthcare professionals. The goal is to learn how to get the answers you need from each office visit, what to ask when medications are prescribed or tests are recommended, and much more. The more knowledgeable and confident you are as a healthcare consumer the better you will be able to advocate on behalf of your loved one and yourself. In the world of medicine it is very important for all of us to become as educated as possible about how the system works and therefore be in a position to get the best care possible.

Unfortunately there are many more family caregivers in need of such training than there are workshop leaders to give them. That's why NFCA has incorporated some of the information and lessons from the workshops on this website.

Click here to find out if there is a family caregiver workshop coming to a community near you.

If you are an experienced trainer and would like to become a Communicating Effectively workshop leader you can apply to attend one of a number of upcoming training conferences to be held in 2004. Click here for information on becoming a Communicating Effectively Workshop Leader.

Here are Some Self-Learning Excerpts from the Communicating Effectively Curriculum.

Medical Record Form — Keep track of all the medications, including over-the-counter, vitamins and supplements. Developed by medical experts in collaboration with the SOS Rx coalition, a group of more than 80 organizations, including the National Family Caregivers Association.