Becoming an Advocate

As a caregiver, you may find yourself in situations where you need to advocate for your service member/veteran with TBI or for yourself.

But you may be saying to yourself,

• “What me? Advocate? I’ve always been the quiet type. I’m not comfortable demanding anything from anybody,” or
• “I don’t have the education or authority to talk back to those who hold positions of authority,” or
• “I’d rather be dead than have to speak in public.”

Advocacy involves basic communication skills:

• listening to what other people have to say, and
• talking about what is important to you.

You can learn to build on the problem-solving skills that you already have to become an advocate.

Generally, there are three types of advocacy:

• Self-advocacy – understanding and effectively communicating your own needs to others
• Individual advocacy – speaking out on behalf of your service member/veteran with TBI
• Systems advocacy – attempting to change government, organization or agency policy, rules, or regulations.

Advocacy is all about:

• knowing what you want in a situation
• getting the facts
• planning your strategy
• being firm and persistent
• maintaining your credibility.

Let’s look at situations where your advocacy skills are needed.

How Do I Advocate to the Health Care Team?

Becoming an advocate about TBI begins when you first meet the health care team who care for your injured service member/veteran.

Try to learn as much as you can from them about TBI and the treatment plan for your service member/veteran. Try to learn as much as you can about the DoD and VA medical systems and how to use these services.

This is all part of getting the facts. Understanding the facts will make you communicate better with everyone.

Tips for advocating with health care providers:

• If you have problems or concerns with the care your service member/ veteran is receiving, identify what you think is needed.
• Be specific.
• Talk about your service member/veteran’s needs directly to the members of the health care team. Early morning is when doctors make their rounds, visiting patients. This may be the best time to talk to them.
• Be clear and be firm about what you need.
• Be persistent and firm, but in a cooperative manner. If you don’t get a response right away, keep asking.
• If this approach does not seem to work, contact the Ombudsman or Patient Advocate at the service member/veteran’s health care facility.
• Try not to be confrontational.
• Come prepared with a list of your questions when attending care conferences. Take notes during meetings or ask a friend or another family member to do this for you.
• Do not tell someone how to do his or her job. It seldom works. Instead, talk to the person as a concerned family member and explain your worries calmly.
• Remember, the health care providers are in charge of your loved one’s care. You will be talking with them on a regular basis.
• Work with the health care providers. Remember, they are well-intentioned. They might not know the exact needs of your loved one yet. You are telling them.
• Give reasons for health care providers to give special care to your family member. Tell them about his or her stories and personality traits. If they get to know your loved one, they may be more alert to his or her care.
• Often, if you let health care providers get to know you, they will listen to your concerns with better understanding.

How Do I Advocate to Employers and Others?

You may need to advocate on behalf of your service member/veteran with TBI to assure access to employment, transportation, or commercial places.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that employers, public transportation, and commercial businesses not discriminate against people with disabilities. It requires reasonable changes to be made so that the person can work, ride on public transportation, and/or use commercial places.

If you think your service member/veteran with TBI is being discriminated against, speak up. Get to know your family member’s rights under the ADA and how to advocate on his or her behalf by going to http://www.ada.gov.

How Can I Advocate to the Broader Community?

After you have some practice as a caregiver to a person with TBI, you will begin to know what life is like with TBI and what families affected by TBI need.

Those who have not lived your experiences may have no idea what you have gone through. You can educate others and raise public awareness of the impact of TBI on individuals and families… through advocacy.

When you are ready, you can educate others by sharing your experiences with them. You may find it helpful to work with others in the local chapter of the Brain Injury Association of America (see Appendix) or the Wounded Warrior Project (see Appendix) on more organized efforts to raise awareness of TBI.

Working with others will bring you into contact with other people who have also walked in your shoes. It may help bring meaning and a greater purpose to your family’s experience.

How Can I Advocate to Policy Makers?

The time may come when you want to broaden your advocacy skills to change the policies or laws of local, state, or federal government. Systems advocacy uses many of the same skills that you have been learning. Join with others to help pass important laws. Veterans and military service groups as well as TBI-related groups may be interested in advocating for change.

You may find the idea of being an advocate hard or scary. Most family caregivers grow more at ease over time as they practice these skills.

You will have moments of triumph and moments of setbacks. But if you keep at it, you will find that your own confidence and skills will grow and change you as a person. And, you will have made a difference in the world.

The Brain Injury Resource Center and the Brain Injury Association of America have tool kits, fact sheets, and other materials to help you develop your TBI advocacy skills.