Advocacy Services

 

If you or a loved one are in need of an experienced, caring, and professional advocate, you have come to the right place. All of PPI's services are provided with the utmost dignity and respect by professionals who each have a minimum of 20 years experience serving as an advocate.  PPI will work with the individual, family, and/or caregiver to select the appropriate services from our menu.

 

   Menu of Services:

• Accompany individual to medical appointments.

• Provide another set of ears to hear the doctor’s report, ask questions, and sort out treatment options.

• Ensure the individual understands the purpose and outcome of their doctor’s appointment.

• Ensure prescriptions will be picked up or delivered and set up.

• Reinforce the reason for the medication and how it is to be taken.

• PPI staff will write a summary of the doctor appointment and send it to the individual and/or the family member for their records.

• Identify appropriate community services for the individual.

• Assist with contacting appropriate agencies and obtaining and completing paperwork to start or continue services.

• Identify public benefits for which the individual qualifies.

• Monitor for signs of emotional or physical abuse and/or financial exploitation.

• Assist with coordination of downsizing to a more appropriate living environment.

• Staff available for problem solving issues as they arrive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PPI staff are experienced in:

 

• Advocating for and monitoring the care of individuals with complicated health care needs at appointments and during hospitalizations.

 

• Helping individuals to understand their diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis.

 

• Monitoring homecare services and assessing whether an individual needs more, less or a different type of service.

 

• Recognizing signs of neglect (of self or by caregiver), physical and emotional abuse and financial exploitation.

 

• Knowledge of community resources and how to access them.

 

• Helping individuals to understand what each medication is for, how to take it, arranging assistance with medication set-up and assistance in obtaining helpful devices such as med dispensers with alarms and other features.

 

• Coordinating downsizing services when a move is necessary.

 

• Assisting with the application process for benefits one is eligible for and with annual recertification forms.

 

• Recognizing and understanding cognitive changes.

 

• All PPI staff are National Certified Guardians with the Center for Guardianship Certification.

 

 

 

 

  

 

PPI's Advocacy Services are for people who are elderly or for anyone who could benefit from having an advocate's services. If you are alone to make your medical decisions, your family is not available to attend doctor appointments due to work or other commitments, or if your family lives outside the area, PPI staff advocates can step in and help sort out all the medical information so you and your family can make the best decisions for your medical care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fee for PPI's Advocacy Services is $60 per hour, billed in 10-minute increments. Mileage will be charged at $0.39 per mile for travel outside the Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Iowa community.

 

PPI staff will document and bill on a monthly basis for all hours spent meeting for the initial consultation and intake process, traveling to see the individual, visiting the individual, accompanying the individual to doctor appointments, speaking on the phone or visiting in person with the individual, their family members, medical care providers, or any service providers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those wishing to receive Advocacy Services from PPI should call (319) 277-1410 or email ppi@episervice.org. 

 

PPI staff will:

• Answer any initial questions you may have over the telephone and then schedule a meeting.

• Meet with individual, family and/or current service

       provider(s), if any, to determine how PPI’s services could  

       be of benefit to the individual.

• Individual or guardian will sign releases and PPI service agreement which will outline what services will be purchased.

 

To view the Advocacy Service brochure, click here.