In this episode of Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families, Pam Dunwald and Linda Kritikos interview RN Viki Droegkamp to help new family caregivers get more support from their primary care clinic. Viki explains that your clinic should act as the “hub” for coordinating care, and not just be a place for annual checkups, noting that caregivers shouldn’t have to manage everything alone. She outlines who to contact first, when to call directly versus messaging, and how clinics can help with care coordination, triage advice, transitional care management (TCM) after a hospital stay, and referrals for specialists, imaging, therapy, home health, oxygen, and other services.

Pam and Linda also discuss with Viki the practical ways caregivers can reduce stress using MyChart (including proxy access), such as requesting medication refills, tracking lab results, reviewing provider notes, and staying on top of appointments and referral status. Viki shares key caregiver tips: keep MyChart messages short and clear with a direct question, avoid sending duplicate refill requests, and don’t rely on “Dr. Google.” She explains the common clinic supports that many families overlook, including help with prior authorizations, insurance coverage issues, preventive care reminders, forms, and driving safety concerns. The three outline clear next steps for caregivers: call your primary care clinic, ask what caregiver support services are available, and set up MyChart/proxy access to stay organized and informed.

Key Moments:

00:00 Primary Care Clinics: Your Caregiving Command Center

02:00 Who to Call First at Your Clinic

04:00 Call vs MyChart: How to Get Faster Answers

05:00 Medication Refills and Controlled Drugs Explained

06:30 Prior Authorizations and High-Cost Medications

08:00 Clinic vs Urgent Care vs ER: What to Do When

09:00 Post-Hospital Follow-Ups and Transitional Care

10:00 Referrals, Home Health, and Insurance Navigation

17:30 Managing Chronic Conditions Through Primary Care

22:00 Vaccines, Preventive Care, and Medicare Visits

25:00 Forms, FMLA, and Driving Safety Decisions

29:30 MyChart Tips: Proxy Access and Messaging Mistakes

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Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Prep Guide for Doctor's Visits

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Contact Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos | Your Nurse Advocate Consulting:

• Website: YourNurseAdvocateConsulting.com
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In this episode of Healthcare Redefined: Advocating for Aging Adults and Their Families, hosts Pam Dunwald and Linda Kritikos introduce a practical “new caregiver roadmap” designed to guide adult children, spouses, and long-distance family members through the first 30 days of stepping into caregiving. Perhaps a loved one has had a fall, a new diagnosis, or a recent hospital stay. Whatever the situation, Pam and Linda’s goal is simple: help new caregivers feel less overwhelmed by offering a calm, step-by-step plan that prioritizes stabilizing immediate risks, building basic organization systems, and creating sustainable support without trying to solve everything at once.

Pam and Linda break the roadmap into three phases. Days 1–3 focus on stabilizing, starting with immediate safety risks and identifying which issue is most likely to trigger an ER visit if ignored. Days 4–14 shift into organizing, including building a care team contact list, setting one consistent communication method, and establishing one place to track everything from appointments to medications. Days 15–30 are about supporting and sustaining, clarifying what “better” looks like for the loved one, confirming legal essentials, and identifying gaps like transportation, meals, bathing safety, supervision needs, and respite options. Pam and Linda discuss common early mistakes that can snowball into crises, and also stress that caregiving works best when roles match people’s strengths. The episode offers valuable insight with practical tools such as a one-page “who to call” sheet, medication list, and a downloadable caregiver starter kit to give anyone new to caregiving the confidence needed to take the first steps.

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Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• “The First 10 Things to Do When You Become a New Caregiver” blog post
• New Caregiver Starter Kit
• Your Nurse Advocate Now Monthly Program
• The First 10 Cheat Sheet (download link)
• Medication List (download link)

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Contact Pam Dunwald & Linda Kritikos | Your Nurse Advocate Consulting:

• Website: YourNurseAdvocateConsulting.com
• Facebook: @Your RNAdvocate
• Pinterest: @YourNurseAdvocate
• Instagram: @YourRNAdvocate
• Linkedin: Your Nurse Advocate Consulting
• YouTube: Your Nurse Advocate Consulting