Prescription for Admission: A Caregiver's Guide to Navigating Hospital Stays, Medical Advocacy and Better Experiences in Healthcare & Elder Care.

#14 - Quick Tip: How Summer Safety Habits Can Prevent a Hospital Stay (What Every Caregiver Needs to Know)

Are your summer plans quietly increasing the risk of a hospital stay for your loved one? Summer brings travel, celebrations, and relaxed routines—but for every caregiver, it also introduces hidden risks that can quickly turn into an unexpected hospital stay. From missed medications to dehydration and safety oversights, small decisions can have big consequences. In this quick tip episode, you’ll learn how to stay ahead with practical summer safety strategies designed specifically for caregivers supporting loved ones. Here’s what you’ll walk away with: 1. How to prevent a hospital stay by planning medications and medical care before travel 2. The most common summer safety mistakes caregivers make with diet, hydration, and routines 3. Simple ways to protect your loved one from injuries, confusion, and avoidable complications Tune in now to protect your loved one and enjoy a safer, stress-free summer without the disruption of a hospital stay. Prescription for Admission is a podcast for Gen X and Millennial family caregivers navigating the healthcare system and medical system for loved ones living with conditions like diabetes, dementia, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline, helping them understand hospital care, navigate hospital stays, work effectively with doctors and specialists, organize medical records, connect with a case manager, seek a second opinion, become an effective medical advocate, and improve care coordination and discharge planning. Visit my website: ⁠⁠www.drmoniquenugent.com⁠⁠ [https://drmoniquenugent.com/] Shop & Resources: The Shop: Get the Book and other Advocacy Resources [https://drmoniquenugent.com/shop/] Hospital Smart Packages: Choose the perfect Hospital Smart Package for yourself [https://mnugent.kartra.com/page/vzI1] Follow us on socials for daily advocacy tips: ⁠⁠Instagram/@the_happiest_hospitalist⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the_happiest_hospitalist/] ⁠⁠Facebook/DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/drmoniquenugent/] ⁠⁠LinkedIn/DrMoniqueNugentMDMPH⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquenugent-mdmph/] ⁠⁠YouTube/@DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.MoniqueS.Nugent] ⁠⁠TikTok/@drmoniquenugent⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@drmoniquenugent] Support the Show If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us reach more people who need a map through the hospital maze. Prescription for Admission is a resource to help you navigate healthcare with confidence. Remember, you are your own best advocate.

Episode 48: A Dietitian's Tips For How Caregivers Can Be Realistic about Diet to Keep Mom & Dad Eating Well At Home

You’ll learn how to simplify complex diet plans, adapt meals for your household, and support your loved one without burnout or frustration. What you’ll walk away with: 1. How to transition a therapeutic diet from hospital rules to real-life routines 2. Practical strategies to build sustainability into everyday meals 3. A realistic framework for making diet changes that actually stick, using realism Tune in now to learn how to make nutrition changes that truly work—for you and your loved one. Connect with Nicholas Kelly Website: https://nicholaskellyrd.com/ Prescription for Admission is a podcast for Gen X and Millennial family caregivers navigating the healthcare system and medical system for loved ones living with conditions like diabetes, dementia, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline, helping them understand hospital care, navigate hospital stays, work effectively with doctors and specialists, organize medical records, connect with a case manager, seek a second opinion, become an effective medical advocate, and improve care coordination and discharge planning. Visit my website: ⁠⁠www.drmoniquenugent.com⁠⁠ [https://drmoniquenugent.com/] Shop & Resources: The Shop: Get the Book and other Advocacy Resources [https://drmoniquenugent.com/shop/] Hospital Smart Packages: Choose the perfect Hospital Smart Package for yourself [https://mnugent.kartra.com/page/vzI1] Follow us on socials for daily advocacy tips: ⁠⁠Instagram/@the_happiest_hospitalist⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the_happiest_hospitalist/] ⁠⁠Facebook/DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/drmoniquenugent/] ⁠⁠LinkedIn/DrMoniqueNugentMDMPH⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquenugent-mdmph/] ⁠⁠YouTube/@DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.MoniqueS.Nugent] ⁠⁠TikTok/@drmoniquenugent⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@drmoniquenugent] Support the Show If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us reach more people who need a map through the hospital maze. Prescription for Admission is a resource to help you navigate healthcare with confidence. Remember, you are your own best advocate.

#13 - Quick Tip: How Prioritizing Sleep Improves Hospital Stays for Seniors & Reduces Caregiving Stress

Are you unknowingly putting your mental health at risk during a hospital stay—just by not protecting your sleep? Hospital stays often focus on physical recovery, but mental health can quickly decline without the right safeguards in place. If you or someone you care for has ever felt more anxious, disoriented, or overwhelmed in the hospital, this quick tip highlights what’s often missed—and how to stay ahead of it. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How to protect mental health during a hospital stay by keeping medications, therapy, and support systems consistent 2. Simple, practical ways to improve sleep in the hospital—even with constant interruptions 3. What to proactively request from providers to prevent serious mental health setbacks Tune in now to learn how small, proactive steps can protect mental health and improve sleep during any hospital stay. Prescription for Admission is a podcast for Gen X and Millennial family caregivers navigating the healthcare system and medical system for loved ones living with conditions like diabetes, dementia, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline, helping them understand hospital care, navigate hospital stays, work effectively with doctors and specialists, organize medical records, connect with a case manager, seek a second opinion, become an effective medical advocate, and improve care coordination and discharge planning. Visit my website: ⁠⁠www.drmoniquenugent.com⁠⁠ [https://drmoniquenugent.com/] Shop & Resources: The Shop: Get the Book and other Advocacy Resources [https://drmoniquenugent.com/shop/] Hospital Smart Packages: Choose the perfect Hospital Smart Package for yourself [https://mnugent.kartra.com/page/vzI1] Follow us on socials for daily advocacy tips: ⁠⁠Instagram/@the_happiest_hospitalist⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the_happiest_hospitalist/] ⁠⁠Facebook/DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/drmoniquenugent/] ⁠⁠LinkedIn/DrMoniqueNugentMDMPH⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquenugent-mdmph/] ⁠⁠YouTube/@DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.MoniqueS.Nugent] ⁠⁠TikTok/@drmoniquenugent⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@drmoniquenugent] Support the Show If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us reach more people who need a map through the hospital maze. Prescription for Admission is a resource to help you navigate healthcare with confidence. Remember, you are your own best advocate.

Episode 46: How Smart Caregiving & Social Check-Ins Help Seniors Stay Safe

What are you missing when you check in on your aging parents—and could it be putting their safety at risk? If you’re helping manage elder care from near or far, it’s easy to assume everything is fine after a quick visit or phone call. But hidden issues like poor nutrition, limited mobility, and isolation often go unnoticed—until they lead to a crisis. In this episode, you’ll learn how socialization plays a critical role in safety and overall well-being—and why simply “checking in” isn’t enough. You’ll discover: 1. The subtle warning signs in elder care that impact safety long before a medical emergency 2. How socialization directly prevents decline, isolation, and hospital visits 3. Practical ways to monitor and support loved ones without overwhelming them 4. Listen now to learn how small, consistent actions can dramatically improve safety and quality of life in elder care. Prescription for Admission is a podcast for Gen X and Millennial family caregivers navigating the healthcare system and medical system for loved ones living with conditions like diabetes, dementia, cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline, helping them understand hospital care, navigate hospital stays, work effectively with doctors and specialists, organize medical records, connect with a case manager, seek a second opinion, become an effective medical advocate, and improve care coordination and discharge planning. Visit my website: ⁠⁠www.drmoniquenugent.com⁠⁠ [https://drmoniquenugent.com/] Shop & Resources: The Shop: Get the Book and other Advocacy Resources [https://drmoniquenugent.com/shop/] Hospital Smart Packages: Choose the perfect Hospital Smart Package for yourself [https://mnugent.kartra.com/page/vzI1] Follow us on socials for daily advocacy tips: ⁠⁠Instagram/@the_happiest_hospitalist⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/the_happiest_hospitalist/] ⁠⁠Facebook/DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/drmoniquenugent/] ⁠⁠LinkedIn/DrMoniqueNugentMDMPH⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/moniquenugent-mdmph/] ⁠⁠YouTube/@DrMoniqueNugent⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.MoniqueS.Nugent] ⁠⁠TikTok/@drmoniquenugent⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@drmoniquenugent] Support the Show If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review. Your support helps us reach more people who need a map through the hospital maze. Prescription for Admission is a resource to help you navigate healthcare with confidence. Remember, you are your own best advocate.

#12 - Quick Tip: How Proactive Advocating Creates Safer Hospital Stays in Elder Care

Are you waiting too long to speak up during a hospital stay—and paying for it later? If you’re a caregiver, those first hours of a hospital stay can determine everything that follows. From sleep disruptions to dangerous nighttime confusion, small oversights early on can snowball into serious complications. Knowing what to ask for—and when—can make all the difference. In this episode, you’ll discover: 1. How to use the “ask up front” approach to prevent delirium, poor sleep, and longer hospital stays 2. The specific requests caregivers should make on day one (including rooms, routines, and equipment) 3. Why early planning helps you avoid restraints, reduce risks, and create a safer experience for your loved one Start the hospital stay on the right foot—press play to learn how asking up front can protect your loved one and give you peace of mind.