Kristen Hoatson

Kristen's interest in patient advocacy was sparked by a family crisis. When her son was diagnosed with a serious chronic condition, she wanted to focus on his care. However, she was overwhelmed by how much effort was required to learn how to navigate our healthcare system, find needed supports and resources, and deal with insurance obstacles to his care. It was a steep learning curve to begin in the middle of a health crisis. She longed for someone to help her walk through this maze so she could focus on her son and their family. When she learned about the field of patient advocacy, she realized she could become that "someone," freeing others to focus on their care.

With a background in social work and literacy education, she then pursued a graduate certificate in Consumer Health Advocacy through the University of Wisconsin. She became a Board Certified Patient Advocate. Experience with loved ones facing aging challenges, including dementia, motivated Kristen to learn more about the unique issues that elders in our society face. This led Kristen to also become a Certified Senior Advisor and a certified caregiver. Kristen is the founder of Alongside Advocates LLC (www.alongsideadvocates.com), which exists to help others through their healthcare and aging challenges.