Maryland Older Adult Advocacy & Navigation
Personalized, in-person advocacy to help Maryland older adults and families navigate healthcare, benefits, facility complaints, and care decisions with confidence.
Direct line to Ryan. No call centers. No robots.
What is senior advocacy in Maryland? Senior advocacy is a professional service that helps older adults and their families navigate the complex healthcare, insurance, and regulatory systems in Maryland. Advocates assist with Medicare/Medicaid enrollment, nursing home quality complaints, hospital discharge planning, and aging-in-place coordination to ensure seniors receive the care and benefits they deserve.
You Shouldn't Have to Navigate This Alone
Maryland older adult advocacy starts with understanding that the senior care system is overwhelming. Government programs are fragmented. Healthcare decisions are complex. From our home base in Gaithersburg, we provide boots-on-the-ground support to families navigating the Maryland healthcare system. As your senior advocate, we've been where you are - and we're here to guide you through it.
Our advocacy extends to every corner of the state, including high-density areas like Montgomery County and Baltimore City. We are familiar with the specific local resources provided by Maryland Access Point (MAP) in each of the 24 jurisdictions.
We Show Up In Person
We attend appointments, care meetings, and facility visits alongside you. You're never alone in that room.
We Know the Regulations
Years of experience navigating Maryland COMAR regulations and applying relevant case law to real healthcare situations.
We've Lived This
This work is personal. We've advocated for our own family members through the same challenges you're facing now.
Real Advocacy Means Being There
We don't just give you a list of phone numbers. We show up, stand beside you, and advocate in the moments that matter most.
We Attend. We Advocate. We Act.
When you're sitting across from a hospital discharge planner who's rushing you out too soon, or a nursing home administrator who won't return your calls, or a specialist who speaks in jargon you can't follow - we're there with you.
- Hospitals Discharge planning meetings, care conferences, emergency situations
- Skilled Nursing Facilities Care plan meetings, quality concerns, transition planning
- Assisted Living Communities Admission negotiations, level of care disputes, family meetings
- Independent Living & Memory Care Community selection, contract review assistance, ongoing advocacy
⚖️ Regulatory Knowledge That Matters
We've spent years learning how Maryland's healthcare regulatory framework actually works - not just what the rules say, but how they're applied in practice.
- Deep familiarity with Maryland COMAR 10.07.02 regulations governing long-term care facilities
- Understanding of resident rights under Maryland law and federal regulations
- Knowledge of complaint and appeals processes with Maryland OHCQ and Ombudsman programs
- Experience applying relevant case law to healthcare navigation situations
- Relationships with state agency contacts built over years of advocacy work
- Ability to translate complex regulatory language into actionable steps for families
How We Help Maryland Families
Comprehensive advocacy and navigation services designed for older adults and their caregivers.
📋 Benefits Enrollment Assistance
Don't leave money on the table. We help you find and enroll in every benefit you're entitled to receive.
- Medicare Parts A, B, C, D enrollment and plan comparison
- Medicaid eligibility screening and application support
- SNAP (food assistance) and LIHEAP (energy assistance)
- Veterans benefits enrollment for eligible seniors
- Social Security optimization guidance
- Maryland Senior Care Program applications
🏥 Healthcare Navigation
We help you understand your options, communicate with providers, and coordinate care across the healthcare system.
- In-person attendance at medical appointments
- Care coordination between multiple providers
- Insurance claim assistance and appeals
- Hospital discharge planning advocacy
- Home health care evaluation and setup
- Second opinion coordination
⚖️ Facility Complaint Assistance
If your loved one is experiencing problems in a nursing home or assisted living facility, we help you take action.
- Document concerns and build complaint records
- File complaints with Long-Term Care Ombudsman
- Report issues to Maryland Office of Health Care Quality
- Attend care planning meetings as your advocate
- Communicate concerns to facility administration
- Connect with legal resources when needed
💚 Caregiver Support & Resources
Family caregivers need support too. We connect you with resources to prevent burnout and maintain your well-being.
- Respite care options and scheduling assistance
- Caregiver support group connections
- Adult day care program research
- Family meeting facilitation for care decisions
- Caregiver stress assessment and resource planning
- Maryland Family Caregiver Support Program enrollment
🏠 Aging in Place Planning
Help your loved one stay safely at home for as long as possible with the right support and modifications.
- Home safety assessments and recommendations
- In-home care provider research and vetting
- Medical alert system setup and training
- Transportation assistance program enrollment
- Meal delivery program connections
- Technology setup for safety and connection
🏢 Senior Living Guidance
When it's time to explore senior living options, we help you understand the landscape and make informed choices.
- Assisted living vs. nursing home education
- Facility research across Maryland counties
- Quality rating interpretation and comparison
- Contract review assistance (non-legal)
- Move planning and transition support
- Continued advocacy after placement
We're Here for You
👴 Older Adults
Maryland residents age 60 and older who want to understand their options, access benefits, and maintain independence.
- Turning 65 and confused about Medicare options
- Struggling to afford medications or healthcare
- Concerned about safety while living alone
- Experiencing problems with a care facility
- Need help coordinating multiple doctors
👨👩👧 Family Caregivers
Adult children and family members caring for aging parents who need guidance, support, and someone in their corner.
- Overwhelmed managing a parent's care from a distance
- Disagreeing with siblings about care decisions
- Burned out from caregiving responsibilities
- Unsure if a nursing home is the right choice
- Worried about a parent's safety at home
How We Work Together
Simple, straightforward support tailored to your family's unique situation.
Free Consultation
We listen to your situation, challenges, and goals. No obligation, no pressure.
Needs Assessment
We identify the services, benefits, and resources that match your specific needs.
Action Plan
We create a clear roadmap with priorities, timelines, and next steps.
Ongoing Support
We advocate on your behalf, monitor progress, and adjust as needs change.
What We Do & Don't Do
We believe in complete transparency about our services and limitations.
✓ What We Do
- ✓ Navigate government programs and benefits
- ✓ Attend appointments and meetings in person
- ✓ Advocate with healthcare providers and facilities
- ✓ File complaints with state agencies
- ✓ Research and compare care options
- ✓ Facilitate family discussions
- ✓ Connect you with vetted resources
✗ What We Don't Do
- ✗ Provide legal advice or representation
- ✗ Create wills, trusts, or powers of attorney
- ✗ Give financial investment advice
- ✗ Provide medical diagnoses or treatment plans
- ✗ Represent you in court or legal proceedings
- ✗ Make medical decisions for you
- ✗ Replace professional licensed services
Need legal help? We maintain relationships with qualified Maryland elder law attorneys and can provide referrals.
Serving All 24 Maryland Jurisdictions
From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, we help families across the entire state.
Frequently Asked Questions
A senior advocate is a professional who helps older adults and their families navigate the complex healthcare and aging services system. We assist with benefits enrollment, facility complaints, care coordination, and connecting families with the right resources - saving you time and reducing stress during difficult transitions. Think of us as your guide through the maze of senior services.
No. We are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice, prepare wills, powers of attorney, or other legal documents. For legal matters, we can refer you to qualified elder law attorneys in Maryland. Our services focus on advocacy, navigation, and connecting families with resources - not legal representation.
Our advocacy and navigation services are priced to be accessible for Maryland families. We offer free initial consultations to understand your situation before discussing specific service options and pricing. Contact us at (202) 350-2674 for current pricing information and to discuss which services best fit your needs and budget.
We serve families throughout all 24 Maryland jurisdictions, including Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, Frederick County, and all Eastern Shore and Western Maryland counties. Many of our services can be provided remotely, allowing us to help families regardless of location.
Maryland Access Point is a valuable state resource that provides information and referrals. However, MAP services can be limited by funding, staffing, and standardized processes. Our advocacy services provide more personalized, ongoing support - we stay with you through the entire process, advocate on your behalf, and follow up to ensure you get results. We also leverage our media platform to bring public attention to systemic issues affecting Maryland seniors.
Absolutely. Many of our clients are adult children who live outside Maryland but have aging parents in the state. We can serve as your local eyes, ears, and advocate - attending appointments, researching options, communicating with providers, and keeping you informed. Long-distance caregiving is incredibly stressful, and we're here to help bridge that gap.
A Story About Family
I didn't get into this work because I read a book about it. I got into it because I had no choice.
My grandmother, Maureen, was one of the most vibrant people I've ever known. Sharp, funny, full of life. When dementia began to change that, my mother Colleen and I found ourselves in a world we didn't understand - care plans we couldn't interpret, medications we had to research ourselves, facilities that didn't always listen, and a system that seemed designed to exhaust families into silence.
We weren't silent.
My mother and I spent years advocating for my grandmother - sitting in care planning meetings, pushing back when something wasn't right, learning the regulations that governed her care, and sometimes just being present so the staff knew someone was watching. We attended appointments. We asked hard questions. We documented everything. When one memory care community wasn't meeting her needs, we moved her. When another one made promises they couldn't keep, we held them accountable.
We learned that showing up changes everything. That knowing the rules gives you power. That persistence - quiet, relentless persistence - is sometimes the only thing that protects the people you love.
My grandmother passed in the care of people who knew we were paying attention. That mattered. The way she was treated in her final years mattered. The dignity she was afforded - because we fought for it - mattered.
I know what it feels like to sit across from a healthcare administrator who doesn't think you understand what's happening. I know what it's like to read through COMAR regulations at midnight because you need to know your rights before a meeting the next morning. I know what it's like to feel completely alone in a system that doesn't explain itself.
That's why I do this work. Not because it's a business opportunity - because I've been the family member in that chair, overwhelmed and exhausted, trying to do right by someone I love.
When you work with us, you're not getting a consultant who learned about senior care from a textbook. You're getting someone who has sat where you're sitting, felt what you're feeling, and found a way through.
You shouldn't have to learn this the hard way. Let me help.
Does this story sound familiar?
If you are currently facing what my family faced, you don't have to guess what to do next.
Speak with Ryan: (202) 350-2674Direct line. No call centers. No robots.
Advocacy That Creates Accountability
When private advocacy isn't enough, our media platform creates permanent, public accountability.
Most advocacy happens quietly - phone calls, meetings, complaints filed with agencies. Sometimes that's enough. But sometimes facilities don't respond. Sometimes families are ignored. Sometimes the system fails.
That's when our media platform becomes a tool for change.
After my grandmother Maureen passed away at Fahrney-Keedy Senior Living, my mother called to retrieve her clothing - including a specific blouse she'd chosen for the burial. The facility promised to call back. They never did. No returned call. No condolences from leadership. Nothing.
When private channels failed, I didn't just file a complaint that would disappear into a bureaucratic void. I published an open letter that now appears on Google's front page when families research that facility.
That article - An Open Letter to Fahrney-Keedy Memory Care: When Compassion Falls Silent - now ensures that every family researching Fahrney-Keedy sees how that facility treated a grieving family. That's accountability that doesn't fade.
This is what makes The Senior Soup different. Other advocates can file complaints. We can file complaints and make sure the world knows when facilities fail the families who trust them. Our journalism platform isn't separate from our advocacy - it's the ultimate accountability tool.
Not every situation requires public attention. Most of the time, private advocacy resolves the issue. But when it doesn't - when facilities ignore families, when the system fails, when quiet persistence isn't enough - we have a platform that creates consequences. And that changes everything.
Ready to Get Started?
Schedule your free consultation today. No obligation, no pressure - just honest conversation about how we can help.
Direct line to Ryan. No call centers. No robots.
The Senior Soup is based in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Serving all 24 Maryland jurisdictions