One more thing I've become disturbed by in efforts to help various friends and family members

[NV Whino]

2. I frequently act as an advocate for my friends

I attend medical and sometimes attorney meetings with them, also meetings with contractors and repairmen, and ask the questions they don't know to ask. By the time the meeting is over they more fully understand the situation, and understand what their options are. I recently saved close to $28,000 for a friend because I know how a septic system works; know what can be repaired rather than replaced; know that the first company she called was trying to up sell her more than she needed at this particular time in her life.

I was thrown into our very broken health care system a few years ago by a medical disaster. Fortunately my mind continued to work when my body wasn't functioning so well. It made me very aware how vulnerable our elderly are with all the legal gobbledygook that is thrown at them when they can least handle it. I make a concerted effort to help people wade through legalese and understand the consequences of their options.

Most people don't realize that, at least in the medical end, there are omnibudsmen available to advocate for them.