New Year, New Healthcare Plan: 6 Steps to Advocate for Your Health in 2026

Brenda Soto

January is full of fresh starts including planners, routines, and resolutions.

But one of the most important areas we tend to overlook is our healthcare:

• Are my appointments up to date?

• Do I really understand my diagnoses and medications?

• Do I have a plan, or am I just reacting when something goes wrong?

If you or someone you love is juggling chronic conditions, multiple specialists, or just feeling overwhelmed by the medical system, the new year is a perfect time to pause, get organized, and put an advocacy-minded plan in place.

Here are six steps to help you advocate for your health in 2026.

1. Make a Current Health Snapshot

   
   

Before you move forward, it helps to know exactly where you are right now. Create a simple health snapshot that includes:

• Current diagnoses

• Current medications (name, dose, and why you take them)

• Allergies

• Current providers and their specialties

• Upcoming scheduled appointments

This doesn't need to be fancy. You can jot it down in a notebook, kept in a folder, or create a simple document on your computer.

The most important thing is that it's easy to find and kept up to date.

Tip: Keep a copy with you (or saved on your phone) so you can quickly share it at new appointments or in an emergency.

2. Review Your Appointments for the Year

   
   

Many people move through the year in "reaction mode" rushing to refill medications, squeezing in appointments, and hoping nothing big gets missed.

In January, take a few minutes to ask:

• When was my last annual wellness visit or physical?

• Am I due for a mammogram, colonoscopy, bone density scan, or other screenings based on my age and history?

• Do I have follow-up appointments scheduled with my specialists?

• Have I had any ER visits or hospital stays that still need follow-up?

If you're not sure, an advocate can help you review your patient portal, visit summaries, and discharge paperwork to identify gaps and create a simple calendar for the year.

3. Set 1-3 Realistic Health Goals
   

Instead of a long list of resolutions, identify one to three realistic goals for your health this year. For Example:

• "I want to understand my medications better."

• "I want fewer surprises with my blood pressure or blood sugar."

• "I want to feel more confident asking questions at appointments."

From there, ask yourself: What support would help me actually reach this goal?

You might need:

• Clearer explanations from your provider

• Help organizing questions before your visit

• Someone to walk you through test results and instructions afterward

An advocate can step into this space - helping you prepare before your visit and then go over the provider's recommendations with you afterward so you have a clear, doable plan.

4. Prepare for Appointments Like an Important Meeting

   
   

Your time with your provider is short, and it goes by quickly. Treat each appointment like a key meeting you're attending for your own wellbeing.

A few days before your appointment, try to:

• Write down your top 3 concerns or questions

• Note any changes in symptoms:

  • What's better?

  • What's worse?

• Update your medication list

• Bring any logs (blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, symptom diary) if you track them.

If this feels overwhelming, and advocate can help you:

• Review your recent test results and visit summaries

• Prioritize what's most important to cover

• Build a simple one-page "appointment game plan" so nothing critical gets missed

You don't have to rely on your memory in the moment.

5. Make Sure You Truly Understand the Plan

   
   

A huge part of advocating for yourself is making sure you actually understand what your provider is saying and what they're asking you to do.

Before you leave the appointment, you should be able to answer:

• What is my diagnosis (or working diagnosis)?

• What is the goal of this medication or treatment?

• What should I watch for at home?

• When should I call the office or seek urgent/emergency care?

• When is my next follow-up, and what needs to happen before then?

If you leave feeling confused or unsure, you are not alone. Many people do.

An advocate can:

• Review your visit summary and test results with you

• Break down complex medical language into everyday terms

• Help you write down or organize your next steps so nothing falls through the cracks

You don't have to remember everything your provider says on the spot. Support after the visit is a powerful part of advocacy.

6. Build Your Support Team

   
   

Being a good advocate for your health doesn't mean doing everything alone. In fact, good advocacy often involves a small support team:

• A trusted family member or friend

• Your primary care provider

• Key specialists

• And, if you choose, a professional healthcare advocate

A Registered-Nurse (RN) advocate can:

• Help you prepare for appointments

• Join visits in person or virtually (when allowed) to listen and take notes

• Review the portal, test results, and instructions afterward

• Help you coordinate referrals, screenings, and follow-through

You decide the level of support you need - some people want occasional help, others appreciate ongoing guidance through a complex season of care.

A Fresh Start for Your Health

January doesn't have to be about pressure or perfection. It can simply be a time to say, "This year, I want to feel more informed, more prepared, and more supported in my health."

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the healthcare system, for yourself or someone you love, you don't have to navigate it alone.

Ready to Start the Year with a Clearer Healthcare Plan?

If appointments, portals, and test results feel like "too much," that's exactly where an RN advocate can make a difference.

We work with adults and families in Nebraska to help them:

• Review their current health picture and organize information

• Prepare for appointments so the most important questions get asked

• Turn confusing medical instructions into step-by-step plans that fit real life

Aging Ally offers a free 20-minute phone consult so you can share what's going on and see if advocacy support is a good fit. There is no pressure and no obligation.

Call: 531-893-1546

Email: info@agingally.org

Learn more at: www.agingally.org