Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of wonderful community members at the Colchester Senior Center. We engaged in a discussion about the importance of advocating for yourself at the doctor’s office. While the doctor is traditionally a person with a great deal of authority, remember that it is your job to be managers of your own health and well-being. This includes communicating changes to all members of your health care team such as cardiology and urology specialists. Bringing a trusted advocate (a friend, family member, or geriatric care manager) can also be a good plan depending on your circumstances. Be prepared. Come with a list of your current medications, including the doses and schedule. Prepare an agenda and highlight your top questions or concerns. Share new trends and tempo of your symptoms if you have recently started a new medication. Take notes throughout your appointment. Consider utilizing a health journal in which you can record health changes as they occur, and log instructions given during your appointment. Foster the doctor-patient relationship by giving feedback. Studies show that doctor visits can be only about 15 minutes. We all know that the doctor’s time is valuable. But so is yours! How would you like your valuable time spent? Don’t be afraid to take action and speak your mind. These are just a few of the points we addressed in our discussion. At Friends for Friends, we know that regardless of age or medical conditions, we can all learn a tremendous amount from each other’s experiences. I know I did!