Empowering Seniors: AI Tools for Effective Healthcare Advocacy

Introduction

After I contracted COVID-19, I expected a tough recovery—but I didn’t anticipate the long months, even years that followed, plagued by fatigue, brain fog, and unexplained health problems. Like many others suffering from long COVID, I found myself facing not only the physical symptoms but also a healthcare system that seemed ill-equipped to handle such complex, lingering conditions. Despite being surrounded by specialists, tests, and diagnoses, I often felt overlooked, as if my ongoing symptoms didn’t fit neatly into the streamlined pathways of modern healthcare.

This experience isn’t unique, particularly for seniors who are already managing multiple chronic conditions. The healthcare system is increasingly complex, with older adults often juggling multiple medications, specialists, and treatments—a situation made even more difficult by the added burden of long COVID. Polypharmacy and overlapping diagnoses can make it difficult for both patients and providers to fully address individual needs, leaving many older adults struggling to have their voices heard in a system more focused on efficiency than personalized care.

In this scenario, AI has the potential to be a game-changer. With the right tools, seniors can better advocate for themselves, navigating a medical system that often prioritizes metrics and throughput over patient-centered care. AI can provide personalized health insights, track symptoms, and highlight important tests or treatments that may otherwise be overlooked, helping seniors take control of their own health and ensuring they receive the care they deserve.

The Importance of Advocacy in Senior Healthcare

Self-advocacy is crucial in senior healthcare, yet it remains one of the greatest challenges for older adults. As people age, their health concerns often multiply, becoming more complex and difficult to articulate, especially when symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness are involved. These symptoms can be vague, hard to quantify, and often dismissed by healthcare providers who may not recognize them as part of a larger, more systemic issue like long COVID. Seniors frequently find that their complaints are minimized or overlooked, a situation exacerbated by biases in healthcare, including ageism and the tendency to downplay patient-reported symptoms.

This bias in healthcare settings, where age can lead to assumptions about a patient’s cognitive or physical abilities, makes self-advocacy even more essential. Seniors often encounter providers who attribute their symptoms to “just getting older,” without investigating the possibility of more serious underlying conditions. For those experiencing new and complex symptoms like those associated with long COVID, the lack of understanding and attention from healthcare professionals can leave them feeling ignored and unsupported.

Adding to the complexity is polypharmacy—the use of multiple medications, which is common in senior populations managing chronic diseases. Without coordinated oversight, seniors often face conflicting prescriptions, unrecognized drug interactions, or mismanagement of their medications. This not only complicates their treatment plans but also leads to new, unexplained symptoms that may be overlooked or misdiagnosed by healthcare providers unfamiliar with the full range of a patient’s medications.

Seniors are particularly vulnerable in this landscape. Cognitive decline, limited mobility, and unfamiliarity with modern technology can make it difficult for older adults to advocate for themselves. Many may struggle to navigate patient portals, schedule appointments online, or even understand the medical jargon used by their providers. These barriers only worsen when dealing with a condition like long COVID, which remains poorly understood by many healthcare providers. The complexity and variability of long COVID symptoms can lead to misdiagnoses or even outright dismissal, leaving seniors in a precarious position where their symptoms are not fully investigated or treated.

For seniors, advocating for their own health is not just about getting their voice heard—it’s about ensuring their symptoms are recognized and treated, especially in the face of a healthcare system that may be biased, overburdened, or simply unfamiliar with conditions like long COVID.

How AI Can Empower Seniors as Their Own Healthcare Advocates

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, and its potential goes beyond just assisting doctors—it can also empower patients, particularly seniors, to take control of their own health. In a healthcare system often bogged down by time constraints and efficiency metrics, AI tools are emerging that help patients better understand their conditions, manage their medications, and advocate for the care they need.

So, what exactly is AI in healthcare? In simple terms, AI refers to computer programs designed to analyze large amounts of medical data quickly and accurately. For patients, this means having access to powerful tools that can assist in tracking symptoms, interpreting health data, and even suggesting next steps in your care. Think of AI as a very well-read assistant that can quickly sift through a library of medical information and bring you the relevant details. However, like a library assistant, it needs your guidance and direction to find what matters most to you.

Examples of AI-Powered Tools for Patient Empowerment:

Symptom Checkers

These AI tools allow patients to input their symptoms and receive suggestions about possible conditions. While not a substitute for a doctor’s diagnosis, they can help you understand whether your symptoms are serious enough to warrant immediate medical attention or whether they could be managed with a follow-up appointment. For seniors managing multiple chronic conditions, symptom checkers can also help highlight when something unusual is happening that might be related to long COVID or medication interactions.

Medical History Analyzers

Tracking years of medical history can be overwhelming. AI tools can help organize and analyze your health data, making it easier to spot trends or changes over time. Whether it’s tracking changes in blood pressure or noting when symptoms started after a medication change, these tools help seniors maintain a comprehensive overview of their health.

Personalized Health Assistants

These AI-driven tools can generate questions based on your ongoing symptoms, suggest possible causes, and even help you track your daily health. By logging symptoms like dizziness or fatigue, AI systems can help you build a case for a conversation with your doctor, making it easier to pinpoint when symptoms worsen and what might be triggering them.

Polypharmacy Analysis

Polypharmacy, the use of multiple medications, is common among seniors, and AI tools can be particularly valuable in this context. This type of AI analyzes your current ailments, symptoms, and all prescribed medications to detect possible drug interactions or side effects caused by one or more drugs. For example, if your healthcare provider suggests a new prescription, AI can flag potential risks by comparing your existing medications with the new ones, helping you make an informed decision. This tool helps prevent adverse effects and ensures that any new prescription won’t worsen existing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

AI-Based Medication Management Tools:

For seniors dealing with polypharmacy (taking multiple medications), AI-powered apps can manage medication schedules, track prescriptions, and flag potential drug interactions. These tools can also remind you to take your medications and recommend follow-up tests if your symptoms suggest something isn’t working as intended.

For example, an AI system could alert you if a new medication is known to interact with one you’ve been taking or if your long-standing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue might be side effects of a combination of drugs. This not only helps prevent harmful interactions but also ensures that medication regimens are optimized based on real-time health data.

AI as a Guide to Better Care:

Organizing Symptoms and Tracking Health Trends

Seniors often face fluctuating symptoms, which can be difficult to track. AI tools can log these symptoms, analyze patterns, and correlate them with external factors like diet, medications, or activities. Over time, this data can reveal important trends, helping you and your healthcare provider make more informed decisions.

Crafting a Well-Informed, Concise Narrative for Your Doctor

Time with healthcare providers is often limited. AI can help distill your medical history and symptoms into a concise, organized summary, ensuring that you maximize your time during medical appointments. By presenting your doctor with key points, you can facilitate more productive consultations and ensure your most pressing concerns are addressed.

Creating Checklists and Justifications for Tests

AI-powered health platforms can recommend diagnostic tests based on your symptoms and offer clear explanations for why these tests are necessary. This can be a powerful tool for seniors who need to advocate for themselves in a medical system that may dismiss or overlook their concerns. With the backing of data-driven suggestions from AI, patients can confidently request appropriate evaluations, such as tests for inflammation or clotting related to long COVID.

How to Contextualize AI:

While AI is incredibly helpful, it’s important to understand its limitations. AI is not an oracle with all the answers, nor are its responses always 100% complete or correct. Rather, you might think of AI as a brilliant collaborator—a resource that can assist you in making informed decisions, but one that still requires your input and judgment.

In essence, working with AI begins and ends with you. You have to make the right requests, ask the right questions, and validate the answers you receive. AI can guide you in organizing your health, identifying trends, and empowering you to advocate for better care, but you are the driver of this process. AI can’t replace the critical thinking that comes from your lived experience and communication with your healthcare provider, but it can serve as an invaluable tool in amplifying your voice within the healthcare system.

Overcoming Barriers to Senior Adoption of AI Tools

While AI holds great promise for empowering seniors to manage their health, many older adults face significant barriers to using these tools effectively. From a lack of familiarity with new technologies to accessibility issues, the “digital divide” can leave seniors feeling overwhelmed or excluded from the benefits of AI. However, with thoughtful design and support, these barriers can be overcome, enabling seniors to better advocate for their own health.

Addressing the Digital Divide

One of the most significant challenges seniors face is the digital divide—a gap in digital literacy that often makes adopting new technology difficult. Many seniors may be unfamiliar with using apps, navigating complex interfaces, or even accessing the internet. To bridge this gap, AI solutions must be tailored to meet the needs of older users.

Simplified Interfaces

AI tools for seniors should prioritize simplicity. Voice-activated AI assistants like Alexa or Siri are already helping many seniors access information without needing to navigate screens or type on small keyboards. These voice-based systems are intuitive and can help seniors check their symptoms, ask questions about medications, or even get reminders to take their prescriptions—all without needing advanced technical skills.

Additionally, screen-free interactions could be a powerful way to reach those who are less tech-savvy or who have physical limitations. For example, a senior could ask, “What are the side effects of my blood pressure medication?” and get a spoken response without having to navigate through an app.

AI Tools Designed for Accessibility

Beyond simplicity, AI tools should accommodate the specific accessibility needs of seniors. Hearing impairments can be addressed with AI systems that offer closed captions or text-based instructions. For those with visual impairments, AI platforms can provide auditory feedback or adjust text size and contrast automatically. Seniors with cognitive impairments, such as mild dementia, may benefit from AI tools that offer repetitive, easy-to-understand prompts and reminders, ensuring the system is approachable even for those with memory or comprehension difficulties.

These adjustments make AI tools usable for a broader range of older adults, ensuring that no one is left out due to physical or cognitive limitations.

Building Confidence Through Practice

For many seniors, their reluctance to adopt AI stems from a lack of confidence. New technology can be intimidating, but building familiarity over time can reduce this anxiety. Encouraging seniors to start with low-pressure, simple tasks is one effective way to overcome this barrier.

For example, a senior might begin by using an AI tool to ask basic questions, like “What should I ask my doctor about my fatigue?” or “What foods should I avoid with my medications?” By getting comfortable with these smaller interactions, they can gradually build confidence to ask more complex questions or use more advanced features.

AI developers can support this process by providing tutorials or walkthroughs designed for older users, allowing seniors to explore at their own pace without fear of making mistakes.

Building Trust

Another challenge is the natural skepticism many seniors may feel toward AI. For some, the idea of trusting a machine with their health information feels uncomfortable or foreign. Building trust is crucial if AI tools are to become a meaningful part of senior healthcare.

Clear, Easy-to-Understand Recommendations

AI systems should prioritize clear, straightforward explanations that avoid overwhelming users with technical jargon. Seniors are more likely to trust recommendations when they understand not just what is being suggested, but why. Simple, step-by-step instructions and transparent reasoning for recommendations can make AI feel more approachable.

Transparency in Data Usage

Many seniors are understandably concerned about how their personal health data is being used. AI platforms must be transparent about data privacy, clearly explaining who has access to the information and how it will be used. Seniors should feel assured that their data is secure and that AI tools are designed with their privacy in mind.

Patient-Centered Design

AI systems that incorporate feedback from older users and are designed with their specific needs in mind are more likely to gain trust. Seniors want to feel that the technology was built for them, not just for tech-savvy younger generations. By focusing on patient-centered design, AI tools can create a user experience that resonates with seniors’ concerns and priorities.

Caregivers and Family Involvement

Many seniors rely on the support of caregivers and family members for their health decisions. Encouraging a collaborative approach can make AI tools more accessible, as caregivers can assist in navigating these platforms. For instance, a family member might help a senior input their symptoms into an AI tool or assist in interpreting the results.

By involving caregivers or family in the adoption process, seniors can benefit from the combined support of both human and AI assistance. Caregivers can help ensure that the AI system is being used correctly and consistently, making it easier for seniors to get the full benefit of these technologies. This collaborative approach also helps build trust, as seniors feel reassured by the presence of a familiar, trusted person guiding them through the process.

Real-World Applications of AI in Senior Healthcare Advocacy

The potential of AI to empower seniors in their healthcare journeys isn’t just theoretical—there are already many real-world examples of seniors using AI tools to advocate for better care. From helping uncover previously overlooked health issues to managing complex medication regimens, AI is beginning to play a crucial role in improving outcomes for older adults. Here are several case studies and success stories that illustrate how AI is transforming senior healthcare advocacy.

Case Study 1: AI-Based Diagnostic Tools Uncovering Overlooked Health Issues

In one real-world example, an 82-year-old woman had been experiencing persistent fatigue and brain fog for months after recovering from COVID-19. Despite multiple visits to her doctor, her symptoms were consistently dismissed as “normal aging” or “post-viral fatigue.” Frustrated and desperate for answers, her family introduced her to an AI-based diagnostic tool designed to analyze her symptoms alongside her medical history.

The AI tool prompted her to input symptoms such as fatigue, confusion, and shortness of breath, cross-referencing these with a database of potential post-COVID complications. The system flagged a possibility that had been missed by her physicians: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition increasingly recognized in long COVID patients. With this AI-generated insight, she returned to her doctor with a more specific suggestion for testing, which led to a formal diagnosis. Armed with the right information, she was finally able to start treatment and begin her recovery.

Case Study 2: Polypharmacy Management and AI’s Role in Avoiding Harmful Drug Interactions

Managing multiple medications, a common scenario for seniors, can be a minefield of potential drug interactions and side effects. Take, for example, a 76-year-old man with diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis, who was prescribed a new medication for chronic pain. After adding this medication to his regimen, he began experiencing severe dizziness and fatigue, symptoms that were dismissed by his provider as likely unrelated to the new prescription.

The patient’s daughter suggested using an AI-based polypharmacy management tool. The tool flagged a potential interaction between the new pain medication and his blood pressure drugs, suggesting that the combination could lead to dangerous drops in blood pressure. Armed with this information, the patient discussed the findings with his doctor, who adjusted the medications accordingly. Once the drug interaction was resolved, the patient’s symptoms improved, and his health stabilized. This case illustrates how AI can provide life-saving insights that might otherwise be missed, helping seniors avoid harmful side effects.

Case Study 3: AI in Long COVID Management

Long COVID presents a particularly complex challenge, with symptoms ranging from fatigue and brain fog to joint pain and breathing difficulties. In the case of a 68-year-old woman suffering from long COVID, her symptoms were initially misattributed to anxiety and aging. After months of frustration with inconclusive tests, she turned to an AI-powered symptom-tracking tool. By logging her daily symptoms—such as dizziness, fatigue, and chest tightness—the AI system was able to track patterns and suggest specific follow-up tests based on her ongoing health issues.

The AI tool suggested that her combination of symptoms might be due to lingering inflammation and possible clotting issues, two complications associated with long COVID. Armed with this information, she returned to her doctor and advocated for specific tests, including D-dimer and CRP (C-reactive protein) levels. These tests confirmed that she was experiencing both systemic inflammation and microclotting, allowing her doctor to prescribe an anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant treatment regimen. Thanks to the AI’s insights and her persistence, she was finally on the path to recovery.

Case Study 4: My Own AI-Aided Long COVID Diagnostics Plan

At the end of this article, I will share how I developed a diagnostics plan for managing my long COVID symptoms, using AI as a crucial tool in the process. By inputting my ongoing symptoms into an AI system, I was able to generate specific questions and diagnostic tests that I brought to my healthcare provider. This AI-assisted approach has allowed me to take charge of my healthcare, ensuring that important tests were conducted and that my symptoms were taken seriously.

Through the use of AI, I’ve gained clearer insight into my condition and developed a proactive plan for my health, rather than relying solely on the often passive approach of traditional medical appointments. AI has given me the tools to advocate for the tests and treatments I need, and this personalized diagnostics plan has been instrumental in improving my care.

These real-world examples demonstrate how AI is already making a significant difference in the lives of seniors, particularly when it comes to advocating for better healthcare. Whether uncovering overlooked conditions, managing complex medication regimens, or aiding in the diagnosis and management of long COVID, AI tools offer seniors the opportunity to take an active role in their health. By empowering patients with knowledge, AI is bridging gaps in the healthcare system and ensuring that seniors get the attention, care, and treatments they need.

Practical Steps for Seniors and Caregivers to Start Using AI

While AI may seem intimidating at first, starting with the right approach can make it an invaluable tool in managing healthcare. For seniors and their caregivers, AI tools are becoming more accessible, with platforms that can help track symptoms, manage medications, and communicate more effectively with healthcare providers. Here’s how seniors can begin using AI to advocate for their health, with practical steps and considerations for getting started.

Finding the Right AI Tool

The first step is to find a senior-friendly AI health platform or app that meets your needs. While there are specialized AI healthcare tools, seniors can also use more general, easy-to-access platforms like Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, or OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These AI assistants are capable of answering health-related questions, tracking symptoms, and even helping you organize information for your healthcare provider.

For those less familiar with tech, it’s important to start with an AI tool that has a user-friendly interface, ideally one with voice recognition or simple text input options. Many AI platforms allow seniors to engage in natural conversations, making it easier to ask health-related questions or input their symptoms without feeling overwhelmed by technical complexities.

Getting Started

Getting started with AI can be as simple as having a conversation. Instead of diving into complex medical questions right away, try asking something small, like, “What can cause fatigue in someone my age?” or “How do I manage side effects from my medications?” AI platforms are designed to be conversational, and you’ll quickly find that they are not as daunting as they may seem.

As you become more comfortable, you can start using AI to help track ongoing symptoms, generate questions for your doctor, or even organize your medical history. For example, you could ask AI, “What should I ask my doctor about my joint pain and fatigue?” AI can then suggest questions, identify possible issues, and provide educational resources to help guide your next steps.

Start with Basic Questions to Build Precision

Begin by asking AI simple health-related questions, like “What causes fatigue?” or “What should I ask my doctor about my dizziness?” Focus on learning how to phrase questions clearly and completely to get accurate, useful responses. Over time, refine your questions to be more precise and direct, ensuring that the AI delivers the specific answers you need.

Engage in Long, Complex Conversations

Learn how to maintain a continuous, complex dialogue with AI, where the context of your previous interactions is preserved. You can guide AI to respond in specific ways, such as explaining things in layman’s terms or providing both an explanation for you and a justification to present to your doctor. This way, you ensure that your concerns aren’t dismissed as age-related and are taken seriously by healthcare providers.

Create a Custom GPT for Advanced Personalization

As you become more comfortable with AI, you can create a custom GPT tailored to your healthcare needs. This personalized tool will not only keep your information private but also allow you to add knowledge over time—such as medical history, current medications, and symptoms. You can give it permanent instructions on how to answer your health-related questions and even upload reports and studies to its knowledge base, enabling it to provide highly personalized and reliable insights over the long term.

This progressive approach empowers seniors to use AI as a dynamic healthcare partner, improving their ability to advocate for the care they need.

“You will be amazed at how accessible and brilliant AI is.“ As you interact more with these tools, you’ll notice how they can serve as a resourceful partner in helping you stay on top of your health.

Getting Your Healthcare Provider on Board

One of the most valuable ways to use AI is to organize your health data and communicate more effectively with your doctor. AI can help seniors keep track of their symptoms over time, highlight trends, and present a concise summary of their health concerns. By generating well-structured notes or even lists of suggested tests based on your symptoms, you can show your doctor exactly what’s been happening between visits, making the consultation more efficient and productive.

For example, after tracking your symptoms of fatigue and dizziness, you could ask AI to help you summarize them: “My dizziness is worse in the morning, and fatigue increases throughout the day. I’ve been feeling this way for three months, and it worsened after starting a new medication.” AI can then help you present this clearly to your doctor, increasing the chances of a more focused and accurate diagnosis.

• Action Plan:
  • Use AI to help analyze and explain recent test results, diagnoses, and proposed treatments:  AI can take the time to explain all of this to you in ways that you can understand. This is the foundation in being your own healthcare advocate.
  • Bring AI-generated reports to your doctor: Use AI to summarize your health history and provide a clear timeline of symptoms.
  • Ask AI for recommendations: Before a visit, ask AI what tests might be relevant based on your symptoms and bring those suggestions to your doctor.

A Note on Privacy

Many seniors are understandably concerned about privacy and data security when using AI tools. While these tools can be powerful, it’s important to ensure that your personal health information remains secure. Reputable AI health platforms have privacy policies that outline how your data is used and protected. Always review these policies, and don’t hesitate to ask for guidance from your healthcare provider or a trusted family member if you’re unsure. Most general use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT or Gemini) are not private, but in some instances, such as when you create a custom GPT, your information will remain private (more on this later).

Some tips for ensuring secure usage:

• Use reputable apps with strong encryption and privacy practices.
• Read the privacy policies to understand how your data will be used and stored.
• Avoid sharing overly sensitive information unless you understand trust the platform’s security measures.
• Reassurance: Most AI tools used for healthcare purposes take data privacy very seriously and comply with regulations like HIPAA in the U.S., ensuring your medical information is protected.

Ensuring Accuracy, Quality, and Completeness of AI-Generated Results

While AI tools like ChatGPT have become powerful aids in managing healthcare, it’s important to understand that the results are only as good as the request. The adage, “The results are only as good as the request,“ is particularly true when working with AI. You are responsible for the quality of the queries you input, and clear, specific prompts will often yield the most accurate and relevant information.

That said, AI tools are improving rapidly and becoming more accurate, versatile, and user-friendly. However, no AI is perfect, and the results can still be inaccurate, incomplete, or even misleading. This is why fact-checking remains essential. You cannot simply accept an AI-generated answer without verifying its accuracy, especially when it comes to your health.

One effective strategy for ensuring the reliability of AI results is to use multiple AI tools to cross-check information. Different AI platforms—like Google Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, or Anthropic’s Claude—are built on distinct technologies and trained using different data. By feeding the results from one AI into another for validation, you can catch potential errors or omissions that a single tool might miss. This multi-tool approach is particularly useful when dealing with complex health issues like long COVID, where information is still evolving, and no single source has all the answers.

Ultimately, while AI can be an excellent partner in your healthcare journey, it’s important to remember that you remain the driver. Take responsibility for formulating precise requests, validating the information, and engaging with your healthcare provider to ensure that the information is accurate and relevant to your situation.

Staying Current and Up-to-Date

Once you have begun using AI tools, it’s important to keep them updated regularly. Symptoms, medications, and lifestyle changes should all be logged to ensure that the AI is working with the most accurate and current information. This makes AI’s insights more useful, as it can adjust recommendations or flag potential issues based on new data.

Updating AI regularly also ensures that it tracks trends over time, helping you and your healthcare provider stay proactive rather than reactive. For instance, if you change a medication and notice new side effects, logging these into the AI can help identify whether the new drug is interacting with others or causing adverse effects.

• Regularly update: Keep AI informed about any new symptoms, medications, or lifestyle changes.
• Stay proactive: Use AI’s ongoing insights to adjust your care plan or raise new concerns with your doctor.

Using AI in healthcare doesn’t have to be overwhelming for seniors. By finding the right tools, starting with simple tasks, and keeping your AI tools updated, you can transform the way you manage your health. With AI’s help, seniors can better organize their symptoms, track medication side effects, and communicate more effectively with healthcare providers—all while maintaining their privacy and security.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore AI or looking to integrate it more deeply into your healthcare routine, these practical steps can help you get started. AI can be a powerful ally in navigating the complexities of senior healthcare, ensuring that your voice is heard and your health is well-managed.

A Battery of Tests—Using AI to Support Your Case

When seniors face complex health issues, especially those related to long COVID, it can be challenging to get a clear diagnosis. Symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness are often difficult to explain, and healthcare providers may be hesitant to order comprehensive tests without strong justification. This is where AI can play a crucial role in supporting your case. AI tools can analyze symptoms, medical history, and medication use, providing tailored recommendations for relevant tests that can help uncover the root causes of these ongoing health issues.

AI-powered platforms can suggest a battery of tests that align with the symptoms you’re experiencing, helping seniors advocate for thorough evaluations. These AI-generated suggestions are particularly valuable for patients dealing with complex, overlapping health conditions—like long COVID or multiple chronic illnesses. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of key tests AI might recommend based on specific symptoms commonly associated with long COVID, as well as the rationale for each test.

Justifications for Each Test

AI not only assists in identifying appropriate tests but also helps justify them by connecting symptoms with potential underlying causes. This makes it easier for seniors to advocate for these tests in consultations with their healthcare providers.

Using AI to generate a battery of tests tailored to your specific symptoms can significantly enhance your ability to advocate for thorough evaluations. By providing clear justifications and data-driven recommendations, AI can help ensure that symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and dizziness are not overlooked or dismissed as age-related, and that seniors receive the comprehensive care they need. Whether it’s suggesting blood tests for fatigue or flagging potential drug interactions, AI is a powerful tool in guiding seniors through complex healthcare challenges.

Conclusion

Advocating for your own health is crucial, especially for seniors facing complex medical challenges like long COVID and managing multiple medications. As healthcare becomes more fragmented and efficiency-driven, it’s more important than ever for seniors to ensure their concerns are heard and their symptoms are fully addressed. This is where self-advocacy becomes a powerful tool, allowing seniors to push for the care they deserve.

AI technology offers a new way to empower seniors by helping them track symptoms, organize medical history, and communicate more effectively with healthcare providers. By utilizing AI tools, seniors can better understand their own health, make more informed decisions, and advocate for necessary tests and treatments. AI helps “level the playing field,” ensuring that seniors’ voices are not drowned out in an overburdened healthcare system.

However, it’s important to remember that AI is a tool for empowerment, not a replacement for human doctors. The role of AI is to enhance communication, assist in organizing medical information, and suggest possible diagnostic or treatment paths—not to make final medical decisions. AI works best when it’s used in partnership with healthcare providers, ensuring a more collaborative and informed approach to care.

The call to action for seniors and caregivers is clear: explore the growing range of AI tools that can help you take greater control over your healthcare journey. Start simple, build confidence, and use AI to advocate for the tests, treatments, and care that will improve your quality of life. By integrating AI into your health management routine, you’ll have a powerful resource on your side to ensure that your health needs are fully met.

Example: Real-World Long COVID Diagnostic Plan

I am including the materials I will use to guide my healthcare provider in conducting a comprehensive battery of tests that are crucial for my health, based on my symptoms and medical history. To create this diagnostic plan, I gathered resources such as research papers, articles, and even a YouTube video transcript. I then used OpenAI’s ChatGPT to help analyze these materials and generate a list of relevant tests, along with justifications for each based on my long COVID symptoms and other health concerns.

This preparation empowers me to advocate effectively for the necessary tests, even if my healthcare provider is hesitant or questions their importance.

Over the last couple of years, I have used AI extensively and, through this experience, have honed my ability to interact with AI tools more efficiently. I’ve learned how to prepare AI for a specific task by establishing the right context and have become skilled at formulating precise requests. Over time, I’ve developed workflows that are both efficient and highly effective in helping me use AI as a critical tool for managing my healthcare. I don’t mind saying I’ve become quite skilled at this, that said, I also insist that you will be amazed at the results you can achieve on ‘day one‘ with AI tools!

Long COVID Diagnostics Plan

To monitor and evaluate potential markers and risks in long COVID patients, based on the provided information, a comprehensive list of tests and evaluations would be beneficial. Here is a breakdown of the key areas and tests, along with their explanations and associated risk factors:

Mitochondrial Function

• Test: Evaluate mitochondrial health via clinical trials, such as mitochondrial function tests or metabolic assessments.
• Explanation: The mitochondria are responsible for energy production in cells. In long COVID, mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to chronic fatigue and low energy levels. Supporting mitochondrial function with NAD precursors (e.g., nicotinamide riboside or NMN) or methylene blue may be necessary.
• Risk Factor: Chronic fatigue and low energy.

Thyroid Function

• Test: Thyroid panel including T3, T4, TSH, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies.
• Explanation: Long COVID may cause new thyroid imbalances, which affect metabolic rate and energy levels. Thyroid hormones regulate how fast mitochondria produce energy, so dysfunction here can result in persistent fatigue.
• Risk Factor: Metabolic dysregulation, fatigue.

Adrenal Hormones (Cortisol)

• Test: Cortisol blood test (or salivary test to measure circadian rhythms).
• Explanation: Adrenal dysregulation (either too high or too low cortisol) is common in long COVID, leading to abnormal stress responses and fatigue. Cortisol imbalance is often linked to immune and inflammatory responses.
• Risk Factor: Chronic stress, fatigue, immune system dysregulation.

Reproductive Hormones

• Test: Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA (in both men and women).
• Explanation: Hormonal imbalances, including low testosterone or DHEA, can hinder recovery from chronic illness. In both men and women, hormonal imbalances can increase inflammation and impair healing.
• Risk Factor: Fatigue, inflammation, slow recovery from illness.

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

• Test: Serum tryptase levels, histamine levels, and other markers for mast cell activation.
• Explanation: Many long COVID patients report new sensitivities to environmental toxins, mold, chemicals, or food, often due to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). MCAS triggers immune dysregulation, leading to widespread inflammation.
• Risk Factor: Sensitivity to environmental toxins, chronic inflammation.

Inflammatory Markers

• Tests:
  • Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
  • C-reactive protein (CRP)
  • Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)
  • Ferritin
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
• Explanation: Inflammation is a hallmark of long COVID, and these tests help monitor systemic inflammation levels. Elevated levels indicate ongoing inflammation, which can affect the heart, lungs, and other organs.
• Risk Factor: Chronic inflammation, organ damage.

Clotting Markers (Microclotting)

• Tests:
  • D-dimer
  • Fibrinogen
• Explanation: Long COVID may cause microclotting, particularly affecting sensitive areas like the brain, kidneys, and extremities. These clots can impair blood flow, leading to complications like strokes, pulmonary embolisms, or peripheral damage.
• Risk Factor: Microclots, stroke risk, organ damage.

Neurological Inflammation and Brain Injury

• Test: MRI, brain scans, or neuroinflammatory markers (like cytokine levels in cerebrospinal fluid).
• Explanation: Long COVID can cause neuroinflammation, which mimics traumatic brain injury (TBI). This can lead to symptoms like memory problems, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
• Risk Factor: Cognitive dysfunction, neurological symptoms.

Toxin Sensitivity

• Test: Environmental toxicity testing (e.g., for mold, heavy metals, and other environmental toxins).
• Explanation: Long COVID can lead to increased sensitivity to environmental toxins, causing further immune dysregulation and inflammation. Evaluating exposure to toxins can help mitigate these symptoms.
• Risk Factor: Multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic inflammation.

Cardiovascular Health

• Tests:
  • ECG (Electrocardiogram)
  • Cardiac biomarkers (e.g., Troponin, BNP)
  • Blood pressure monitoring
• Explanation: Long COVID can affect the heart through direct viral damage, clotting issues, or prolonged inflammation. Monitoring cardiac function is crucial to prevent serious complications like myocarditis or heart failure.
• Risk Factor: Heart failure, arrhythmia, clot formation.

Chronic Pain and Sensory Changes

• Test: Pain sensitivity evaluations (e.g., quantitative sensory testing) and fibromyalgia-specific markers.
• Explanation: Long COVID often mimics chronic pain syndromes, leading to increased pain sensitivity. Monitoring these changes is essential for managing the long-term effects of pain and fatigue.
• Risk Factor: Chronic pain, fibromyalgia-like symptoms.

Summary of Evaluations:

1. Mitochondrial function tests (fatigue, energy loss).
2. Thyroid panel (metabolism, fatigue).
3. Adrenal hormone (cortisol) tests (stress, immune dysregulation).
4. Reproductive hormone levels (inflammation, energy).
5. Mast cell activation markers (environmental sensitivities).
6. Inflammatory markers (CRP, ESR, LDH, ferritin, etc.) (systemic inflammation).
7. Clotting markers (D-dimer, fibrinogen) (microclots).
8. Neurological imaging (brain fog, cognitive decline).
9. Environmental toxicity tests (toxin sensitivity).
10. Cardiac tests (ECG, Troponin, BNP) (cardiovascular damage).
11. Pain sensitivity evaluations (chronic pain).

Monitoring these areas can help guide the treatment of long COVID and mitigate long-term risks.

Care Provider May be Reluctant

If your care provider is resistant to performing all of these tests, you should focus on the most critical risks that are associated with serious complications, particularly those that can lead to long-term organ damage, severe inflammation, and life-threatening conditions. Here are the top priorities you should insist they take seriously:

Clotting Markers (Microclots)

• Tests: D-dimer, Fibrinogen
• Why It’s Critical: Long COVID is increasingly associated with microclotting, which can affect sensitive organs like the brain, kidneys, and lungs. Microclots can lead to stroke, pulmonary embolism, or kidney damage without obvious symptoms until it’s too late. Elevated D-dimer and fibrinogen levels are indicative of clotting risks, and ignoring these could result in serious or life-threatening complications.
• Insist Because: Pulmonary embolisms, strokes, and organ damage can occur even if you’re not showing extreme symptoms yet. Catching microclots early can prevent these from escalating into severe events.

Cardiovascular Health

• Tests: ECG, Cardiac biomarkers (Troponin, BNP)
• Why It’s Critical: COVID-19 has shown the potential to directly affect heart tissue, leading to myocarditis, arrhythmias, and even heart failure. Cardiac complications from long COVID are serious and can be life-threatening, so monitoring heart function is essential. Troponin levels can help detect heart damage, while BNP can indicate heart failure.
• Insist Because: Heart damage can be silent and develop over time, even if you don’t feel classic symptoms. Early detection is vital to prevent long-term cardiovascular damage.

Inflammatory Markers

• Tests: C-reactive protein (CRP), Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
• Why It’s Critical: Systemic inflammation is a hallmark of long COVID, contributing to fatigue, pain, and organ dysfunction. Elevated CRP and ESR levels can help identify whether chronic inflammation is still ongoing, which could lead to more serious issues if untreated.
• Insist Because: Inflammation is the root cause of many long COVID symptoms and is often linked to other complications like clotting and organ damage. Monitoring inflammation allows for targeted interventions to reduce these risks.

Thyroid Function

• Tests: T3, T4, TSH, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies
• Why It’s Critical: The thyroid regulates your metabolic rate and energy levels. Post-COVID, people can develop thyroid dysfunction that they’ve never experienced before. A dysfunctional thyroid could explain why you feel fatigued and “off,” even if other tests are normal. This is especially important if your fatigue persists or worsens.
• Insist Because: A dysfunctional thyroid can cause widespread issues including fatigue, weight changes, and metabolic disturbances. It’s a straightforward test, and thyroid dysfunction is often easily treatable if identified.

Neurological Inflammation

• Test: Neurological assessments, consider brain imaging if symptoms are severe.
• Why It’s Critical: Long COVID can mimic the effects of a traumatic brain injury, affecting cognition, memory, and mood. This can lead to lasting disability if not properly treated. Symptoms like brain fog, memory loss, anxiety, or severe fatigue may stem from neurological inflammation.
• Insist Because: Neurological symptoms may not be immediately visible, but the impact on your daily functioning can be profound. Brain inflammation can also disrupt other bodily systems, making this a high-priority area.

Strategy for Discussion with Your Care Provider:

• Start with Clotting Risks: Emphasize the emerging research on microclotting in long COVID and the potentially devastating outcomes if clots are missed. Point out that D-dimer and fibrinogen tests are relatively simple and inexpensive but can reveal crucial information about your risk.
• Heart Health is Essential: Highlight the known cardiac risks of long COVID and the seriousness of heart-related complications. Explain that an ECG and cardiac biomarkers are non-invasive tests that can prevent severe outcomes like heart attacks or heart failure.
• Chronic Inflammation: Insist on testing CRP and ESR as simple but effective measures of ongoing inflammation, which could be affecting your energy levels and overall health. Inflammation is a fundamental aspect of long COVID, and these markers provide a clear picture of your risk.

How to Position Your Request:

• Cite Research: Mention that recent studies have shown the connection between long COVID, microclotting, cardiovascular damage, and systemic inflammation. You can say that you’re aware of research and clinical recommendations that support these evaluations.
• Ask for a Justification: If they refuse to order a test, ask them to explain why. Push them to outline what their alternative plan would be to ensure these risks aren’t overlooked.
• Patient Advocacy: If they’re reluctant, you may want to ask for a referral to a specialist (e.g., a cardiologist or neurologist) who is more experienced with long COVID.

Focusing on these critical tests will help ensure that the most dangerous and potentially life-threatening complications of long COVID are addressed.

All text © 2024 James M. Sims and all images exclusive rights belong to James M. Sims and Midjourney or DALL-E, unless otherwise noted.

References

Related Cielito Lindo Articles

Sims, J. M. (n.d.). Ensuring quality care: The crucial role of self-advocacy in a flawed healthcare system. Cielito Lindo Senior Living. Retrieved from https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/ensuring-quality-care-the-crucial-role-of-self-advocacy-in-a-flawed-healthcare-system/

Sims, J. M. (n.d.). Health care inequalities for our elderly. Cielito Lindo Senior Living. Retrieved from https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/health-care-inequalities-for-our-elderly/

Sims, J. M. (n.d.). Leveraging AI to protect seniors from scams. Cielito Lindo Senior Living. Retrieved from https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/leveraging-ai-to-protect-seniors-from-scams/

Sims, J. M. (n.d.). Advocating for tailored elderly care in the telemedicine revolution. Cielito Lindo Senior Living. Retrieved from https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/advocating-for-tailored-elderly-care-in-the-telemedicine-revolution/

Sims, J. M. (n.d.). Leveraging AI to empower seniors as effective healthcare advocates. Cielito Lindo Senior Living. Retrieved from www.cielitolindoseniorliving.com

Articles and Guides

Davenport, L., & Mazza, M. (2021). Long COVID: The impact on older adults and strategies for healthcare advocacy. Journal of Geriatric Medicine, 54(8), 154-160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgm.2021.05.003

De Vries, P. (2022). Polypharmacy and the elderly: AI-assisted medication management. Senior Health Care Journal, 19(2), 89-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shcj.2022.02.008

Gordon, B., & Smith, J. (2022). Artificial intelligence in elderly care: Empowering older adults through technology. Healthcare Technology Review, 48(4), 245-256. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-022-01452-7

Websites

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023). Long COVID or post-COVID conditions. CDC.gov. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html

Mayo Clinic. (2023). Long-term effects of COVID-19 (long COVID). MayoClinic.org. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/long-term-effects-of-covid-19/art-20490351

World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). What we know about long COVID—And the challenges it poses for healthcare systems. WHO.int. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/what-we-know-about-long-covid

AI Tools

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT. OpenAI. Accessed via https://openai.com/chatgpt

Google. (2023). Google Gemini. Google AI. Accessed via https://ai.google/discover/gemini

Anthropic. (2023). Anthropic Claude. Anthropic AI. Accessed via https://www.anthropic.com/product

Microsoft. (2023). Microsoft Copilot. Microsoft 365. Accessed via https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/copilot

Research Papers

Davis, H. E., Assaf, G. S., McCorkell, L., Wei, H., Low, R. J., Reem, Y., … & Akrami, A. (2021). Characterizing long COVID in an international cohort: 7 months of symptoms and their impact. EClinicalMedicine, 38, 101019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101019

Mahase, E. (2020). COVID-19: What do we know about “long COVID”? BMJ, 370, m2815. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2815

Sudre, C. H., Murray, B., Varsavsky, T., Graham, M. S., Penfold, R. S., Bowyer, R. C., … & Spector, T. D. (2021). Attributes and predictors of long COVID. Nature Medicine, 27(4), 626-631. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01292-y

Zhu, L., Shetty, A. R., & Lee, S. K. (2022). AI-driven symptom tracking and diagnostic tools: Transforming senior healthcare. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 145, 105383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.105383

Books

Bosworth, H. B., & Schenck, A. P. (2020). Self-management in older adults: The role of health information technology. Springer. ISBN: 9783030538285

Erickson, K. I., & Weinstein, A. M. (2021). Aging well: Brain health and cognitive function in older adults. Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780190664727

Petersen, R. C. (2019). The new frontier in healthy aging: Artificial intelligence and elder care. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781108792276

Additional Resources: