On any given day, a doctor typically has about 20 patients to see – in addition to phone calls, paperwork, and other administrative duties. It leaves precious little time spent with each individual, which is why it’s crucial to maximize that time and ensure you clearly understand the outcome of each visit.
At Amy’s Helping Hands, our care professionals provide transportation and accompaniment for seniors to medical appointments, and suggest the following strategy:
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. With such a time crunch, your doctor may tend to relay information to you quickly, and it’s up to you to hit the pause button to make sure you clearly understand everything that’s being said and to speak up with any questions you may have, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant you may think they are.
- And, plan ahead for those questions. It can be hard to process everything being shared with you in the few minutes spent with the doctor. Preparing a list of questions in advance will help ensure nothing slips through the cracks. Some questions to consider include:
- What are the long and short term effects of my condition?
- What might be the cause of this condition?
- Is there a cure?
- Where can I find additional resources?
- Will I need any medical tests?
- Are there any potential negative effects from those tests?
- When will I receive the test results?
- What medications are available to help with my condition?
- What are the possible side effects of these meds?
- Are there any lifestyle changes I should consider making?
- Take good notes. Bring along paper and a pen, or utilize the notes section of your smartphone or tablet, and note answers to your questions along with any other information the doctor provides. It can be helpful to have a trusted family member or professional caregiver on hand during the appointment to help make sure everything is captured.
- Include other medical professionals. Bear in mind that although the directions provided by the doctor are paramount, others in the senior’s medical team can offer valuable insight as well: nurses, pharmacists, physician assistants, dieticians, physical therapists, etc. Check in with these professionals for additional help in carrying out the doctor’s directions if warranted.
At Amy’s Helping Hands, our Ontario home care professionals are always available to help seniors through medical appointments and procedures in a variety of ways, and to help implement doctors’ recommendations after returning home. We can provide transportation, medication reminders, preparation of meals that are in adherence with any prescribed dietary plan, and many other tasks to ensure optimum health for seniors. Contact us at 519-915-4370 to learn more!
