VERA Home Care

Doctors

Tips for Having a Better Doctor’s Appointment

 

As our parents and loved ones start to age, or if there is a complication in their health, they will likely begin to have more frequent doctor appointments to ensure they stay healthy or that recovery is going well. Sometimes, this can be challenging – especially if they are going to appointments alone. It may be easy to misunderstand or misinterpret the information from a doctor, and that may have negative impacts on your loved one’s health.

Unfortunately, it is usually difficult to connect with the doctor after the appointment for clarifications and often, there is a long wait until the next appointment. That means that you and your loved ones should try to get the most out of every doctor visit. Here are a few ways that can help make sure that you and your loved one have a better experience at the doctor’s office.

Prepare ahead of time

 

Before the appointment – maybe a few weeks before – start discussing the visit to the doctor with your loved one and ask them if  there is anything in particular that has been bothering them. When there is no time pressure and time to think, your loved one is more likely to share what has been bothering them and any irregularities they have noticed.

The discussion will also give you an opportunity to ask specific questions to ensure that the doctor will have a clear account of any issues that your loved one faces. It is important to organize all information clearly so that it will be ready for the appointment.

 

Take some notes

 

When you go to the appointment, make sure to bring a pen and a notepad with you. Most of the time, It is very challenging to remember all the information that the doctor shares. Taking notes as the doctor speaks and writing down the important bits of information will help you when you need to recall or reference it.

 

Understanding treatment options

 

The doctor may have several suggestions or recommendations when it comes to treatment options, especially if your loved one is dealing with multiple health complications. When a treatment plan or medication is recommended, it is very important to ask the doctor why they recommend the treatment, what it involves, and what the expected side effects are.  If you or your loved one is uncomfortable with the treatment being recommended, you may ask about alternative options.

 

Get a full medication review annually

 

As often the case, when our loved ones have to manage multiple medication conditions, they might have to visit a separate doctor or specialist of each complication. This may cause your loved one’s treatment plan to get a little cluttered, especially in regard to prescribed medications, as sometimes different doctors do not have the opportunity to interact with one another.

Once a year, it is important to meet with your loved one’s family doctor and ask for a complete medication review to ensure that the combined treatment plan is optimized and as beneficial as possible.

 

Contact VERA Home Care today

 

Did you know that home care workers from VERA Home Care can provide assistance with tasks such as taking your loved ones to their medical appointments and ensuring they are taking their medications on time?

 

Contact VERA Home Care today to learn more!

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