One of the toughest parts of caring for a senior parent with Alzheimer’s is trying to get them the care they need as the disease progresses. When dementia becomes advanced trying to get someone with Alzheimer’s to the doctor can be very disorienting and stressful for them, and very stressful for you.
It can take an entire day to get your senior parent bathed, dressed, into the car, to the doctor’s office, and home again. And throughout that time you will need to be constantly watching your senior parent’s mood, making sure they understand what is going on, and paying attention to driving and other details.
But with doctors who make home visits you can skip all of that stress and make a doctor’s visit a pleasant experience for your senior parent. Your senior parent won’t be scared because they don’t know where they are, or upset because they don’t understand what is happening during the doctor’s exam. Doctors who make home visits make it easy for your senior loved one to get the care they need without the anxiety or fear. To make sure that a visit from doctors who make home visits is as effective as possible you should always:
Write Down Any Questions Or Concerns
Before the doctor arrives make a list of any questions or concerns that you want to have addressed. If your senior parent is exhibiting any new symptoms, or if you have noticed that certain symptoms are getting worse make sure you make a note of those things. During the visit the doctor will ask you if you have any questions and then you can bring out your list.
Ask Questions
You can also ask questions during the exam. It’s a good idea to ask why the doctor is performing certain tests or what information those assessments and tests will provide. That will give you a better understanding of the exam and it could help reassure your senior parent if they are feeling anxious about being examined.
Record The Exam
You should use the tape recorder function on your phone or your camera to record the question-and-answer portion of the exam. That way you don’t have to worry about taking notes or forgetting what the doctor said. You will have a recording of the answers to your questions that you can go over later. Often it’s difficult to process all of the information that the doctor is giving you at once. Having a recording will let you go through each question and really understand the answer.
Follow Up With The Doctor
The doctor may not give you a full debriefing of the visit at the time of the visit. It’s a good idea to follow up with a phone call or email to find out if the doctor feels like anything has changed, if your senior parent’s medication needs to be changed, or if there are any other problems that the doctor has noticed. Your doctor will get a much better sense of the big picture concerning your senior loved one’s health after seeing them in their home where they feel safe and comfortable.
Primary Care @ Home treats patients between ages 18-100+ years of age. We specialize in Primary & Preventive Care, Chronic Conditions, Homebound Patients, Geriatrics and Intellectually Disabled patients all in the comfort of our patient’s own homes. If you or an aging loved one in Brownsburg, IN could benefit from our services please contact us today! (317) 471-0774
Dr. Horine treats adults including seniors and those with special needs. Dr. Horine Graduated from Indiana University and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, where he practiced until 2019.
He has a special interest in assisting home-bound patients to remain in their homes and out of the hospital.
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