Family caregivers, do you know that you are your loved one’s advocate? Yes, you are. You speak on their behalf especially in important situations such as meeting with their doctor. They will need someone to speak for them or relay the doctor’s instructions to them so that they can duly comply. As your providers of non-medical home care in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we can also be your alternate advocate during the times that you have to take a personal break, or when other issues arise and you can’t accompany your loved one.

Here are important items you should be guided with when visiting their physicians:

• Be ready with documentsVisiting their doctor needs preparation as they will be asked for compliance monitoring. Whether it’s a first-time or follow-up checkup, the medical documents are important for the physician to provide accurate diagnosis and treatment. Prepare their medical history information and other pertinent diagnostic results, as necessary. Ensure that these documents are ready ahead of time.
• Write down remindersAs the doctor relays the instructions, it helps if you have your own personal reference. Write your own notes so that you can remember what the doctor said even weeks after the checkup. You can do the traditional pen and paper, or the smart way of using your mobile phones. What’s important is that you have made your own record.
• Feel free to askYou can always ask the doctor about some areas of concern that are not clear to you. You would want to be on the same page with your loved one’s physician. Some patients suffer the consequences of non-compliance simply because they assumed they already understood what the doctor instructed, only to find out that there was a different instruction given. It’s best that you both know what you’re talking about when the doctor gives the instructions.
• Know the treatment optionsBe mindful that there are many different options for your loved one’s treatments. Make sure that you ask these from their doctor so you can be clarified with. If your loved one also has multiple medications, don’t forget to ask about how they work and what their side effects are. Some medicines react with one another. It’s vital that you have to relay this with the doctor so they can make adjustments as necessary.
• Work with healthcare teamWith help from our team providing home health care in Pennsylvania, coordinate with the rest of the professionals involved in the overall care of your loved one. This way, you can be given sufficient information as to what your family member needs.

Remember these tips the next time you accompany your aging beloved to their doctor. While you make these visits, you can also request our team of home care services provider to finish chores at home so that your loved one can return to a relaxing setting. At Angels of Care LLC, we help provide excellent care to your loved one at home.

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