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Support Program > Communicating
Communicating
...with health care professionals
Taking care of an elderly or disabled family member usually includes
making sure that a wide range of health care needs are met. There
will be more visits to the doctor, dentist, pharmacy, and specialists,
and there will be many instructions that need to be followed.
Medical appointments
Sometimes elderly and disabled people misunderstand or forget
the instructions that are given by health care providers. The caregiver
may either arrange to go to the appointment with the patient, or
get permission to talk with the health care provider about the
patient’s condition and health care instructions.
 Give
accurate information to the health care provider about your
observations of the patient’s condition.
Ask
questions if you are unclear or concerned about something.
Write
down information from the health care provider so you can
refer to it later and share it with the patient.
Consider
getting a second opinion about recommended treatment.
Medications
Keep a
list of all of the medications and dosages of each that your loved
one is taking, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medications
and vitamins.
Keep
the list current, and be sure it goes along with the patient
when visiting the doctor. Or put all of the containers in a
bag and take them to medical appointments. It can also be helpful
to have a copy of the list in his or her purse or wallet, so
if there’s an emergency away from home, medical staff
will know what medications are being used.
Keep
a list of medications that cause the patient to have allergic
reactions.
When
possible use the same pharmacy for all medications.
Record keeping
Make a file
with the names of all of your relative's health care providers,
including specialists, hearing aid technicians and medical equipment
companies. Add your notes from medical appointments so you’ll
know where to look if there’s a question about what the doctor
said about a particular treatment.
Encourage
your loved one to communicate her or his wishes for future health
care should he or she become incapacitated. Health care power of
attorneys and living wills are referred to as "advance directives".
Forms are available from hospitals and some doctor's offices. To
get forms, you may call the Southwest Washington Medical Center
at 360-514-2045, or your local hospital.
A health
care power of attorney authorizes you to make health care decisions
for your family member if he or she becomes incapacitated. It is
not a general power of attorney, which would authorize you to make
all decisions, medical and financial.
A living
will directs the doctor to withhold life-sustaining treatment if
the patient is terminally ill and unable to state what medical
treatment s/he wants.
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For more information,
call the Family Caregiver Resource Center:
360-694-8144 - Clark County
360-577-4929 - Cowlitz & Wahkiakum
Counties
509-427-9466 - Skamania County Senior
Services
509-493-3068 - White Salmon, Klickitat
County Senior Services
509-773-3757 - Goldendale, Klickitat
County Senior Services
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