Most seniors will need to go to the doctor multiple times a year, especially if they are dealing with chronic illnesses. Even if they do not go into the clinic they may want to do a telehealth appointment. This means your senior needs to be prepared to either leave the house or talk about any health problems. Unfortunately, this can be hard for your loved one. They may not be well prepared, they may forget what they want to talk about, they may forget symptoms and this can make the appointment harder than it needs to be or they may not get the problem solved and need to go back again. A senior home care provider can help them through the process.
Here are some of the ways senior home care can help your loved one prepare for a doctor’s appointment.
Senior Home Care Can Keep a Health Log
One of the most important reasons for a senior to work with a senior home care provider is they will help a senior keep a health log. This means notes on what medications they are taking, when, any side effects, feelings, and more. Senior home care will document a senior’s health every day and this can be crucial for a senior to bring to their next doctor’s appointments. It can also help a doctor understand what is going on every day in the senior’s home. All observations can go into this notebook or binder and that is something a senior should always take to any upcoming appointments. If a senior gives home care permission they may even be able to go into the doctor’s appointment to take notes to put in the binder to look through later on.
Plan To Leave Early
Seniors move slower, they may need more help getting out of the house, getting in the car, and anything else that pops up along the way. Going to the doctor can be an all-day event. Senior home care should get your loved one up, dressed, and ready to go before the doctor’s appointment, and they should always leave earlier for the appointment. Most of the time a senior will already be stressed about an appointment and running late can add to the stress which means your senior loved one will always associate the doctor with bad feelings and emotions. Making the plans to leave early can help them feel in control and a doctor may even have time to take them in early. It never hurts to sit in the waiting room for the doctor!
Find Transportation In Advance
Your senior loved one may not drive and this can stress them out or even make them avoid the doctor. However, you or senior home care can help your loved one by providing transportation. Senior home care should always get the car warmed up or cooled down to a good temperature before helping a senior in the car. This also allows senior home care time to move the car so that a senior can get to it more easily. They can back the car up, open the doors, and make the transition from the house to the car way easier for a senior.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in North Knoxville TN, please contact the caring staff at Senior Solutions Home Care. (865) 539-5224
Senior Solutions Home Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Knoxville, Old City, Fort Sanders, Old Sevier, Edgewood, North Knoxville, Forest Heights, Sequoyah Hills, Knox County, and surrounding areas.
Over the years, we have expanded, providing service in all 95 counties throughout Tennessee, and we now have a growing presence in Georgia.
Senior Solutions is recognized as a top 5% independent agency and a three-time Inc. 5000 honoree in 2018, 2019, and 2020. These types of awards matter to us because they show growth in our goal of eventually touching a million lives. We’re excited to continue that growth and to touch even more families with our commitment to quality care!
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