Visits with primary care physicians allow seniors to discuss health concerns, and together they can make appropriate decisions about treatment and care plans. Older adults need to be ready for these conversations and prepare lists of things to share during their appointments. Continue reading to learn more about concerns the elderly should address with their doctors.
1. Severe Symptoms
Seniors with the flu, common colds, or cognitive conditions should never lie about their symptoms. Keeping this information from their primary care physicians could cause the conditions to worsen. To increase their recovery odds and lower the risk of death caused by viruses or age-related diseases, seniors must be honest about the severity of their symptoms.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of homecare families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s
2. Alcohol Usage & Smoking Habits
If your senior loved one drinks alcohol or smokes cigarettes, he or she should share this information with the doctor. The physician could offer recommendations on how to limit alcohol use and stop smoking. Discussing these habits allows the doctor to educate your loved one about their effects and why addressing them is vital to his or her health.
3. Stressors
When the primary care physician asks how your loved one is doing, he or she should answer honestly. Remind your loved one that the doctor isn’t prying. The physician is simply trying to get a better understanding of your loved one’s physical, mental, and emotional health. This would be the perfect time for your loved one to discuss stressors. The doctor can provide stress management strategies.
4. Lack of Support
Seniors need to speak about the type of care they’re receiving at home. If your loved one is unable to pay for home care, especially after receiving hospital treatment, his or her doctor could make it mandatory during recovery. As a result, the costs of in-home care might be covered by your loved one’s health insurance provider. A primary care physician can also give your family contact information for nonprofit groups and government agencies that either cover the costs of professional home care or offer discounted services.
Living with serious health conditions can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Roseville seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.
5. Medication Problems
Seniors who are experiencing side effects from medications should share this information with their doctors. Some side effects cause physical and mental setbacks or prevent other medicines from working correctly. When your loved one shares the effects of medications, his or her doctor can prescribe alternative medications or look for ways to treat a condition naturally.
6. Eating Habits
Doctors need to know what seniors eat to correctly diagnose their problems. Failing to disclose eating habits could prevent the physician from assessing the situation correctly and developing a proper treatment plan.
7. Pain
Aging adults need to report pain, regardless of where it is. Chest pain could be a sign of cardiovascular issues. If your loved one is experiencing neck discomfort or pain in the left arm (if your loved one is male) or between the shoulder blades (if your parent is female), he or she could be experiencing a heart attack. Many seniors stay quiet about these sorts of issues, especially if the pain goes away. However, mentioning it to the primary care physician allows the doctor to run the proper tests to determine the cause.
If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of Roseville in-home care. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping. Call us at (916) 226-3737 to learn about our comprehensive in-home care plans.