If you go with a person to see the doctor, here are a few tips that will help you be an ally and an advocate:
Be prepared. Gather important information beforehand and take it with you to the appointment.
- Take the person’s insurance cards, names and phone numbers of other doctors they see, and their medical records if the doctor doesn’t already have them. You may want to ask the doctor to send you all the forms the person will need to complete for their visit.
- Bring a list with the names, dosage, and schedule of all medicines, vitamins, herbal remedies, over-the-counter drugs, and dietary supplements the older adult is taking. Don’t forget to include those prescribed by other doctors.
- Make sure the person remembers to take their eyeglasses or contact lenses to the doctor’s visit. If they have a hearing aid, make sure it is working well, and they are wearing it.
Ask questions and take notes. This will help both you and the older person remember what the doctor said, and you can share the information with the caretakers later.
Ask the older adult in advance how you can be most helpful during the visit.
Before the appointment, ask the older adult and any other caregivers if they have any questions or concerns that they would like to bring up.
Bring the list of questions, starting with the most important ones, and take notes on what the doctor recommends.
