{"id":7580,"date":"2016-01-31T07:10:09","date_gmt":"2016-01-31T13:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.senioradvisor.com\/blog\/?p=7580"},"modified":"2015-11-18T13:21:48","modified_gmt":"2015-11-18T19:21:48","slug":"why-you-should-get-to-know-your-aging-parents-doctor-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d30braiqprupoq.cloudfront.net\/blog\/2016\/01\/why-you-should-get-to-know-your-aging-parents-doctor-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Get to Know Your Aging Parents\u2019 Doctor Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why You Should Get to Know Your Aging Parents\u2019 Doctor Now\"Why<\/span><\/h1>\n

According to geriatrician Elizabeth Eckstrom, co-author of The Gift of Caring<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, the best time to build a relationship with your parents\u2019 doctor is while they\u2019re healthy. It might seem awkward or odd to accompany healthy parents to their checkups, but doing so lays the groundwork for communication and care management later on. Here are some tips to get started now, so you can provide better support for your parents if they have a health crisis later on.<\/span><\/p>\n

What about HIPAA?<\/h2>\n

You\u2019re probably already familiar with HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), the federal rules on patient privacy and confidentiality, and you may wonder if it means your parents\u2019 doctor can\u2019t discuss their health with you. HIPAA allows healthcare providers to <\/span>share<\/strong><\/a> patient information with their family caregivers<\/strong><\/a> unless patients state that they don\u2019t want that information shared. So as long as your parents give their permission, you\u2019re allowed to accompany them to doctor appointments and ask questions while you\u2019re there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, showing up is just part of the process. Your relationship with your parents\u2019 doctor and your role in helping manage their care, will depend on your parents\u2019 preferences and the state of their health.<\/span><\/p>\n

While your parents are still healthy<\/h2>\n

This is when Eckstrom recommends meeting your parents\u2019 primary care physician or geriatrician, although she acknowledges that most of us don\u2019t do so. Many of us meet our parents\u2019 doctor for the first time when they\u2019re having a problem. In that case, we\u2019re dealing with worry, fear, and other strong feelings while coping with a new caregiving role and getting to know the physician. Supporting your parents through health problems is easier if you\u2019ve already met the doctor and understand his or her communication style. You\u2019ll also already know how forthcoming your parents are with their doctor, and you\u2019ll be more comfortable asking questions about your parents\u2019 care.<\/span><\/p>\n

When your parents have health issues<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re helping your parents manage health or memory problems, you\u2019ll want to develop your note-taking skills. One of the most important ways you can help your parents is by writing down their doctor\u2019s instructions on diet, exercise, medication, and other care instructions. You can also put yourself in charge of bringing a list of all your parents\u2019 medications and supplements to each doctor\u2019s appointment, to review which ones are still necessary, which ones can be changed or stopped, and which ones may conflict with each other. <\/span><\/p>\n

Before, during, and after visits with your parents\u2019 doctor<\/h2>\n

The United Hospital Fund\u2019s Family Caregiver Guide<\/a><\/strong> includes a long <\/span>list<\/span> of tips for family caregivers who attend doctor appointments with a parent or spouse. <\/span>Before the appointment<\/b>, write out your parents\u2019 medication list, ask them what issues they want to discuss with the doctor, and mention things you want to ask about. Decide before you go whether your parent wants you in the room during the exam or while discussing sensitive topics with the doctor. You may want to be in the room for only part of each visit, especially if your parent is in good health.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the doctor\u2019s office<\/b>, listen, take notes, and ask questions if there are things you don\u2019t understand. If you think your parents aren\u2019t being forthcoming with their doctor about symptoms or mobility\u2014for example, if they don\u2019t mention crushing fatigue or bouts of dizziness you\u2019ve observed\u2014you can ask about those symptoms. <\/span><\/p>\n

After the visit<\/b>, ask your parents if their questions were answered, whether they felt your presence was helpful, and if there\u2019s anything they\u2019d like you to do differently next time. Share your notes with your parents so you\u2019re all on the same page for caregiving and for the next doctor visit. The sooner you start this routine with your parents, the more natural it will be later on when it\u2019s crucial to their wellbeing.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why You Should Get to Know Your Aging Parents\u2019 Doctor Now According to geriatrician Elizabeth Eckstrom, co-author of The Gift of Caring, the best time to build a relationship with your parents\u2019 doctor is while they\u2019re healthy. It might seem awkward or odd to accompany healthy parents to their checkups, but doing so lays the groundwork for communication and care […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2198,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[200,29],"tags":[30,45],"class_list":{"0":"post-7580","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-families-caregivers","7":"category-caregiving","8":"tag-caregiving-2","9":"tag-senior-health"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy You Should Get to Know Your Aging Parents\u2019 Doctor Now<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The best time to build a relationship with your parents\u2019 doctor is while they\u2019re healthy. 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