These days it can be difficult to get more than a few minutes with a doctor at a medical appointment. It’s important for seniors to make the most of the appointments they have and to be prepared for each appointment. By preparing in advance, seniors can be sure to get their questions answered and get everything they need during their medical appointments. When seniors go to a medical appointment for a wellness visit they should always bring:
An Elderly Home Care Provider or Family Member
During a doctor’s visit, seniors are hit with a lot of information in a very short period. They can easily forget the answers to their questions, medical information, instructions about how to take medications, and other important information. Seniors can have an elderly home care provider or a family member go to medical appointments with them and can write down and remember the information provided in the appointment.
List of Current Medications
Often people just assume that doctors have access to their entire medical record at every appointment. But the reality is that your doctor may only have the information that is on your written chart, and even that may not be complete. Most seniors take an average of five prescription medications. Your doctor needs to know what medications you’re taking and the doses that you take so they can be sure that no medication mistakes are made. A great thing for seniors to do is have a binder that they can bring to all medical appointments that have a list of their current medications and dosages along with other important information.
List of Questions Or Concerns
It’s easy for anyone to get distracted or overwhelmed in a doctor’s office. When seniors are not at their best they may forget important questions they wanted to ask or symptoms that they wanted to mention to their doctor. Seniors should have a written list of questions that they want to ask the doctor and a list of any new or worsening symptoms they’re experiencing.
Health Insurance Information and ID
The doctor’s office should have your medical insurance information on file, but it’s a good idea to bring a copy of your insurance card, a copy of your ID, and any other paperwork that you will need to access care. You can ask the receptionist to put copies in your file or upload copies of all your paperwork to your patient portal.
List of Other Doctors
Just like your doctor may not have an updated list of your current medications, they also may not have an updated list of the other medical providers that you see. If you’re getting care from multiple doctors, like if you’re seeing a specialist, your primary care doctor should know that. It’s recommended that seniors bring a list of all the medical professionals that they are seeing to a visit with their primary care physician so their primary doctor knows what other medical care they are getting.
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