Getting Information About Your Loved One's Health at the Beginning of Your Caregiving Journey

Posted: 4/7/2016 9:03 AM by Interim HealthCare
When you first start taking care of your elderly loved one, you may not realize everything that you're up against. Asking the right questions from the start can help you to get the information that you need to make the right decisions.

Are You Having Health Issues?
Your loved one may not have been forthcoming about how she's been feeling lately. Often this happens not because your loved one is trying to hide anything from you, but more because she's used to dealing with her health on her own. If you're beginning a caregiving journey with your loved one, though, you really need to know what you're up against.

When Were You at Your Doctor Last?                                               
If your loved one is reluctant to share information about current health problems, you may need to backtrack to this question. You might be surprised to find out how often your loved one has or hasn't been to her doctor. She could be avoiding a visit because she's afraid of what he'll tell her. You may need to help her set and keep an appointment so that you can get a baseline of her current health.

What Did Your Doctor Say?
You might be equally surprised to hear that your loved one actually has been keeping regular doctor's appointments. If that's the case, then it's important that you know what he had to say about her health and any issues that she's having. Her doctor may have recommended a specific diet or even treatments that can help her to feel better.

Are You on Any Medications and What Are the Side Effects?
As a caregiver for your elderly loved one, you really need to know what medications she's taking for her various health conditions. Knowing the side effects for each medication helps you to be alert for signs that something isn't right with your loved one. If your loved one isn't certain about side effects, talk with her pharmacist to get a full picture of interactions and symptoms to watch for.

Starting out on a caregiving journey with your elderly loved one can be a little rocky, but it doesn't have to be.

If you have an aging loved one in need of home care contact Interim HealthCare today.