Senior Care: Studies show that around a quarter of Americans don’t see doctors regularly due to the cost.
A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that over a quarter of men and women don’t take prescribed medications due to the price. Some cut doses in half to make them last longer. Use these senior care tips to help.
How well is your dad doing when it comes to his healthcare needs? If he’s likely to forget things, you may need to start helping him with his prescriptions, appointments, and vaccinations. Here are six things you should be doing to make sure your dad is focusing on his well-being.
Check Out His Health Records
Most medical and dental practices now have online systems where you can look up test results, recommended tests and vaccinations, and health information. If your dad hasn’t signed up, you should help him create an account.
This makes it easy for you to see when he needs to visit his family doctor, dentist, and eye doctor. If he has a test result to go over, you can go over it with him. If he needs to schedule an appointment, you can do that online. You’ll also be able to message medical professionals with questions or concerns, which gives you input on what to do next.
Keep Track of His Paperwork
When his doctor gives him a printout with medical instructions, keep that printout in a safe location. For example, if he had a mole removed for biopsy, he might have stitches that need to be removed after a week or two. Some dermatologists may say he can remove stitches at home. If that’s the case, you need to have the instructions for suture removal available when it’s time.
Schedule Exams and Make Sure He Has a Ride
Schedule his dental and medical exams so that he has someone to drive him. He may be okay driving, but some tests make it unsafe for him to drive home. This includes having his pupils dilated for an eye exam or after a medical procedure like a colonoscopy.
Senior Care Tips: Look Into Transportation Services
When you’re busy at work, your dad is more likely to schedule his medical appointments. Few doctors have hours on weekends or later in the evening. How does your dad get to his appointments if you’re not available to drive him?
Call a senior care agency and ask about transportation services. He can have caregivers available to drive him to appointments, take him shopping, or run errands with him. Back at home, his caregivers can help him with meals, housework, and medications. So he gets the care he needs without you needing to take another day off.