Returning Home: Doctor Follow-Up

Considering all the activity that goes with a senior’s return home, follow-up doctors’ appointments can be easily overlooked – especially if a senior feels well. But, according to experts, missed appointments are among the biggest pitfalls of a successful transition home.

As life returns to normal, you or a senior may be temped to forgo these appointments altogether. Or they can be easily forgotten. That would be a mistake. Medical appointments are important benchmarks in the recovery process.

Prescriptions may have been updated while your senior was sick or recovering. Perhaps they need to be changed again. Your senior’s doctor may want to run some blood work (which can reveal issues not obvious to the eye) or order follow-up X-rays and CT scans (which can help ensure your senior is on the right track). And incisions and wound care must be carefully monitored.

Another common concern for seniors and their family caregivers is transportation. With so may working family caregivers, getting that older adult to and from doctors’ appointments can be a challenge. You may need:

• Someone to make an appointment if your senior is unable to do so.
• Transportation for your senior to attend follow-up appointments and someone to listen to the physician’s recommendations, clarify for the senior, if necessary, and communicate to the family caregiver.
• Attention to detail while at the doctor’s office also is important. When he or she is with the doctor, the National Transistions of Care Coalition advises that your senior loved one should know these things:
  • Why am I meeting with a health-care provider today?
  • What medical conditions do I have?
  • Do I have a list of all the medicines I take?
  • Besides taking my medications, what else do I need to do (such as get blood tests or other medical tests, change bandages, etc.)?
  • Is there more than one doctor or health-care provider that I must see?
  • Has the doctor who discharged me sent my discharge plan or other information about my health to the doctor I am seeing?
  • Who should I call before my next appointment if I have questions or problems managing my care or dealing with my condition?

If you are unable to be there to provide transportation and support at the doctor’s office, look to other resources to help.