written by: Stephanie Erickson, MSW, PSW, LCSW
If you have aging parents, you are most likely concerned about their physical, emotional and cognitive health. As your parents get older, they will have medical appointment after medical appointment with a variety of medical professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, etc. Your parents may have difficulty remembering the details of each of these appointments, as one specialist blends into another.
It is important for you to keep track of the dates and times of the appointments in order to remind and follow up with your parents. However, this is not the only information you need to monitor. The following list contains suggestions on how to record the essential details of your parents’ health so in case of an emergency or hospitalization, you have their full medical history available.
- Buy a journal or make an excel spreadsheet that records all of the names, addresses, phone numbers and areas of specialty of each of your parents’ physicians and other health care professionals with whom they have contact.
- Include the diagnosis or problem treated by each of these health professionals, as well as the medication(s) prescribed (dose, times of day, etc.)
- Document the emergency procedure to contact each of these physicians in a time of crisis as well as their normal office/clinic hours.
- Encourage your parents to sign a Consent to Release Information with each professional so you have the legal authority to exchange information. (See our website for a free form).
- Ask your parents to bring a list of questions and concerns to each appointment and to document the answers. Include your questions on this list.
- Document the pharmacy name and location for each medication prescribed so you can discuss any medication concerns or interactions with the pharmacist. Make sure your parents sign a Consent to Release Information at each pharmacy.
- If possible, use only one pharmacy for all of your parents’ prescriptions for better monitoring by a pharmacist of possible drug interations.
- Make a list of all medical diagnosis, medications, surgical history, current treatment regimes, and treating physicians and ask your parents to keep this list in his or her wallet or purse in the case of an emergency. Place a copy of this form on the refrigerator and near each phone in their home.
- Encourage your parents to draft a Mandate, Power of Attorney and/or Living Will so they will be ensured you can act on their behalf if necessary.
The above information is the basic information needed to assist your parents with their overall health. It is equally important to organize all of their personal and financial affairs to ensure that you can provide comprehensive support in all aspects of their life when the time approaches.
For more information or for organizing tools, documents and tips for medical, financial and personal affairs, see our website e-store.