Whether you’re considering an assisted living facility or planning to continue as a primary caregiver for a senior loved one for a significant period of time, the relationship you and your loved one have with their primary physician is very important. This person is vital to a senior’s well-being, and a good relationship ensures they’ll always have the highest quality care available.

At Cozy Retire, all our staff is trained to interact properly and professionally with physicians and medical staff. Here are some basic tips we can offer on maintaining a good relationship with your loved one’s physician.

Document Symptoms

Most physicians tend to be busy, and your communication with them will be easier if you’re organized with specific concerns in advance. A good tool here is documenting any negative symptoms or major areas that you may want to address, from sleep habits and activity levels to nutrition and other areas. A day or two before your appointment, go through and collect your important notes to present to them.

Follow Orders

Research shows that as many as half of all medical patients do not follow doctor orders, particularly those with chronic health conditions. These people are exposed to repeated office and hospital visits, plus negative symptoms. In addition, failing to follow doctor’s orders can erode trust and damage the relationship you and your loved one have with them.

Create a File

Another good area to look at when it comes to staying organized so as not to waste your physician’s time is keeping a file for your loved one. Keep all their test results, prescribing physicians, allergies, contact information and other important documents. Have extra copies available in case your physician needs some. This can make it much easier to coordinate care between multiple physicians as well, if needed.

Show Respect

Above all, be respectful to your physician. Senior health and changes to it can lead to high-running emotions, and there will be times where you’ll hear news you didn’t want to hear – or even that you don’t agree with. While it’s okay to seek second opinions and feel strongly, always be respectful.

For more on maintaining a great relationship with your loved one’s physician, or to learn about any of the services we provide in our retirement home, speak to the caregivers at Cozy Retire today.