Just a quick tip on how I advocate for loved ones or elderly parents when I can’t be at every doctor’s appointment with them.
Watch the video below
If you prefer to read it here is the transcript:
00:00:00:00 – 00:00:26:24
So if you have a parent who is aging or elderly, I don’t really like to use that term because it’s weird to have parents that are elderly. I am an advocate for anybody and everybody that wants me to be an advocate for them, and I’ve started to become really involved in my parents medical stuff. And I have a lot of disabilities and chronic illnesses myself, so much so that it’s difficult for me to get out of the house.
00:00:26:27 – 00:00:52:13
So the way that I actually do my advocacy, and I highly recommend this for other individuals who have aging parents or loved ones that you’re taking care of, and you can’t necessarily get away from work every single appointment that they have. I put on a really good pair of headphones, earbuds, whatever. Have you. I asked my loved one to take their cell phone with them and to put it on speakerphone, and we asked the doctor ahead of time.
00:00:52:13 – 00:01:15:01
We say, hey, you know, this is Victoria. She’s my daughter. Or is it okay if she’s on the phone while we’re having conversations? And I sit back with my headphones and I have a notepad the Rocketbook. I freaking love this thing. Because you can, you can wipe it away. it’s it’s great. And then I can have all my notes digitally.
00:01:15:04 – 00:01:44:13
And so I will sit and take notes, and I will ask questions of the doctor. with my experience as a patient and as an advocate, and I find that it’s a very good use of time. It really helps with family members who might be starting to have issues with, remembering things. And then I have direct access to the physicians to ask them the questions that sometimes you, as a patient, forget to ask when you’re in there with them.
00:01:44:16 – 00:02:07:24
Also, before the appointment, a lot of times I will call my loved one and ask them if they have anything in particular. They want to talk about it in the appointment, and I will write that down at the top of my list, and make sure that we actually discuss that with the physician. So again, pair of headphones, ask the physician if you can be on speakerphone with your loved one so that you can listen in.
00:02:07:24 – 00:02:25:22
If you can’t be there in person, and then take copious notes so that when you go to the next doctor and you’re on the phone and that doctor asks you about what happened with the other doctor, you have all of your notes in place. So just a little tidbit. If you have, somebody that you’re taking care of and that you want to advocate for.