If you are a family caregiver for an aging senior parent or loved one, you probably are familiar with doctors and medical facilities, because as we age, we tend to need more of these services more regularly.
It’s also vital to be proactive about our health and the health of our seniors. Even if they are fortunate enough to not need specialists or have complex medical conditions, you should schedule regular exams for their dental needs, vision, skin, and overall well-being.
If you or your loved one receiving senior care at home are looking for a new doctor, or wanting to change, here are 6 tips to help you find what you are looking for:
1. Know what is important to your senior
This may be different for everyone, so it is important to ask. Some elderly people getting senior care at home want convenience, so quicker waiting times, same day appointments, and a location near their home might be important to them. Others want someone with a great bedside manner, and will look past other things such as longer wait times or an older, more outdated location.
2. Ask around
Reviews on the internet are okay, but you have to take them with a grain of salt since you never know who really wrote them or if they are accurate. That’s why word of mouth referrals often mean so much more. If your senior has friends or neighbors they like to socialize with, have them ask around to see who likes their doctors and why.
3. Schedule a meeting
It’s perfectly acceptable to want to meet with a doctor before choosing them for your medical needs. See if their office will schedule a brief meeting so that you can all sit down and talk about what you are looking for and what they have to offer you.
4. Don’t be afraid to change
If your senior has a doctor or medical professional that they don’t care for for whatever reason, let them know that it is okay to change! There are many physicians to choose from, and many offices that would be willing to help them get the kind of care the they need and deserve, so encourage them to seek out other practitioners if they are unhappy.
5. Ask questions
In order to find exactly what your senior is looking for and not waste time, be up front about what they want and ask questions right away so that you can be sure that everyone is on the same page.
6. Go with your gut
Finally, trust your gut. If something just doesn’t feel right, even if you can’t exactly place your finger on it, keep looking. Don’t settle for less; your senior parent or loved one deserves good care and good medical treatment, and it’s out there so keep looking until you find a place or a person that makes you feel like you made the right choice.
If you are considering hiring senior care in Clearfield, UT, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Ogden, UT. Call today 801-821-4535.