Volume 1; Issue 5
September 25, 2009

Welcome to this issue of The Dementia Caregiving Encourager. We’re glad you’re here!

I (Paula) was having a discussion with my children the other day about languages. One of them asked me what the definition of a language is. In thinking of a definition I was reminded of all of the new terms Lanette and I had to learn while caring for our Mom.

Dementia was barely a part of our vocabulary 10 years ago. Neither were terms like Amyloidal Plaques, Brain Fitness Exercises, or “The Long Goodbye.” Dementia caregivers have to learn a whole new set of skills and a whole new language to go with them.

We are working on a Glossary for our site. Not only will this list contain the definitions of the terms above, it will also include many other terms plus definitions and explanations for other words and terms you will find throughout our site.

If you have an idea for words or terms for us to include would you let us know? We want to make Dementia Caregiving 101 into a site that will help you and provide what you need.

If you have any comments or suggestions for The Dementia Caregiving Encourager please contact us. We love to hear from our readers.

Blessings!
Paula Farris & Lanette Stultz
http://www.DementiaCaregiving101.com

Another Doctor Appointment?

We spent hours waiting for what was usually a very short, but (sometimes) necessary visit with the doctor. Here are a few tips we found that helped make these times easier and more productive.

Schedule appointments with each physician on certain day of the week. For example, if your loved one regularly sees a podiatrist, a chiropractor, a neurologist, and their PCP. Schedule all the podiatrist appointments on Tuesdays, the chiropractor appointments on Wednesdays, etc.

The reasons for this set up are (1) it helps you to not be confused about which doctor you will be visiting on any given day, (2) it allows you to become familiar with the office staff who normally work on that day of the week, and (3) it helps you to avoid double booking more than one appointment on the same day or at the same time.

Allow plenty of time to get to the appointment. Plan ahead for prep time at home, including meals and grooming if necessary. Also plan for the time it takes to get into and out of the car, to find parking, to walk to the office, and to fill out any paper work that may be necessary.

Our Mom did not respond well when she was rushed and there is also the possibility of the unexpected that may cause delays so be sure to allow plenty of time to arrive at the doctor’s office.

Bring an updated list of all medications your loved one is taking, including any vitamins, herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements. Having this list to just add to the patient’s file makes it much easier and more efficient to convey this information.

Update the master copy of the list each time a prescription is changed, added, ended. Then be sure to bring a new copy of the updated list to the next appointment.

Supply a copy of this list to each physician. We found that our Mom’s doctors didn’t often communicate with each other so one of them could prescribe something and the others would be puzzled as to why she was taking it.

It is also a good idea to review this list with the PCP at least every six months to make sure that each medication is still necessary and that the dosages are at the correct levels.

Make sure to supply each Dr., lab, clinic, hospital, etc. with a copy of the dementia patient’s Medical Power of Attorney, Living Will, Advanced Directive, and any other relevant documents.

Our Mom had signed a Do Not Resuscitate Order. This document helped some of her physicians make informed decisions in how aggressively to treat her for certain things. It was important that every doctor involved in her care knew who to contact for help in making these decisions.

Keep a list of questions to ask and take notes about the answers and the instructions that the doctor gives.

A digital voice recorder may be an easy way to do this. Just be sure to remember to listen to the recording when you get home and write down the information that you need.

Since doctor’s appointments may be a very time consuming, but important part of your and your loved one’s lives we hope these tips help to make them easier to handle.

Activity Idea

Download and print the Medical Information forms here. Then get a three-ring binder, or a paper folder insert the forms and let your loved one decorate the medical forms folder with colored pencils, crayons, markers, and stickers. You could make a different colored folder for each doctor if you like.

Keep all the folders in one area and bring them all with you to appointments with the Primary Care Physician as this doctor will need to be aware of all of the prescriptions, tests, treatments, etc. that have been ordered by other doctors.

Thanks for Joining Us!

We look forward to visiting with you again soon.