Age At Home Service Now Providing ‘Safe Distancing’ Senior Care using a Telehealth APP

With the world focused on the coronavirus, seniors still have other medical conditions they are dealing with.

Even though seniors are allowed to see a doctor under stay-at-home orders, they are understandably concerned about going out. They worry they might be exposed to other sick patients.

Your Aging Life Care Manager understands their concerns as well. That is why we are thrilled to announce that Age At Home Service is now using the *Medici telemedicine platform for continuity of care for our seniors. This does not preclude in-person visits, but can significantly decrease exposure to the virus, depending on the senior’s condition and medical vulnerability.

Here are a sample of questions we ask to prepare seniors for their medical visits, whether virtually or in person:

What is the main reason you need to see your doctor? By answering this question, we help the doctor focus on what is bothering them.

How long has this problem been going on? If this is a new medical or health issue, the doctor needs to know how long they’ve been dealing with it. Or maybe this is an ongoing problem before, but this time they need some help from a doctor.

How much is this problem bothering you? Other related questions might include:

• Is this problem making it difficult to perform usual activities? If so, how does it affect them?
• Does it keep them up at night?
• If they are in pain, how bad is it? Is it constant, or does it come and go?

Is there a specific place on your body that you are having this problem? If so, where? Does it move around? Have a rash? Is it spreading?

Does anything make this problem better or worse? For instance, does it get worse after eating? Or maybe they feel better after lying down. These are clues that may help he doctor figure out underlying conditions.

Have you tried anything to take care of this problem? Have they taken any medications for this problem? If so, which ones and how much? Did they help?

Is the problem getting better, worse, or staying the same? This can help the doctor decide what needs to be done next, what types of treatments they may need, and how quickly they need these treatments.

Are you noticing any other symptoms that occur along with the main symptom? Some types of illnesses and conditions have a pattern or group of symptoms. Letting us know about these can help the doctor figure out what is going on.

What do you think the problem is and/or what are you worried it might be? Letting your geriatric care manager know about concerns helps the doctor identify the issue. This question involves the senior in the process.

Why do you need to see the doctor today? Let us know what changed, what is new, or what is different about a condition. Is there something in particular that caused them to decide to see a doctor today?

Even though these questions focus on new onset problems, some of these questions may still apply to longer term or chronic conditions. The main question your doctor will ask in this case is: Have you had any change in your condition since your last visit?

Gather all medications
If your senior will be having a virtual visit with your geriatric care manager or doctor from your home, bring all of your medications to one location before your video call.

Or if you aren’t at home, make a list of the medications you are currently taking so you can answer questions your doctor may have about them.

Be sure to include any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, and supplements you are taking. This can help your doctor understand how you’re treated for your existing conditions and see if any drug interactions or reactions may contribute to your current symptoms.

Make a list of your own questions
We all hate it when we leave the doctor’s office and think, “Oh, I wish I had asked about…”

This process streamlines the communication system between the senor, the Geriatric care manager and the health care provider. These series of actions help keep seniors safe, save time and resources, and provide best practices at this unprecedented time of contagion for our most vulnerable population.

These simple prompts assist seniors get the best care and continuity of care during the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. Call us anytime to set up a call.