Does my doctor need to know about other concerns?

Posted: December 28, 2016, 3:45PM

As we continue to look at talking to our physicians, the issue of "non-medical concerns" arises.

The more our physician knows about us, the better able he/she is to help make care decisions. What might be included in this range of topics?

What if a serious illness affects me? Your question to your physician may be "What if I get very sick and am unlikely to recover?" or "What if I get very sick and unable to make my own decisions?" You can specifiy your wishes through Advance Directives.

One directive is the Medical Power of Attorney. The Medical Power of Attorney grants authority to your agent(s) to make healthcare decisions for you if you are unable to speak for youself. The Medical Power of Attorney allows you to give specific instructions on the type of care you would like to receive.

Another directive that can help is the Living Will. A Living Will is a document that records your end-of-life wishes when you are terminally ill or unconcisous and no longer able to speak for your yourself.

Make sure your physician knows what you want with your medical care, and knows your views about end-of-life care. Advance directives are legal everywhere in the United States but laws concerning Advance Directives vary from state to state. West Virginians can read about Advance Directives and download forms from the WV Center for End of Life Care. Other resources for documents are your local hospice organizations and area agencies on aging. You can also contact Altenheim Resource & Referral Services for forms specific to your state.

Another issue that we may face is driving. This is an important part of our daily lives but it is important to remember that driving is a privilege not a right! Talk to your physician (or your family member's physician) if you are concerned about your driving or the driving abilities of a loved one. Medical conditions can be reviewed to see if there are treatable problems. Vision and memory tests can be done. Perhaps a driver's refresher course would be helpful. AARP sponsors driving refresher courses in many areas, and there are also online options for the courses.

Is independent living an issue? Sometimes we or our family members need some help to remain in our homes or we may not be able to stay at home. This might be in home assistance, assisted living or it may be nursing home care. There are forms that will help us make the determination of how much help we need, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and offer "talking points" to discuss with our physicians. (The Daily Task Appraisal and Should My Relative Live Alone? are found under Helpful Information on this website.) It is also important to consider costs of care and safety.

Paying for medications can be an issue. If we can't afford our medications, we can compromise our health. Talk to your doctor about your prescriptions. With the many drug coverage plans, your physician may not know what your medications will cost. Ask your pharmacist before filling a prescription. Check your drug plan. There may be a generic medication that would cost less. There are also prescription assistance programs available through pharmaceutical companies. Many suppliers such as Kroger and Wal Mart have medications available that are cost-effective. If you are a Medicare beneficiary and have a drug plan, you may qualify for extra help.

If we can help with questions on any of these issues, contact us. Most often, we can email you information!