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Medical Aspects Of Care Giving

Overview

As a carer, you are in a position to help your care receiver along the road to good health care by encouraging routine physical examinations. You are valuable in helping the care receiver talk to their doctors and other medical staff. You can follow through with their medical treatment at home.

However, it is important to remember that the primary responsibility for medical treatment rests between the doctor and the patient. If there is any doubt about what you should or should not do, the doctor should always be consulted. You can help your care receiver to understand his or her medical treatment and encourage the care receiver to be involved in making decisions. In medical treatment, it is often tempting to decide what is best for the patient, but it is best to recognize the care receiver's need to choose. We all need control of our lives, and this is especially true for a person who needs the help of others. If there are serious concerns about decisions being made, carers should discuss the matter openly with the doctor.

Keeping Records and Managing Medications

Carers can help maintain medical records for use by the doctor. Arrangements can be made through the doctor's surgery to send for previous records that could be helpful in treatment. This may require getting Releases of Medical Information signed by the care receiver. You also should keep a list of all medications (both prescribed and over the counter) being used. The same medications that are helpful in easing pain, stopping infection, controlling heart rate and keeping people healthy can also cause serious problems.

Because many older adults take several medications at one time, it is possible that these drugs can interact dangerously with one another. If more than one doctor is prescribing medications, it is important to keep each doctor aware of the drugs that are being taken. You can keep them informed by taking all your drugs in a paper sack or a list of all your drugs to each doctor.

Having one pharmacist fill all of your prescriptions is a way to prevent taking drugs that interact and cause problems. Over the counter or non prescription drugs also can cause problems. Talk with your pharmacist before using them.

If you find the medicine schedule confusing or difficult to follow, ask your pharmacist about partitioned medicine boxes.

Last updated 25-02-2013