In our aging society, many retiring baby-boomers are faced with the difficult task of caring for their senior parents. This can be a daunting proposition, especially if your parents have a plethora of ailments. Many times a single patient must juggle instructions for a number of specialists. Each specialist has his own agenda and priorities so there is plenty of room for confusion and sometimes dangerous consequences.
In the case of my own father, he is seeing a cardiologist, an orthopedic specialist, an endocrinologist, a urologist, an oncologist, an internal medicine specialist, an ophthalmologist, an audiologist, and a dentist specializing in geriatric care. Wow- I am tired just listing all his doctors.
The difficulty lies in trying to manage the medicine each doctor proscribes, the instructions for care each doctor requires, and the general plan involved in maintaining the health of each particular ailment with which the patient must contend.
For most of us with busy lives, children and grandchildren to balance, church and charitable responsibilities, and trying to maintain a social life, this task of caring for a senior parent with multiple health issues requires a herculean effort. I have found the responsibility impossible to meet without the aid of a “General” who can coordinate and facilitate all of the various specialists into a manageable plan.
My solution has been to sit down with our internist and explain the difficulties and challenges that need to be met. I asked him to be our “General” and to function as a central command post to deal with each and every specialist so that we avoid any dangerous medical combinations. I have asked every individual doctor to filter all information through our internist. This allows me to discuss with one doctor the overall medical plan to be implemented for the general care of my father. Without this approach, I would feel completely inadequate dealing with so many varied and complicated health issues.
I still need to keep detailed notes and questions, but when I visit our “General” I am prepared to discuss our concerns and inquiries with my father’s overall health as our main focus. Don’t try to do this yourself, enlist a “General” to lead the fight for better heath care for your aging parent.
