People often tell me that one of the most stressful times for the family is a trip to see the doctor. Here are some tips to help you get ready for a visit to the doctor:
Make the appointment for the person with Alzheimer's best time of day and when the office is not going to be very crowded.
Make sure that the office staff is aware of the person's disease before you arrive and ask them to help make the visit go smoothly.
Don't tell the person with Alzheimer's about the visit until the day of the visit or even until right before it is time to go if visiting the doctor makes the person nervous. Be positive and matter of fact.
Take something that he or she likes to eat or drink and any activities they might enjoy.
Have another family member or a friend go with you so that one of you can speak with the doctor while the other stays with the person.
Take a list of history and medications.
Make sure the person with Alzheimer's sees a doctor on a regular basis as this is the best thing you can do to help prevent medical problems.
