Helping with medical care issues
Getting your personal medical care organised and addressing the many issues involved may be confusing and overwhelming at first, because a lot of information needs to be remembered.
Here are some suggestions for how you might help with your partner or relative’s medical needs:
- Take an active role during visits to see the healthcare professional by asking questions and taking notes but without dominating the conversation. This will allow you to help your partner or relative keep track of information about their heart failure medicines, diet and exercise.
- Help your partner, relative or carer to follow the advice given by healthcare professional with both practical and moral support. For example:
- manage their medicines
- offer to exercise together regularly
- if you smoke, stop smoking at the same time
- buy and prepare healthy low-salt foods that you and your partner or relative will like
- gently remind them why it’s important for them to change their diet
- assist them monitoring symptoms by weighing themselves daily and measuring their heart rate and blood pressure
- Encourage your partner or relative to have influenza and pneumonia vaccinations, if recommended by their doctor or nurse.
- Monitor your partner or relative’s progress. Healthcare professional often rely on family caregivers for information about the patient’s condition, changes in symptoms and progress with diet and exercise recommendations. You can learn more about what to look out for in the warning signs section.
