Holy Screw-Up, Batman... This Could Happen to You!

Let's call this an ALERT BLOG. One that could save a life! "Am I A Health Advocate"? was the title of a previous blog I posted highlighting the responsibilities associated with being an effective health advocate for the loved one in your care. These responsibilities included: • Familiarizing yourself with your loved one's current health condition • Understanding your loved one's physical and emotional needs • Ensuring the doctor's recommendations are being followed • Reviewing the list of medications and possible side effects Given what I just experienced, I now realize I left out two important responsibilities: • Don't assume anything • Ask health care professionals as many questions as necessary until you fully understand and are satisfied with the answers I want to relay a personal story that recently occurred. You have heard me mention my mom, Vivian. Vivian is a young 87 years old and although she's in good physical shape, unfortunately, from time to time she experiences cognitive issues that are brought on by clinical anxiety. When this occurs, Vivian needs outside support to navigate through a normal day. As a result, my mom lives in an assisted-living complex. It is a beautiful facility with a full-time medical staff on premise, prepared meals and a host of activities for the residents. Naturally, all these services result in a fairly hefty monthly bill. On top of that, because Vivian takes quite a few medications, she (correctly) decided to pay an ...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news