I phoned the doctor and told him this and asked if I should get hospice or an in home nurse to assess his condition. He reluctantly agreed and an RN has been coming 2-3 times a week. She does the same things he does when he visits him. He is diabetic, has prostate cancer, and vascular dementia. It is all my 86 year old mother and I can do to get him out of bed, eat, take his insulin and daily actiivities. The nurse is communicating with the docotr's office now, and he recently refilled a prescription for dementia but said he needed to see him in 30 days. He takes Prinzide and Atenolol for high blood pressure, Simivastatin for cholesterol, insulin, Avodart, and Namenda. For legal concerns, we live in Ohio. What does a doctor want you do do when you are not physically able to make a visit. He has been going to him for the past 25 years and always kept his appointments until now. What do I do?
I think his doctor does not have much empathy. I'd be looking for another doctor. I would think an ambulance would be too expensive. Sounds like a greedy doctor to me. Can you call an aging council or check into medicare. I'd like to hear the answer too.
I didn't know what to do. So, I called my mom's HMO and they have a "dial a ride" that can help. Also her HMO has guerney transportation since she can no longer hold herself upright. then mom's BP got dangeroulsly low, so I called in hospice. I LOVE these hospice folks. Absolute angels.
Anyhow - now, with hospice in place, all mom's medical needs will be taken care of. No more worries about Dr. visits; or transportion to and from anywhere. Mom will have all her medical needs met right where she lives. Plus, hospice provides comfort care without being invasive. And, they evaluate the patient every 3 months. Mom has a LVN come in 2x per week and a CNA 3x per week to assist with her bathing needs. One of the reasons I love hospice is because now mom gets more one-on-one attention. I can rest easy know she is getting the best possible care.
I switched my Mom from her first doc because the snarky young woman at the front desk would always tell me "bring her in" for minor ailments. When I said it was difficult for her to walk, she said, "take her to the ER." We are no longer patients at that office.
I think more people need to speak up andand ask their docs to have more empathy for the elderly. If it goes unheard, then switch docs.
It is hard enough to get my Mom to the doc or dentist without having to deal with cold front office staff or money-grubbing doctors getting in the way.