Many doctors are offering telehealth visits to keep their older patients from being around potentially sick people in an office waiting rooms. Instead of going to the medical practice, she connects with her doctor over a video chat on a platform like Google Hangouts, Zoom, or Skype.
Your mom’s doctor suggests a telehealth visit as a follow-up to her medication change a month ago. How do these visits work? Are there things you can do to make them go smoothly?
Find a Quiet Space
Set up the laptop or computer in a quiet room. Your mom needs to be in an area where there are no distractions that will make it hard for her to hear her doctor. A den with a door that closes is one of the best rooms.
Choose Good Lighting
To make it easy for the doctor to see your mom, make sure the room has plenty of natural lighting. You don’t want the sun to create glare, so set the computer away from a window. If there aren’t many windows or it’s a dreary day, an overhead light is ideal.
Check Internet Speeds
If your mom doesn’t have a strong internet connection, the lag may become an issue. Talk to her internet provider for solutions about boosting speeds or getting a solid connection.
Have a List of Questions Prepared
Type out a list of questions and concerns for your mom to ask her doctor. If she has a list, it’s easier to make sure she doesn’t forget anything. You can leave space between the questions for her to take notes on things that she needs to remember.
Do a Practice Run
Get your mom comfortable with online chats by doing some test runs. Set up her computer with an application like Zoom or Skype and call your brother or sister. Show your mom how to use her headset and microphone.
Make sure she understands how to end the call and how to get started. If she struggles to use the software, you’ll need to have someone there to help her on appointment days.
Is it time to look into having caregivers available to help your mom each day or week? If you’re having a hard time balancing a full-time job and the care your mom needs, home care services resolve a lot of these conflicts. They can help her get set up for a telehealth visit.
Caregivers stop by and help your mom with the home care services she needs. You stay at work and have peace of mind that she’s receiving assistance with meal preparation, laundry, housekeeping, and more. Call a home care agency to make arrangements.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Homecare in Largo, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
