Continuing with my thoughts on home health aides, today’s advice is inspired by the famous Ronald Regan quote, “trust, but verify.” Trust that you made a good hiring choice with the home health aide you brought into your loved one’s life and your home, but always follow-up to make sure they are doing the right things. Ask your loved one if he or she feels comfortable with the aide and if they are getting the care they need. Are things getting done? Make these checks routinely, so you get consistently good care. At work, we put controls in place to make sure the operation is running smooth, and you must do the same thing. Do not make it easy for people to do the wrong thing. Trust what your eyes see and trust what your gut tells you is happening, good or bad.
The “trust, but verify” approach applies to what doctors, nurses and pharmacists tell you to do. Read the prescription bottle label and understand what the medicine is used for, when to take it, on a full stomach or not, and how much water to drink with the pill. Understand potential side effects and what to do if your loved one has an adverse reaction. The Internet puts a wealth of information at your fingertips, so don’t be afraid to do a little research to verify what your healthcare providers are telling you.
Lastly, I would apply this advice to any time you ask your provider or insurance to do something. For example, if you are going to a specialist and need a referral, ask your primary care physician (PCP) to do the referral, but verify it got done before you arrive at the specialist appointment. Same idea with sending medical records or getting films, xrays or any medical documentation, make sure the request gets done, but most importantly, make sure there is follow-through and the records get to where they need to go.
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