When you are the primary caregiver for an aging loved one, there are many factors to consider. Doctors visits and healthcare providers are at the top of the list. When your loved one develops health issues, you may not be sure where to take them.
Should they visit their primary physician? Should they go immediately to the emergency room or an urgent care facility? There are justifications for each of these options. The key is knowing the appropriate situation for each trip.
Emergency Medical Concerns
Senior citizens experiencing a critical health emergency should go to the emergency room. These types of emergencies can include suspected cardiac events. Other emergencies can involve stroke symptoms or shortness of breath in individuals with asthma or COPD. These events require immediate medical treatment and deeper testing. There are some questions worth asking yourself in these circumstances:
- Have they fallen?
- Are they confused or disoriented?
- Are they experiencing chest or abdominal pain?
Urgent Medical Care
There are times when a loved one requires immediate medical treatment, but it is not a medical emergency. If you bring a loved one to an urgent care facility, it may be when their primary care physician is not immediately available. Walk-in clinics are designed to assist with minor injuries. These can include low-grade fevers, simple fractures, UTIs, or cuts that require stitches. It is important to keep in mind that urgent care facilities are unique. The facilities do not all possess the same testing capabilities.
Routine Health Concerns
Seniors should go to their primary care physician for regular check-ups. Their primary physician is the one who will have access to their medical history. When determining the best physician, it is worth asking about their appointment scheduling policy. If they are under the umbrella of a larger healthcare group, same-day or next-day appointments are easier to get. Even if these appointments are with a covering physician, it eliminates the unfamiliarity of bringing a loved one to an urgent care center.
These quick decisions will typically not involve primary care physicians. Instead, they relate to whether or not you should bring a loved one to the hospital. While urgent care facilities are the more affordable option, it is not always the appropriate choice. Even in these types of stressful situations, it is important to rationally consider the best healthcare options for each individual.