✔ Keep in mind that cultural differences have an impact on how patients view doctors and medicine.
✔ Ask about patients’ use of alternative and complementary medicines.
✔ Use a professional medical interpreter rather than family members or untrained staff.
✔ Provide written materials in the patient’s primary language.
working with diverse older patients 47
Including Families and Caregivers
By communicating effectively with all the individuals involved in your patient’s care, you can help him or her while also making efficient use of time and resources.
“What would you like your family to know?”
Dr. Hwang noticed that Mrs. Patrick wasn’t getting her medication dosage quite right. Mrs. Patrick admitted that sometimes she does not remember everything prescribed for her to do. Dr. Hwang wondered if Mrs. Patrick should bring her daughter to her next appointment. Mrs. Patrick agreed, but at the following doctor visit she still came alone. Dr. Hwang was puzzled. When he asked her about it, Mrs. Patrick said that she was concerned her daughter wouldn’t let her speak for herself and that she has some personal issues she’d like to discuss with him that she doesn’t want her daughter to know about. Dr. Hwang assured her that he would keep her involved in the conversation about her health and that they could have some private time to discuss any personal matters. Next time, Mrs. Patrick brought her daughter to the visit.
Family and informal caregivers play an important role in the lives of their loved ones. They also play an increasingly important role in how the health care system functions.