Just finished two doctor's appointments in two days and I'm completely exhausted. Mom needs a wheelchair for more than about 100 feet.. They want to see her again in 10 days and Im dreading the effort again. Getting her in/out the facility, In/Out of the car, onto the exam table, onto the X-ray table, rolling her into 3 different positions, etc, etc.
How do the rest of us deal with mobility issues re getting to the doctor's office? It's a huge effort and I'm in pain myself. Is there some speciality service that helps, or?
What kinds of appointments are you taking her to? On the rare occasion mom needs out of facility followup, she is taken in an ambulette. She remains in her wheelchair for exams. We were at the pulmonologist, post- hospitalization last year. He said "you could just pop across the street for a chest xray". I paused. Two years ago I would have done damage to my back and knees wheeling mom across the highway to wait an hour for an xray. After my pause, he said, "oh wait, the nh can do the xray there". Yes. Yes they can.
Why on earth would you get your elderly mother up on an examination table she could fall off of? At some point, you have to start asking why you are doing these things. Less is definitely more.
As I said, I have mom transported by ambulette and I have the NH send an aide with her. they keep announcing that they are changing their policy and won't do this anymore, but I am traveling from nearly two hours away and I point out that anything could happen, I really can't guarantee that I'll actually arrive at the doctor's office in time for the appointment. It's not just mom who gets the therapeutic fibbing, I guess.