To gather a complete medical history requires time and preparation prior to asking the patient any questions. It is important to allow time for the elderly to answer questions and make sure a complete past medical history is obtained. During this visit, we can see the daughter’s concern about her mother’s condition, ask patient about her chronic conditions, is medication helping with pain, ask her if she is taking any over the counter medication, vitamins, herbs, ointments, eye drops or cream. Most the time, patients only consider prescription as medication. With the elder population it is very important to ask if she is sharing medications with friends, this is important to assess patients for medication toxicity or adverse effects. Ask patient
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Is she receiving meals on wheels? They provide food once a day for 5 days, as providers we need to make sure the patient is receiving good nutrition. Is she following any special diet? Do you eat bananas, prunes, raisins? Patient is receiving HCTZ, which can cause hypokylemia if she is not receiving enough potassium supplements. Some of the symptoms of hypokylemia include depression, psychosis, delirium, confusion, palpitations, nausea or vomiting. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (2015), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) showed to lower high blood pressure and improves levels of blood lipids; this will reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This would benefit this patient due to the fact that she has hypertension and hyperlipidemia. It is also important to ask patient when the last time she had an eye exam or dental exam was. Do you have dentures? This could be reasoning as to why the patient is not eating well and signs of malnutrition. Does she exercise? If so how often? How is her mobility? Does she use any adaptive device (walker, cane, rollator)? According to the American Academy of Family Physicians almost all older people can benefit from additional physical activity. Regular exercise protects from chronic disease, improves mood and lowers chances of injury. Regular exercise provides a myriad of health benefits in your mom and dad, including improvements in
Is she receiving meals on wheels? They provide food once a day for 5 days, as providers we need to make sure the patient is receiving good nutrition. Is she following any special diet? Do you eat bananas, prunes, raisins? Patient is receiving HCTZ, which can cause hypokylemia if she is not receiving enough potassium supplements. Some of the symptoms of hypokylemia include depression, psychosis, delirium, confusion, palpitations, nausea or vomiting. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (2015), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) showed to lower high blood pressure and improves levels of blood lipids; this will reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This would benefit this patient due to the fact that she has hypertension and hyperlipidemia. It is also important to ask patient when the last time she had an eye exam or dental exam was. Do you have dentures? This could be reasoning as to why the patient is not eating well and signs of malnutrition. Does she exercise? If so how often? How is her mobility? Does she use any adaptive device (walker, cane, rollator)? According to the American Academy of Family Physicians almost all older people can benefit from additional physical activity. Regular exercise protects from chronic disease, improves mood and lowers chances of injury. Regular exercise provides a myriad of health benefits in your mom and dad, including improvements in