A letter for sharing what you’ve seen with your parent’s doctor before the visit, and a prep sheet for getting the most out of the appointment.
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3 pages, ready to print on standard letter paper.
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What’s on it
- A letter to the doctor describing the changes you’ve seen
- A prep sheet for the days before the visit
- Room for your parent’s own questions, and your three most important ones
- What to say if you hear “it’s just age”
- Space for notes during the visit
How to use it
Send the doctor a short, factual letter a few days ahead, written as if your parent will read it. Call the office first to ask how it prefers to receive the letter and have it added to the medical record.
A letter ahead of time means your parent doesn’t hear your concerns for the first time in the exam room, and the doctor has time to respond. HIPAA doesn’t stop the doctor from reading it.
Where it comes from
This tool comes from Chapter 3, “Getting the Right Medical Check,” of When Mom or Dad Can No Longer Manage Alone by Mark Duda. The chapter covers how to get the right medical check when something seems wrong.
Related reading on this site
- Why Your Parent Seems Fine at the Doctor but Not at Home
- How to Prepare for a Memory Appointment (So the Doctor Sees What You See)
- Signs a parent needs help at home
- Medication Schedule: a free printable daily and weekly chart
- Blood Pressure Log: a free monthly tracker
- Blood Sugar Log: a free monthly glucose tracker
All 18 tools from the book are on the printable tools page.
The tools may be printed and copied for personal use within your own family. They are not medical, legal or financial advice.