Each year, we make countless preparations to ensure the comfort of our homes once the temperatures drop, yet we often wait too long after the first sniffle before contacting the doctor. This year, add “schedule check-ups” to your to-do list to keep yourself—and those you care for—healthy through the coming months.

Regular physicals or check-ups are essential for the person you’re caring for—and for you, as a caregiver. These appointments allow your doctor to assess your overall health, and because these appointments are longer than the ones given to patients who call with specific ailments, you’ll have more time to discuss any concerns.

To make the most of your appointments, take time beforehand to think about any recent changes to your or your parent’s health and lifestyle using the checklists below. Remember to bring along a pad and pen so you can take notes during the appointment. And if the doctor or health care provider suggests something you don’t understand, always be sure to ask for clarification.

For Your Parent

Before the appointment:

• Make note of any changes in your parent’s medical condition, appearance, habits or lifestyle. (Is your dad’s cough worse? Does your mother seem more forgetful?)

• Bring a list of all the medications your parent takes, including those prescribed by other doctors and over-the-counter medications. Ask about potential interactions between any of them or whether any react differently when taken with foods or beverages.

During the appointment:

• Write down vital signs, such as blood pressure readings and weight, and ask for results of cholesterol or blood glucose screenings. Are they within normal limits? If not, what lifestyle modifications or medications will help?

• What vaccines does your parent need? In addition to seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines, ask about vaccinations against pneumonia, shingles and pertussis (whooping cough).

• If your parent has a progressive disease, what changes can you expect in the coming months?

• As your parent’s advocate and an active member of his or her health care team, what can you do to help your doctor deliver the best care possible?

For You

Before the appointment:

• Make note of any changes you’ve seen or that others have mentioned in your appearance or habits. (Have you lost weight? Do you look or feel exhausted?)

During the appointment:

• Ask whether you are due for any screening tests, including:
  • Blood lipid panel
  • A fasting blood sugar test
  • Colon and rectal exam
  • Skin exam
  • Eye exam
  • Breast or prostate screenings

• What vaccines do you need? Be sure your doctor knows that you’re a caregiver and that you can’t risk exposing your parent to—or coming down with—something preventable.