The Patient is the team owner.
As the owner you are expected to take an active interest in your care. Expectations include:
- Provide information to the home health aids, nurses and physicians about your symptoms including pain and mental state
- Be familiar with your illness and ask questions if you don’t understand.
- Learn as much as possible about your illness .
- The more you know the better you will be able to become actively involved in your own management.
- Keep a journal to assure key questions are not forgotten; take notes about your disease and management plans.
- Establish a strong working relationship with your home health aid who will be your primary care giver.
- Assist in designing the daily management plan during your home health aid’s and nurse’s visits.
- Involve your family whenever possible in your care.
- If you become too ill to make decisions they will understand your wishes
- Discussing management issues with your family will allow you to make wiser decisions about your care.
- To bounce back from your illness and achieve greater resilience it is important to have a strong social network, and your most important social network is your family.