Dear Carol: I’ve been helping my 84-year-old mom with her medications and doctor appointments. She’s made it plain that she doesn’t want any more medication or treatment than is necessary for quality of life. Even though Mom’s doctor knows this, she still ordered routine blood work and extra tests for heart function, thyroid, and more.
Since I like and respect this doctor and she’s very good with Mom, I’m not questioning the medical reasons for the tests. I’m just confused about why she ordered them knowing what she does. I’ll ask her when we return next month, but is there any non-technical resource I can use to understand medical tests and help me prepare for the discussion? Thanks! – AM Dear AM: I understand your confusion and concern since extra lab work can indicate the doctor isn’t listening to your mom’s wishes.
It sounds as if the doctor wasn’t clear about her reasons for doing this, which is understandable, but unfortunate. Here are my thoughts: You mentioned that the doctor seems to understand that your mom doesn’t want medications or treatments to extend life, and that’s essential information. Still, she needs to know what’s going on with your mom’s health if she’s going to help her maintain the best possible quality of life.
An example might be if an older adult is experiencing low energy beyond what’s expected for their age and medical condition. Lab work could help determine the cause, which may be reversible. A related exampl.
