Posted on 27 December 2011 Posted in Individuals & Families

Today, 22.4 million households provide care to a family member over fifty, according to the American Association for Retired People (AARP). What does this all mean for you? Well, you may be called upon to be a caregiver for your elder mother, father or both. On average, according to AARP, caregivers spend eighteen hours a week or more taking their parent or parents to their doctor appointments, grocery shopping, helping with financial issues, and being the single source of support.

Even if your parents remain at home, move in with you or relocate to one of the many senior housing options, children of aging parents are often responsible for tracking down and distributing a complete medical history and health records from multiple doctors. Often vital health records are not transitioning from one doctor to another and this can easily result in medication errors, life-threatening drug interactions, unnecessarily repeated tests and sometime misdiagnosis. A patient's Personal Health Records (PHR) must be as complete as possible and available when and where it is needed.

Activ Doctors Online Personal Health Record has the ability to help improve your health literacy by having access to your parent’s PHR anywhere- at anytime. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "When people receive accurate, easy-to-use information about a health issue, they are better able to take action to protect and promote their health and wellness. And, are better able to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions".

Activ Online Doctors gives you complete access to your parents’ past and present medical history, prescriptions, vaccinations, allergies, surgery reports, tests and screenings, exams and more. Need a second opinion? As a member you also have access to a network of doctors worldwide to consult with without ever leaving your home.

You'll provide better care for your parents by not trying to do everything yourself. If you are an adult child managing your parent’s healthcare, you are not alone. There are many resources available to help you to determine what housing option is best, what care giving tasks you may be uncomfortable performing, and most importantly, where to look for help. For support and more information, visit AARP's resources on elder care.

With Activ Online Doctors you will be better equipped to navigate the healthcare needs of your parent- giving adult children peace of mind.