In a recent New York Times article, the author and physician shared a story of a recent interaction between herself and a family caregiver to his father. At the end of the caree’s appointment, the physician noticed how worn the family caregiver looked. You’re tired, she said. His eyes filled with tears.
You’re the first doctor who’s asked if I’m tired, the family caregiver explained.
Some physicians are a fantastic asset for the caree and the family caregiver. Some are just wonderful for the caree. Some, well, some just seem to be clueless.
Consider the writer/physician’s own observations in her article (see Doctor and Patient: Offering Care for the Caregiver):
“It comes as no surprise, then,” Dr. Pauline Chen writes, “that physicians now rarely, if ever, learn about what a family caregiver or health care aide must do unless they are faced with caring for their own loved ones. We doctors don’t know or aren’t always fully aware of what it takes to care for a patient after we leave the room.
“In other words, for the 37 million people attending to the health care needs of a relative, partner, friend or neighbor, our best care goes only so far.
“‘If you look at the amount of time devoted to actual caregiving, the physician contributes a very modest amount,’ said Dr. Arthur Kleinman, a professor of medical anthropology and psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and now a family caregiver himself.”
So, we’d love to know, what question would you love a physician to ask you? (Be sure to listen to Table Talk on Saturday at Noon CT when we’ll discuss our poll results.)
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