Spouses and partners can discuss Alzheimer's disease with the care team by attending medical visits together with a joint list of questions. Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that impairs memory and thinking, and a second person helps hear and remember the treatment plan.
Johns Hopkins Medicine advises couples to prepare that question list before the visit, according to support guidance from Johns Hopkins Medicine. Bring the person's symptoms, concerns, and goals. Decide who will speak first and who will take notes.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What should you bring to each appointment?
- What should you ask after diagnosis?
- How do you get a written care plan?
- How do you keep your partner's voice in future decisions?
What should you bring to each appointment?
Bring a complete medication list with names, doses, and schedules. Include prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements. Add written questions from family members who cannot attend.
The National Institute on Aging recommends this full list for care partners taking a person with dementia to appointments, described in appointment tips from the National Institute on Aging. Update the list when anything starts, stops, or changes dose. Bring pill bottles if labels are unclear.
- Current medications, doses, and times taken
- Allergies and past side effects
- Sleep, appetite, mood, and safety changes
- Questions ranked by priority, with the top two marked
What should you ask after diagnosis?
Ask for regular medical care and clear next steps. After an Alzheimer's diagnosis, the National Institute on Aging advises patients and partners to ask what to expect, what treatments are available, and what decisions must be made, as explained in next steps after diagnosis from the National Institute on Aging.
Use plain language with the doctor. Ask what each treatment aims to do and what side effects to watch for. Ask when to call, when to return, and who handles questions between visits.
How do you get a written care plan?
Ask about a Medicare-covered visit for care planning. The Alzheimer's Association states that Medicare covers a cognitive-impairment care-planning visit that reviews medical and non-medical treatments, clinical trials, and community services and produces a written care plan, in Medicare coverage information from the Alzheimer's Association.
Use that visit to align daily care. Review driving, home safety, supervision needs, and support services. Leave with the written plan and share it with every clinician involved.
How do you keep your partner's voice in future decisions?
Start future-care discussions early while the person can participate. The Alzheimer's Association advises putting legal, financial, and long-term-care wishes in writing because early planning preserves the person's voice. First agree on end-of-life wishes together, then tell the doctor.
Give copies of advance directives to all providers and confirm the doctor records them in the medical record. Alzheimers.gov notes that caregivers need advance permission to speak with the doctor or lawyer about care, bills, or insurance claims. Advance directives and powers of attorney generally require legal capacity and use state-specific forms. Complete them early and confirm validity rather than assuming one form works everywhere.
