Preventive health care is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for all people. It is especially important for people with developmental disabilities. People with developmental disabilities may be at increased risk for disease and health conditions because of their disability. Often these conditions can be avoided with proper preventive care and screenings.

Frequently, people visit their health care provider only when they are sick or injured. People also need to visit their doctor when they are well, for a preventive health care check-up. In general, individuals with developmental disabilities should see their health care provider for a check-up about once a year. As a direct support professional, you can help the individuals you support to set up and go to this important appointment.

At a preventive health care check-up, the person you support will have a complete physical exam, which includes tests to make sure that the person’s health is good. The doctor will know what risk factors may make the person more likely to develop a disease or health condition in the future, and will run tests to check for early warning signs of these as well. The doctor should also take time to talk about health concerns or questions you or the individual you support may have.

If the doctor discovers any concerns during the exam, he or she will develop a treatment plan and work with you and the individual you support to help treat and monitor the condition.

Remember, a check-up is a good time for you and the people you support to bring up questions or concerns about their health. Make sure you ask questions until you understand what the doctor is saying. By understanding the doctor’s instructions, you will be able to support individuals as they work to improve their overall health.

FACT FOCUS: Preventive Health Care and the IPP

As a residential service provider, you have an important role in the planning team process to make sure a person’s health care needs are met. Here are some of the important things the planning team can do:

• Develop the Individual Program Plan (IPP) based on recommendations from the person’s doctor, as well as theindividual’s current health status, family history, gender, age, and their skills, abilities, and needs.
• Include information about how often preventive physical exams and other routine health care are needed.
• Include activities that promote the best possible health for the person you support, such as exercise.
• Remember—good health care requires teamwork between you, the person you support, the regional center and their doctor!

Making the Most of a Visit to the Doctor

Many people feel overwhelmed by planning and making the trip to see a doctor. People with developmental disabilities may find it especially challenging to navigate the health care system. As a direct support professional, you can help the individuals you support to make the most of each visit to the doctor. Here are some tips you can follow.

Before the Doctor’s Visit:

• Talk to the person you support and others involved with her health care decisions to identify any health concerns.
• Bring a list of the medications taken by the person you support, including over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
• Make a written list of concerns and questions to bring to the doctor—try to focus the list on the top three concerns.
• Help the individual practice asking these questions before the visit.

Encourage the individual you support to be honest with her health care providers about her health, and about the family’s history of any health conditions. This will enable her doctor or nurse to conduct screening tests that can catch potential health issues before they become serious.

At the Doctor’s Visit:

• Always arrive early or on-time.
• Support the individual to participate as fully as possible during the appointment.
• Bring the list of the medications and check it with the doctor, to see if anything about the medications should change as a result of the exam.
• Bring the list of questions and concerns.
• Make sure these questions get asked, either by you or the person you support.
• Write down the doctor’s instructions.
• If a treatment plan is developed, make sure the person you support can follow it.

It is very important to make sure that you and the person you support understand the doctor’s recommendations and instructions on the steps you should take. If you don’t understand what the doctor is saying, ask
questions until you do understand. This is especially important when the doctor prescribes a new medication or identifies a new health concern.

After the Doctor’s Visit:

• Make sure you and the person you support know when the next appointment should be scheduled.
• Check with the person you support to see how they felt during the appointment.