August 2021 - iAccompany

Many stresses and pressures revolve around being a caregiver for your loved ones. Oftentimes, caregivers will develop their own physical or mental health issues as a result of the stress they take on. It is human nature to want to care for the people who once took care of us, but it can be a big responsibility.

We at iAccompany are looking to help you alleviate that stress – particularly the stress that comes with attending your loved one’s medical appointments.

At iAccompany, we’ve leveraged the technology we’re all so accustomed to using. By simply opening the iAccompany app or going to www.iaccompany.ca, you can immediately book an appointment for your loved one. A pickup time will be established and a family representative will meet them at the specified location to accompany them to their appointment.

From there, a family representative will sit in on the appointment with the healthcare provider to ensure accurate communication between your loved one and their doctor. Notes will be taken on your behalf, as well as any questions you may have will be answered.

When an adult child lives in another city or cannot attend medical visits themselves, they often get an incomplete picture of what the doctor prescribed. When the adult child tries to gain more information from their elder parent they often get vague responses or misinformation, and following up with the doctor’s office can be unsuccessful.

Following the appointment, the iAccompany family representative will travel home with your loved one and make any stops necessary to pick up medications, complete any lab tests, or for general accompaniment following the doctor’s visit.

Once the patient is safely at home, you will receive a same day post-appointment report of what was discussed at the appointment as well as the answers to any additional questions that were asked on your behalf. The full report is crucial in allowing the adult child to understand and communicate with their parents about their health issues, ensuring nothing is left to chance.

As a working parent – with a family or child(ren) of your own to look after – it can be difficult to keep up with a busy schedule. In addition, the needs of an elder parent can be overwhelming on top of your usual responsibilities.

With our app, our customers can personalize their experience by requesting the same family representative (subject to availability) to accompany your loved one. You can also track their trip to and from the doctors’ office so you can stay connected even if you cannot be there in person.

At iAccompany, we make it easy to continue to care for your aging parents, especially when your schedule becomes overwhelming. It is common to feel guilty, anxious, or stressed when taking care of your loved ones, and we are here to ease that stress.

According to Statistics Canada, 1 in 4 Canadians aged 15 and older said they had cared for or helped someone, who had a long-term health condition, a physical or mental disability, or problems related to aging (2018). This past year was all about looking out for the older generation and taught us valuable lessons. Almost everyone in life will get an opportunity to be a caregiver at some point, whether it be for a parent, grandparent, sibling, or other relative – there comes a time for all to need help.

The majority of people have no problem stepping in when they are called upon. However, life doesn’t always make it so simple.

It is a very difficult transition when adult children start to take care of their aging parents. The majority of the time, elders look to their family members – be it their child(ren), in-laws, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and so on. Family members are the number one support system when it comes to giving long-term care and support to elderly adults.

Whether it be that your elder parent can no longer drive, or they develop a health issue that restricts them physically and/or mentally, something often occurs that demands a little more time and effort from those willing to help.

Often, providing that care is not as easy as it sounds. Time constraints, geography, and other issues often arise and adult children are forced to make difficult decisions.

Although you always want to be there for your loved ones as they age, it is not always realistic in a world of work, extra-curriculars, and taking care of your own family or children.

It can be very stressful for the adult child as they watch their parents age. They want to be there to support them, to bring them to appointments, pick up medications, and discuss action plans with the doctor – but it’s not always easy to schedule and can be time consuming. A challenge to say the least when you consider the balance of your current responsibilities.

Your aging parents’ or loved one’s medical appointments are critical to their quality of life. The appointment is a closed conversation between the patient and doctor. Important details may be left out when trying to communicate with your loved one following the appointment. Such miscommunication can cause problems and leave you feeling guilty for not being there. Even worse, miscommunication can lead to circumstances that severely impact your loved one’s quality of life.

The burden that caregivers often feel can lead to mental or physical health issues for themselves – creating more stress for everyone involved.

That’s why iAccompany is here to help.

iAccompany is an easy to use service that brings you peace of mind when it comes to your loved one’s medical appointments. By providing healthcare professionals to bring your loved ones to and from appointments, asking the questions you are concerned about, accompanying patients for lab visits or to the pharmacy after the appointment, and writing a formal report for you to review on your own time – iAccompany is your eyes and ears. The app makes it easy to book appointments, and even track progress when you can’t be there. iAccompany knows how overwhelming medical appointments can be and is here to make both the lives of your loved ones as well as yours that much simpler.

The Solution

The Problem