Por qué su equipo de atención utiliza herramientas de evaluación para saber cómo se siente
If you or someone you care for is living with a serious illness, like cancer or kidney disease, you may wonder why your doctor asks lots of questions through assessment tools “tools” (forms, text prompts, etc.) to learn how you’re feeling. These tools help your care team understand how you’re doing physically, emotionally, and in everyday life. They’re used to guide conversations during your visit.
But when you’re already managing symptoms, treatments, appointments, and your daily responsibilities, these tools can sometimes feel overwhelming. This can be especially true if you’re a cuidador who is completing them for someone else, such as a person living with demencia. If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. This blog explains how assessment tools are meant to help—and what you can do if they start to feel like too much.
Why Assessment Tools Are Used
Assessment tools help your care team better understand what you’re going through and how things may change over time. They can help your medical team:
- Notice any síntomas that may not come up in conversation
- Understand estrés, worry, or emotional strain
- Learn how your illness affects your daily life
- Make sure any important concerns aren’t missed
- Check for changes to your serious illness over time
This information helps guide your appointment so your care team can focus on what support may help you most. The goal is to understand how you are feeling and monitor the progression of the illness; not to give you more work.
You Can Ask for Help
You are an important partner in your care. It’s always okay to speak up if a tool feels confusing or overwhelming. If you start to feel this way, some things to consider saying include:
- “This feels like a lot today. Is there another way to do this?”
- “Can someone help walk me through this?”
- “Can I fill this out privately or outside of this visit?”
Your care team wants assessment tools to work for you.
Assessment Tools Support Both Patients and Caregivers
Caregivers are often asked to help with assessment tools or complete them on their own. This can be helpful, but it should always feel respectful and comfortable.
Your care team may ask whether you’d like to complete these tools together or separately. There’s no right or wrong choice. What matters most is that everyone feels safe sharing honestly (and that information shared will be kept private).
Turning Tools into Conversations
Assessment tools are meant to guide conversation, not replace it. Depending on the visit, your care team may:
- Review tools with you instead of having you fill them out alone
- Explain why a tool is being used before you start
- Pause if strong emotions come up and talk through them with you
At the end of the day, your care team is focused on what matters most to you. When used this way, assessment tools help build understanding and trust.
It’s Okay to Slow Down
There may be times when filling out these tools feel like too much, and that’s okay. On those days, just let your care team know that you don’t have the energy to do them, or just want to briefly fill them out. Other days, you may have the energy to go into more detail. Your care team will work to meet you where you are.
A Final Thought
Assessment tools play an important role in helping your care team make thoughtful clinical decisions about your care. If you ever feel overwhelmed or just not right, it’s okay to ask for support or clarity.
You deserve care that feels supportive, respectful, and centered on what matters most to you. And that’s where palliative care comes in.
¿Qué son los cuidados paliativos?
Cuidados paliativos Es atención médica especializada para personas que viven con una enfermedad grave. Este tipo de atención se centra en el alivio de los síntomas y el estrés propios de una enfermedad grave. El objetivo es mejorar la calidad de vida tanto del paciente como de su familia. Los cuidados paliativos son proporcionados por un equipo especialmente capacitado de médicos, enfermeras, trabajadores sociales, capellanes y otros especialistas que trabajan en conjunto con sus otros médicos para brindar un apoyo adicional. Son apropiados a cualquier edad y en cualquier etapa de una enfermedad grave, y pueden brindarse junto con tratamientos curativos.
Acerca de GetPalliativeCare.org
ObtengaCuidadosPaliativos.org Es un recurso en línea para pacientes y familiares que se centra en brindar información sobre cuidados paliativos (y otras formas de apoyar a las personas que viven con enfermedades graves) desde el momento del diagnóstico. En GetPalliativeCare.org, puede obtener más información. cuestionario corto para ver si la persona a la que está cuidando podría beneficiarse de los cuidados paliativos y encontrar un proveedor cercano. El sitio es proporcionado por el Centro para Avances en Cuidados Paliativos.
Aprende más about palliative care and how it can help you.
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