What do you do if your parent is bedridden and must use a wheelchair or stretcher to go to any kind of doctor appt?

I have the same problem with podiatrist...often wondered why they didn't help me get her on their chair (from wheelchair) even when I ask for help. The assistant gets you to the room and then scurries away for a bit. Seems to return once she knows you have wrangled her onto their chair. The most difficult part is their chair is huge and there is only a small area to position a wheelchair to get it close, help lift mom, and then move the chair while holding her up. Other doctors do the exam while she's in her wheelchair. Perhaps it's just a common liability thing for podiatrists...who knows. Last time I took her I just said, I can't do this by myself so look at her feet while she's in the wheelchair.

As for calling an ambulance to go to ER - ask others in your area how it works. In Houston, they have tried to stop people from abusing ambulance transport and if doesn't appear you are dying, they will tell you to call a cab. Mom has history of spinal compression fractures and had to call them at one point when she could not get up, walk, and I was unable to lift her onto wheelchair. First the firetruck comes - they tell me I can put her in the car and take her to her dr. Explain I can't lift her. Next ambulance comes and we go through same conversation and which point I tell them if I could lift her into a chair and take her to dr I would have already done it - I weight 113 and she's nearly 190 - I manage what I physically can without help and this one is too much - explain compression fracture history again. Finally after explaining this to EACH man who was on firetruck and ambulance, they agree to load her up. At 95 years old and looking at situation, no one should have to beg them to take her to er.

We use a home health service for my grandparents. Medicare does cover the doctor/nurse practitioner PCP. I think we pay 50 or 60 for the podiatrist, but transport would be so much more expensive and it's always an ordeal for my grandmother.
I also have to say, that doctor's office doesn't sound very good. Even when we could still get my grandmother to offices in a wheelchair, there was no way we could get her up on the table. When a doctor needed her there, they would call for a couple of techs to help. We never had a problem with that.
Best of luck with your Mom.

I finally had to accept that my loved one (LO) needed doctors that would come to the house. You may be at that stage too now. I don’t think you will have too much trouble finding a podiatrist who makes housecalls. This had greatly reduced the need to run my LO to the ER.

If she can’t tell you when/where it hurts, it can be an excruciating decision as to what to do. I wish there were easy answers to this one.

I would find a new medical provider

It sounds like your M is a candidate for Hospice care. Ask her Primary Care Physician for a referral. Now to the podiatrist: if she can sit in a wheel chair and could move enough to get her into the front seat of a car, you should hire a Home Health Aide to help you take her into the Dr. office and transfer her to the table as required. Probably the reason the Dr. or nurse won't assist you is for insurance liability reasons. Although a podiatrist may have her seat in a chair like a dentist chair while the feet are being examined. Anyway having a Home Health Aide who is trained and used to moving people should be able to cope.

I have same exact problem so my mother has private pay Aide & she transfers mother from wheelchair to his chair. His chair goes up & down & arm swings out of way. My mother has dementia & can’t walk or stand. She had big toe infection. He put her on clindamycin & a cream. I had to clean it first 2X day , then once a day & it’s better. My mother screams, yells & carries on like she’s being murdered. I thought podiatrist was making a Federal case out of one freaking toe, but I went along with it until he said it’s not infected anymore. Also my mother didn’t always want to take her oral antibiotics. I asked him what if she refuses...he said to take her to ER!!! Well, I wasn’t going to take her to ER just for a toe. Well, that’s my story. I couldn’t understand why podiatrist couldn’t treat from wheelchair & she raise her feet on his chair...? Probably for liability reasons. Oh I almost forgot to you, I had podiatrist come to the house, but she left as soon as my mother started screaming. The one she has to go out of house for is not easily frightened by her... he used to treat her when she was walking....& b4 dementia.
Hugs 🤗

Alright. I'm sure you've had this question answered in the comments (I haven't read them), but I'll say what I would do if I were you.

1. Rent a wheelchair that reclines if she doesn't already have one. Or change her wheelchair to this type. That way she doesn't have to get on tables at doctors appointments, they can just recline her in the chair and then you can raise legs with the leg rests.

2. Have someone go with you to her appointment to help her get on the table.

3. If all else fails, then an ER trip is something you have to do. I've learned that an ER trip is perfectly okay to do for whatever is going on. Just because it's not something major, it's still something that needs to be looked at. She needs care and so you should take her any place that will do so.

Hello redroseman; I have a podiatrist come right to my house to trim my mom and Aunties toenails!! Their alot of podiatrists do this .....because it it a necessary but difficult task you do not have to leave home just look on line for podiatrists that do home visits and its covered by medicare!! The podiatrist that comes also treats other ailments eith the feet and we NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!! GOOD LUCK!!

I used to pick my mother up and place her on the table at the Drs office.

Are there any mobile doctors / nurse practitioners in your area who could visit at the home?

My mom was able to sit in her wheelchair while they did work on her so look around for other dr who will help - start asking around at senior centres because those on the ground know where to get help or will steer you where to get help because they have a friend who needed too

Toenail fungus is not deemed a medical emergency. An urgent care clinic may handle this if explained well, e.g. why the patient didn't go to the podiatrist.

Sorry to hear you are having these problems. When my Mom was declining and difficult to get to the doctors’ offices I somehow found a foot doctor that made house calls, we used him several times. Prior to that we went to a foot doctor where all the staff seemed really careful and helpful to Mom who was in a wheelchair and had some difficulty walking. Maybe you could ask around or call a couple of offices and see if anyone might make house calls. Towards the end we found a doctor/physician assistant that made house calls. Unfortunately she broke a second hip and had to go to a nursing home before we could take advantage of the house calls. I hope you can find some caring doctors to take care of your mother. Care giving is difficult. Knowing when to go to the ER can be challenging, sometimes it felt like all they do is give out medicine. Good luck.

My mom was in the same boat. She weighed 200 lbs & was dead weight...it would’ve taken professional body builders to put her on the table. Her Dr. would do all the basics with mom in her wheelchair, but if a UTI was suspected it meant a trip to the ER just to get a clean urine sample.