Family support
A trusted family member can help when the patient is a child, teenager, elderly person, or when there are concerns related to addiction, memory, severe behavior change, safety, medicine adherence, or long symptom history.
- Bring someone who knows the patient history well.
- Prepare brief examples of behavior changes, sleep changes, substance use, or safety concerns.
- Keep the patient comfortable and avoid arguing during the visit.
Emergency safety
This checklist is for planned clinic visits. It is not for emergencies.
- For immediate risk of self-harm, violence, poisoning, overdose, severe confusion, unconsciousness, or any medical emergency, seek urgent local emergency care first.
- Do not wait for a routine appointment if the patient or family is in immediate danger.