Here are some helpful hints for communicating with the people in your life who can have the biggest impact on your role as caregiver.

Contact your employer as soon as you know you will need time off from your job. Care giving duties can be time consuming, and working during this time can add significant stress in your life. Talk to your supervisor first and ask for assistance in making arrangements. If your company has a human resources department, contact that office about your company's policy on time off. Family caregivers &mndash; those who are caring for a spouse, child, or parent &mndash; have certain legal rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Family Care America posts an easy-to-read outline of the FMLA details at www.familycareamerica.com.

As a conscientious caregiver, you want to be prepared when the inevitable questions arise. Some doctors set aside specific hours during which they take and return calls. Others ask that non-emergency calls be directed to a particular member of the patient’s health care team. If the printed information received from the surgeon does not tell you how best to contact the surgeon or the healthcare team, contact the doctor’s main number and ask the following questions:

• What days is the office open, and for what hours?
• How are medical emergencies handled?
• Whom do I call after hours? When is the best time to reach the doctor?
• Who answers questions if the doctor is not available?

Make sure you are listed as a trusted contact for the patient. It is important that the healthcare team have you on file so that they can share pertinent patient information with you when you call or visit.

• Be prepared. Write down your questions and be as clear and specific as possible. If you’re calling after surgery to report a change in the patient’s condition, write down all symptoms and the day, date, and time you first noticed these changes
• Make a written list of medications the patient is taking and of the patient’s medical history, including surgeries and treatments not related to this surgery. This simple step may save you time, as this information may be asked of you more than once
• Be honest and complete in talking with the doctor. Don’t be embarrassed to talk about issues that you usually keep private. For instance, if your loved one has become constipated or incontinent, or if his or her usual pleasant disposition has given way to angry outbursts, don’t assume that if you ignore the problem it will go away on its own
• If you don’t understand the answer, ask for clarification. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for further explanation, especially of medical terms
• Keep the doctor informed. Contact the surgeon if your loved one experiences any complications from surgery, such as fever, redness, drainage, or bleeding around the wound site
• View the Patient Guide to Speaking With Your Doctor for a list of questions you may wish to ask

It is important to remember, the privacy of every patient’s medical record is protected by law, and healthcare providers work hard to maintain the confidentiality of the patient’s record. Because laws vary from state to state, before joint replacement surgery check with the healthcare team about what arrangements need to be made for you as primary caregiver to have specific questions answered about the surgery. Some doctors ask patients to designate someone as their caregiver, and hospitals also ask patients to identify a caregiver who can be given information by phone. While general information is available to a caregiver, unless otherwise directed by the patient, only the patient can receive test result information. Doctors will not leave test results on voicemail or answering machines either.

All caregivers need to check with the healthcare team well before the surgery to ensure that patient privacy guidelines are met, and to be sure that you comply with applicable regulations and policies that allow you to fulfill your role as caregiver.

Tell trusted neighbors that you will be away, and ask the neighbors to keep an eye on your home. Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway several times while you are gone to help make your home appear lived in. Also, ask the neighbors to either put your trash out with theirs or to put your trash container out and take it back in for you. Provide those neighbors with a list of phone numbers where you can be reached, and write down the neighbors’ phone numbers for yourself. Call and check-in at least once during your time away.

Before contacting family and friends, find out what information the patient would like you to share with others. You can provide the best possible care for the patient by keeping all the lines of communication open during his or her recovery from shoulder replacement surgery.