Does anyone do home visits? I have an elderly patient (my dad)who sees an allopathic Dr. but has responded well to homeopathy, but is unable to travel distances. What is the general view on home visiting and the practicalities etc.? I would be interested in David & Chris' views as he lives in Western Australia.(Does anyone know of a homeopath/GP in Subiaco?)
He has heart problems (broken heart after Mum died, and angina, recently lots of coughing on exertion and collapses where he is taken to hospital by ambulance)Local GP says nothing is wrong just old age, but he showed great improvement when I treated him at Christmas.
Thanks,

[This message has been edited by ozzie (edited 18 March 2001).]

ozzie, much good luck in finding a homeopath that makes house calls. It would be wonderful. In the US, the trend is going back to doctors and vets making house calls. Vets formerly only visited for large animals but are now equiping mobile units and making calls for small animals. More vets than MD's at present, are doing this but it sure would be a terrific thing for a homeopath to do. Wish I could have found one to visit my parents. Maybe your post will start something!

Home visits are a great way to understand the patient. The atmosphere and suroundings tell a lot and are very helpful in finding the right remedy. Some homeopaths prefer to care for their patients this way if possible. One can see the evidence of what the patient says.

I'm not asked to do this much, thank the good lord and her little elves! But then I do make myself available nights and weekends, for "emergencies". I have the advantage that my clinic is attached to my home. However it's not properly wheelchair accessible and for these patients, and vomiters, I would travel without hesitation. I also am very conscious of my personal security.
I remember my first professional real-live paying customer was a mother with 3 children under 2 years of age. She asked me to treat her whole family at her home, and I'd cart as many remedies and as much confidence as I could muster into my briefcase and set forth. Well her husband was an investigative journalist who resented his wife's interest in homoeopathy. He'd glare at me the whole time and my hands were shaking so much I could hardly get the little pills (oh the days of dry doses!) into the envelopes. The twins were continually whining and hitting each other. When I'd get home I'd sit in my car for a 1/2 hour before coming upstairs. Well enough of this soap...

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Chris Gillen
Member AHA (Australia)

Personally I will visit patients - especially the elderly - if they can not get to me and I think most homeopaths in the UK will as well. I know one homeopath who only does home visits.

I also do home visits if the patient can not get to me.
One problem I have found is being interupted! ie people calling at the door or the phone ringing.
When I write to confirm a home appointment now I stress that they need to have a quiet room without interuptions if possible.

Thinking about this a bit more and readin what chrisg said......I guess in this day and age, security must be an issue. For more than just the loud or rude family intruding into your session but actual, real, personal safey. That applies to having someone come to a home office (or any office where you are alone) or going to someone's house. Not nice thoughts to have but I know two people, one a woman and the other a man, who were attacked. One in her home office and the man was actually killed during a home visit. Sorry, this is not something I even remembered when commenting on how nice it would be for homeopaths to make house calls. I guess we live in a world where cautions must be considered.

I work from my home and there is no one else in during the day. The majority of my patients are from recommendation. I'm afraid that I work from the stupid angle of trusting everyone. So far I have been right!!
I remember a discussion at college about thinking about out personal safety.

Rule.1 Make sure you are nearest to the door!!

Rule 2 Have access to a weapon at arms reach like a window pole - well I suppose ther eis usually a plant pot in easy access - but I challenge anyone one to come round quickly after a blow from my Indian edition of Murphy's rep!!!

Seriously though I'm afraid security doesn't even cross my mind. I always send a pack to a potential patient to their address with my details so at least I know where they live and I do have an appointment book.I do not have a plaque outside my house stating that I am a homeopath which may encourage passers by to knock at the door.

Well, I'm afraid I'm just like Ricky in that I haven't given much thought to the idea of security--but I did when I watched that crazy movie about Patch Adams, and saw the homeopath go to the patient's home, where she was killed!!

The comforting thing is that most of my patients are female, often with children. Seeing them in their homes is sometimes problematic if they are busy doing the things that countless women do--looking after children, running a business, etc. Housecalls make doing this kind of thing challenging in that you have to figure out how much money, time, and energy ends up being used in travel..but the bright side of the equation includes having an over- all "larger" totality to examine your patient in, and learning even more about them which is relevant to your casetaking.

Divina

Thanks for everyone's input.
I had considered doing home visits for my own local patients, but my partner was very jumpy about the idea, considering I have already had a couple of really strange people wander into the rooms I rent!
I find it really hard to not trust most people just because of a few bad apples. I guess we don't know who we are going to come across and it's better to be safe than hurt/dead.
I would also like to think that as practitioners we are all above reproach too, although I have had the misfortune to have consulted an allopathic practitioner who tried to take advantage of all his female patients.(He was caught thankfully)That's what steered me in the direction of homeopathy.