“How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine.”
If you live abroad and your parents are getting older in Nigeria, that answer can carry a lot of weight.
You may be thousands of kilometres away, trying to understand someone's health through phone calls, family updates and whatever information reaches you after a hospital appointment.
You cannot manage every part of a parent's health from another country.
But you can make sure the important information isn't scattered across six relatives, three hospital cards and someone's memory.
Here's a practical place to start.
1. Know Their Current Medical Conditions
Create a simple record of diagnosed conditions.
For example:
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Heart conditions
- Eye conditions
- Previous surgeries
Don't rely entirely on memory.
Update the list when something changes.
2. Keep an Updated Medication List
Know:
- Medication name
- Dose
- How often it is taken
- Why it was prescribed
- Who prescribed it
This becomes particularly important when someone sees multiple doctors.
Do not change or stop prescribed medication remotely without appropriate medical advice.
3. Know Which Hospital They Normally Use
In an emergency, “Where does Mum normally go?” shouldn't require a family debate.
Keep:
- Hospital name
- Address
- Main phone number
- Doctor/specialist where relevant
- HMO details
- Emergency contact
somewhere accessible to the people most likely to help.
4. Pay Attention to Mobility
Ask questions beyond:
“Are you sick?”
Can they still walk comfortably?
Use stairs?
Get in and out of bed?
Go to the bathroom independently?
Have they fallen recently?
Are they avoiding activities because of joint pain?
Changes in mobility can affect independence and may point to health concerns worth assessing.
5. Don't Ignore Falls
If your parent mentions falling, find out what happened.
Was it a trip?
Dizziness?
Weakness?
Poor vision?
Joint pain?
Has it happened before?
A repeated pattern deserves more attention than “Daddy is getting old.”
6. Keep Track of Appointments and Results
Where possible, maintain a simple shared record of:
- Upcoming appointments
- Tests requested
- Results
- Follow-up dates
- Changes in medication
The goal isn't to supervise every appointment from abroad.
It's to reduce the chance that an important follow-up disappears because everyone assumed someone else was handling it.
7. Have a Local Person Who Can Step In
Someone physically nearby matters.
Agree on a trusted relative, family friend or caregiver who can help with appointments or emergencies when necessary.
Make sure they know where important medical information is kept.
8. Have an Emergency Plan
Know:
- Who should be called first
- Which hospital to use
- How transport will be arranged
- Where identification and HMO information are kept
- Which family member can accompany them
Build the plan when everyone is calm.
Health Doesn't Become Less Important Because Someone Says “I'm Fine”
Supporting ageing parents from another country will always involve some uncertainty.
The aim isn't to monitor every symptom.
It's to make sure that when something changes, the family has enough information to respond intelligently.
Banby Specialist Hospital provides medical and specialist care from Akobo, Ibadan, for patients across different stages of life, including older adults.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.