Non-spouse companions accompanying older adults to medical visits: a qualitative analysis

Medical Visit Companions (MVCs) are encouraged for older adults’ routine medical encounters. Little data exist on the experiences and contributions of non-spouse companions for the growing population of older adults without a living spouse. We conducted six focus groups with forty non-spouse MVCs identified through churches in Baltimore, Maryland. Thematic analysis was used to identify key issues before the visit, during the visit itself, after...