In the United States, 50,000 people age 80 and older are hospitalized every year due to emergency drug reactions.
Many common prescriptions are characterized as high-risk medications for people 65 and over. These drugs can have serious health consequences when not taken correctly or not monitored. This includes commonly prescribed medications for diabetes, hormone replacement therapy, urinary tract infections, allergies, heart and gastrointestinal conditions, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs.
Are Seniors Taking Too Many Drugs?
It is rare to find an adult who doesn’t take at least one prescription medication. About 25 percent of people age 65 to 69 take at least five prescription drugs. Among people 70 to 79, 46 percent are taking more than five prescription drugs.
Risks of Too Many Medications for Seniors
As people age, they may have more medical problems. Examples include diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, dementia and osteoporosis. This means they are more likely to take several medications. A contributing factor in falls is medications, especially multiple medications.
Multiple Medications Can Have Adverse Effects
The more medications someone takes, the greater the risk of side effects. These include dizziness, fatigue, mental confusion, sleep problems, appetite problems and dehydration. In a Canadian study, 12 percent of seniors taking more than five prescription drugs had to visit a doctor or emergency room because of bad side effects.
Doctors Don’t Catch Everything
Medical professionals are responsible for thoroughly assessing their patients. However, in real life, doctors can miss the big picture and prescribe a medication with only one specific reason in mind. So, doctors can miss the potential adverse effects of combining medications. Also, different doctors can prescribe medications that are fine on their own, but have negative side effects when taken together.
Are Medications Taken Correctly?
As a caregiver, you may assume medications are being taken as prescribed. Don’t assume that what your parent or spouse tells you is true or accurate. Go through all the bottles of medications. Check prescribing physician, refill dates and expiration dates.
Keep Track With a Medication List
Take the time to find out what condition each medication is treating. You may be surprised to find that your parent or spouse has medical conditions you didn’t know about. Write down each medication. Also record the amount, time of day and any contraindications.
Reasons People Don’t Take Their Medicine
Your parent or spouse doesn’t understand why he is taking a particular medication. Therefore, he thinks it isn’t important. Get involved. Call the prescribing physician. Ask why particular medications are being prescribed. Better yet, attend the next primary care appointment. Inform the primary care physician if any other doctor is prescribing medicines. Ask the primary care physician if all the medications are necessary. Can some be eliminated or dosages reduced?
Check out the Family Caregivers Video Guide to Managing Medications. Pills aren’t the only medications you may have to address. This guide talks about insulin injections, eye drops, suppositories and patches.
Make Organizing Medications Easier
A simple pillbox is best for people who don’t have cognitive or physical issues. You can fill them or a nurse can fill weekly. You could use one simple pillbox for each time of day—morning, mid-day, evening, or use a twice a day double-sided dispenser.
Consider systems that automatically dispense medications with reminders. One easy-to-use system is Med-Q. Keep in mind that you or a medical caregiver will need to fill the medication dispenser every week. However, it will be much easier for the person taking the medication to have timed, audible and visual reminders.
Call us if you need support managing medications and caring for a loved one. Our trained caregivers can provide support to fit your schedule.
Caregivers at Home Care Assistance are available for daily and hourly respite care for your loved one to help protect your health and focus on yourself, too. Contact Amanda Butas, a certified dementia practitioner and your Mesa client care manager, at (480) 699-4899. Our caregivers can help your loved one thrive. You also can visit us at our office next to Bed Bath and Beyond, located on Power and McKellips roads, at 2031 N. Power Road, Suite 103.