With multiple doctors and specialists, a variety of dosage instructions and an alternating schedule of refills, managing a medication regimen can be daunting for anyone, especially seniors.
In fact, a new survey conducted by Home Instead Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, the world’s leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, found nearly one-fifth of seniors taking five or more prescription medications daily have experienced challenges, including keeping track of which medications they have taken and when.
This type of medication management uncertainty can lead to devastating consequences, from an adverse drug interaction, to the need to move to a nursing home. Moreover, this potential risk only multiplies as seniors age or as their number of prescription medications increases.
This can be a difficult subject for families to discuss. In many cases, seniors have been managing this aspect of their lives on their own for many years and may not be fully aware of potential pitfalls. To help families have this critical conversation, Home Instead Inc. collaborated with Dr. Jane Potter, a noted geriatrician. Together, we offer the following tips and resources to help seniors stay safe and independent at home and prevent a potentially life-threatening medication mishap.
- Have a family member accompany a senior to the doctor to ask questions and ensure they understand all of the medications they are prescribed and why.
- Create a list of current prescription medications and over-the-counter medications, as well as any vitamins a senior is taking. Share this list with all medical professionals involved in the senior’s care and keep it updated with any changes.
- Make one doctor the gatekeeper to manage medications and discuss any potential problems with a medication, such as the inability to swallow a pill, or a change in a senior’s appearance or demeanor.
- Use medication organizers, such as a pillbox or printed medication tracker. Or consider ordering medications from a pharmacy, such as Simple Meds, which provides pre-packaged doses of medications and vitamins to help stay on track.
- Be on the lookout for any red flags, such as a full pill bottle, which may mean the medication is not being taken. If this does occur, or you have any other concerns about your senior’s medication regimen, contact the senior’s doctor.
To learn more about these recommendations and resources, or to view a free solutions guide, visit www.LetsTalkAboutRx.com, or call your local Home Instead office at (480) 827-4343.