Tips for Helping Seniors Avoid Common Medication Mishaps
Seniors who take multiple medications may need help organizing them in order to take them safely. Helping seniors avoid common medication mishaps will prevent any mix-ups and can potentially save a life. Some medications have strict instructions as to how and when they should be consumed in order to prevent problematic interactions. Here are some tips to help keep medications organized.
1. Make sure pharmacy label says why your senior is taking it.
Knowing what the medication is for will help keep them organized and tell you if there are too many medications for the same issue.
2. Maintain an up-to-date list of all medications.
The list should have the name, dosage, and reason for each medicine.
3. Bring the list or medications when visiting the physician.
This will help avoid any adverse reactions. Include supplements and over-the-counter medications.
4. Know which medications are unsafe for seniors.
The Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults, compiled by the American Geriatric Society, lists medicines that seniors should avoid or use with caution.
5. Monitor compliance in patients with Dementia.
Cognitively impaired seniors may not take their medications or take too many or in the wrong combinations.
6. Minimize the number of pharmacists you use.
Part of a pharmacist’s job is to monitor medications for potential interactions. If they don’t know everything a senior is taking, they can’t protect them.
7. Make a schedule for taking medications.
Taking pills the same time each day can help seniors remember to take them daily.
8. Use a pill organizer to keep medications straight.
A pill organizer can help a senior remember what to take and when. If needed you can use sticky notes or labels to add information such as time or food needed with each pill.
Contact us for more help organizing medications for seniors.