Tips to Help Your Senior Loved One Keep Track of Medication in Conway, AR
A national issue affecting people of all ages, particularly older people, is appropriate and safe drug adherence. According to one research, almost 50% of newly prescribed medications are taken wrongly, and 1 in 5 of them are never filled.
Seniors who have cognitive or memory impairments may find it much more difficult to manage several medications with varying dose regimens.
Medication can heal or lessen sickness, increase life expectancy, and enhance quality of life, but if taken incorrectly or neglected, it can have serious side effects.
Call us at 501-329-2100 to learn how we can assist your loved one in Conway, AR, while they age in place!
Know Your Aging Loved One's Medication Routine
Your loved one must take their medications on time, as prescribed, and according to the recommended schedule. Implementing a basic strategy will assist your loved one in staying on course.
Ensure your loved one takes their medication as directed and you understand its purpose. Examine all labels and accompanying documents. Talk with the pharmacist or doctor to ensure you know the instructions your loved one should follow.
If your loved one takes prescriptions from many doctors, fill all their medications at the same pharmacy to ensure the pharmacist doesn't see any interactions or duplication. Every year or whenever a new prescription is added to the regimen, ask the pharmacist to do a medication reconciliation to look for any overlaps or possible interactions.
Speak with your loved one's physician or pharmacist to find out if the dosages and schedule for their medications might be simplified. To lessen the number of times your loved one has to remember to take their pills, the doctor can prescribe medicine in a different dosage that can be taken less frequently or at the same time as other drugs.
Look for a Senior-Friendly Medication Reminder System That Works
The following practical tips can assist your elderly loved one in remembering to take their medications:
Make an essential checklist
The instructions may get more difficult as the quantity of medications rises. Make a weekly written checklist or grid to track prescriptions and doses.
Use a pill organizer
Medication planning can be made more accessible using a pill organizer. If the drug container is difficult to use and heavy, you can move the medicine inside the pill organizer to ease the pain. Every week, assist your loved one in filling their pill organizer. Find out whether your local pharmacy provides a service that arranges tablets into blister packs that must be taken simultaneously. With the help of these blister packets, both you and your senior can maintain medication organization.
Connect Medicine to Everyday Activities of Your Aging Loved One
Seek out chances to establish a habit. For instance, your loved one could take their prescription while having breakfast or brushing their teeth at night. This can change according to the drug, when it should be taken, whether it should be taken with or without meals, etc. Be sure to adhere to your doctor's or pharmacist's recommendations.
Set alarms
You can call your loved one to remind them to take their prescription or set up a prescription reminder app on your smartphone. Many free applications provide refill reminders, interaction alerts, and the option to share prescription checklists and adherence data with you.
Check on your loved one's pills to track missing or extra doses
Establish a second screening procedure, like pill counting, to ensure your loved one takes their medications on time.
Hire a professional caregiver from Visiting Angels Conway
Having a professional caregiver at your senior's side is frequently helpful if they are still experiencing problems managing their meds despite having a sound system. A committed Visiting Angels caregiver may provide additional eyes to check your senior's comfort and safety.
Visiting Angels Conway Provides Assistance with Medication Reminders
Thanks to Visiting Angels Conway's skilled in-home caregiving services, your elder won't have to remember to take their meds. When it matters most, your loved one will have the company and assistance of a dependable elder care provider at home.
