Many Senior Citizens take three or more medications every day. Mistakes with pills can lead to severe complications. High-quality communication between Senior Citizens and their healthcare provider plays a crucial role in safe medicine use. So, talk about your medicine with your doctor and pharmacist. Ask questions regarding directions, precautions, and side effects. Seniors should also share information with healthcare providers about any prescriptions and over the counter medications you take. Carefully read the written information that accompanies the medicine and save it for future reference.
Talk About Your Medicine Month
Each October, the Be MedWise Program hosts “Talk About Your Medicine” Month to highlight the importance of communication between patients and providers. Better medication adherence leads to better health outcomes. So, Seniors and their caregivers should have honest conversations with medical professionals. Ask questions to understand dosage instructions as well as precautions and side effects. Also, talk about what medicines you are already taking. Moreover, patients who take multiple medications can create a chart with the name of each pill. Note the purpose, dosage, and time of day. Keep this information handy to share with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.
What Caregivers Can Do
Senior Citizens who take multiple daily pills have a higher risk of medicine mix-ups. So, caregivers should talk about medicine with Senior Citizens and help keep track of them. If different caregivers assist with medicine throughout the day, keep a log of the time each dose is administered. It is crucial to also talk about medicine mishaps. If your Senior accidentally takes the wrong pill or dosage, record the event and watch for side effects. Then, if your Senior requires medical attention, the doctors will know the type, dose, and time the medication was taken.
Stay independent longer with the help of Anita’s Angels, Inc. Quality in-home care can help prevent medicine mix-ups. Our Aides can help Senior Citizens keep track of their daily pills. Anita’s Angels, Inc. – We Are Families Helping Families. Give us a call at 908-788-9390.
