Living Well 60+ November – December 2014

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Medication Management
Tips and tricks help you take your
medicines safely
by Jean Jeffers
As seniors age, many are prescribed
medications for various
health issues. With each new
prescription, medication management
becomes increasingly important.
It is also important if you are
a caregiver assisting seniors with
taking their meds. Here are some
general principles for safety with
medications:
1. All medications should be
taken as prescribed. If you need
large-print directions, ask for
them. When your doctor talks
about your meds at an appointment,
take notes or bring someone
along who can.
2. Do not skip or double up on
medications. Take them the same
time each day. Link it up with
some other habit, such as brushing
your teeth.
3. Use aids such as pill organizers.
Some are computerized or
have alarms to remind you when
to take your medicine.
4. Use only one pharmacy to
dispense your medications. Make
sure your pharmacy has an up-todate
list of all your meds as well.
Talk to the pharmacist and ask
questions about your medications.
5. Bring an up-to-date list of
meds to each doctor’s appointment.
This includes supplements
and over-the-counter medications.
When you receive a new prescription,
ask questions such as,
“How long will I have to take this
medicine? What effects should I
expect from it? What is it intended
to do?”
6. Store your meds in a safe
place. Most medications need
to remain at room temperature;
however, a few must be refrigerated.
Do not subject your meds to
temperatures that are too hot or
too cold.
7. Follow directions on the
medication bottle. Dispense only
the right amount at the right time.
8. Check to see what foods are
incompatible with your meds.
For example, grapefruit juice is
contraindicated with statins and
some other meds.
9. Closely monitor medication
compliance in the cognitively impaired.
About 200,000 elderly persons
are admitted to the hospital
each year with problems related to
meds or medication reactions.
Why are some medications
a problem? According to one
source, today’s meds are not
the simple medications of past
generations. Earlier medications
were based on active ingredients
from plants and the body usually
handled these drugs without
incident. Today this is not the
case. Some medications are more
potent. Some meds present a complex
picture. And the total number
of drugs taken may complicate
the picture. According to a 2010
report, 44 percent of men and 57
percent of women older than age
65 take five or more medications
per week; about 12 percent take
more than 10 meds per week.
Also, the effects of aging cause
older adults’ bodies to process and
respond to medicines differently
than younger people. Age-related
changes in the liver, kidneys,
central nervous system and heart
contribute to the elderly becoming
more vulnerable to overdose
and side effects.
If you experience side effects
from your medications, call your
doctor or pharmacist. It is possible
the med may need to be reduced
in strength, or you may do better
on a different medication. Read
the information package that
comes with your medication,
know the active ingredients and
get a picture of what side effects
may occur.
If you cannot afford your
medications and you meet certain
guidelines, there is help available.
Today’s meds are not the simple
medications of past generations.
There’s no place like
Home!
ALLIANCE
Medical Home Care
Personal Care
Respite Care
Light Housekeeping
Errands / Transportation
Medication Reminders
Meal Preparation
Companionship
3716 Willow Ridge Rd. Lexington KY
859-296-9525