It’s crucial to maintain safety about medications when you have a senior at home, whether aging parents or grandparents. Today, most seniors usually take several medications throughout the day wherein a mix-up will likely occur.
Depending on your elderly family members’ health conditions, taking the medications correctly is crucial to maintaining good health and managing any symptoms they have. With this in mind, proper medication management at home is critical.
A good starting point is to set up a system and go through the basics with seniors to help them avoid typical medication mistakes, including taking the wrong dosage, using more than the prescribed amount, or skipping doses.
Make the essential improvements to your household as soon as possible. Here are some recommendations on modifications you can implement to maintain medication safety for seniors.
- Designate A Place For All Medications
It can be tough to keep track of medicine intake when drugs are placed in numerous areas around the house. Certain supplements may be in the kitchen, while some seniors keep prescription drugs on the bedside table.
Setting a space or gathering all the drugs in one area makes the medication-taking procedure easier for the elderly.
You may quickly check for timely consumption or missing doses using this method. You can also review for any outdated drugs among the available supplies.
Keep the space orderly by storing any current prescription bottles and packets in a visible container to maintain safety. Keep medications that are only taken once in a while and spare supplies in a separate container.
- Proper Storage Of Medications
When storing medications, the general rule is to keep them in a cool and dry place, ideally in a storage box, dresser drawer, closet shelf, or kitchen cabinet.
If an older relative has been putting prescription medications in the bathroom cabinet, it may be time to end the practice, as the heat and moisture in the bathroom might harm the drugs’ effectiveness.
If you’re going to place medications in a common area in your home, such as the kitchen, take extra precautions to keep them out of the reach of children. When you have medications that require refrigeration, carefully follow the instructions given by the doctor.
- Make A List Of All Medications
As a person gets older, using more than the prescribed dosage of medications can increase the risk of detrimental side effects and interactions. With this in mind, an elderly family member needs to take medicines at the correct dosage and time.
Make sure to create an up-to-date list of all medications, supplements, vitamins, and over-the-counter medications.
You need to note down the following:
- Names of all medications
- Frequency of dosing
- Prescribed amount
- The primary purpose of the medication or the symptoms the drug treats or controls
- Healthcare professionals who prescribed the medication
When all medications, vitamins, supplements, and over-the-counter medications have the proper labels, it makes it easier for seniors to take them correctly and promptly while minimizing mistakes along the way.
Take time to go through all medications to check the expiration dates. When one is way past the expiration date, discard it right away. An expired medication has its share of detrimental effects. Some will cease to be helpful, while others will develop toxic substances that may cause unpleasant side effects.
Set aside any drugs that an older family member no longer requires. When there are a lot of medications on hand, it might be confusing, which raises the chances of making mistakes.
- Set A Reminder Or Tracking System
When a senior has several medications to take, it can be challenging to monitor every dose. A reminder or tracking system will come in handy if you want to make it easier on an elderly family member.
A simple approach is to note down medications for the day by utilizing a chart to avoid missing out on any doses.
Consider setting alerts on their mobile phones for tech-savvy seniors. An alarm clock will suffice if your older relative dislikes utilizing technology. Some seniors make it a practice to take their prescriptions at specific times of the day, usually during certain meals.
Remember that maintaining a medication-taking routine can help seniors remember when to take their drugs and avoid missing out on any doses.
Conclusion
As a person starts to move in the advanced years of life steadily, expect an increase in maintenance medications, especially for those with various health conditions.
Whether an older adult or senior family member takes a few or several medications throughout the day, making the necessary household adjustments is crucial in maintaining safety at all times. With these suggestions, you can guarantee that your senior family members get the proper dose of their medications at the right time while reducing the likelihood of common medication errors such as skipped doses or taking more than what’s necessary.
