Page 19 - Healthcare News July/August 2022

Dose of Caution
Nine Tips for Medication Management for Seniors
IBy Kara James, PharmD
n general, as we age, our need for a variety of medications increases. This includes everything from prescriptions to over-the-counter medications, as well as vitamins and supplements. Unfortunately, as the number of remedies we take increases, so too
serious health consequences.
• The name of each prescription medication, over- the-counter medication, vitamin, and supplement you 2. Make a written schedule. It’s important to take
take;
medications as prescribed so they work effectively.
• How often each item is taken;
Write down which medications you need to take, and
• The dosage of each item;
at what time of day (morning, noon, evening, bedtime,
• The healthcare provider who prescribed each etc.). Be sure to include any important reminders, such
medication;
as if you are supposed
• The purpose of each and/or the symptoms it is
to take the medication
meant to treat; and
with food or on an
• Whether each item is for short-term or long-term empty stomach. Keep
use.
this schedule in a visible
place. Use an alarm to set
5. Store medications appropriately. Many people reminders, if necessary, to
store their medications in the bathroom, but heat stay on schedule.
and humidity can cause medications to degrade. They should be kept in a cool, dark place, out of reach of
3. Pre-sort medications
children
weekly. A pill organizer
6. Ensure accessibility. Some may struggle opening makes it easy for you to
childproof bottles, so make sure you can actually
see what medications you
access the medications you need to take. If you
need to take and when,
must put them in another container, make sure
and also lets you easily
see if you already took a dose so you don’t accidentally
the container is labeled with the medication name, dosage, and other instructions.
take it twice. Louis & Clark’s MediBubble medication-
management system does this for you with monthly
7. Understand side effects. Make sure you
pill-pack organizers.
understand the potential side effects of medications you take and be sure to let your provider know if
4. Create a comprehensive list. Make a list of all
your medications and supplements and keep it on your
you experience any that are serious. They can often phone or in your wallet for easy reference should you
need it at a doctor’s office or a hospital. Be sure to
Medication
include:
Continued on page 20
“Unfortunately, as the number of remedies we take increases, so too does the difficulty in managing them, which can lead to problems such as potential interactions and missed doses.”
does the difficulty in managing them, which can lead to problems such as potential interactions and missed doses. Here, we offer nine tips to help.
1. Check for interactions. Talk to your pharmacist and let them know about all the medications you are taking, including natural remedies and over-the- counter products. They can let you know in advance about any potential for interactions that could have
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