Many older adults who
live on their own take one or several medications daily. With numerous pill
bottles, capsules and tablets that can appear nearly identical, medication
management is an everyday essential for seniors.
Taking the wrong
combination or dosage of certain medications can have harmful side effects. In
order to avoid a potentially dangerous situation, we recommend following these
tips for proper medication management:
- Don’t ever increase the dosage on your own. Perhaps you’re taking a medication and
you feel it isn’t working as well as it should, so you decide to take two
capsules at once, instead of one capsule as your doctor prescribed.
Overdosing poses very serious risks for older adults, especially when taking
multiple medications. Always follow your doctor’s advice and if you feel
your medication isn’t effective, call your doctor and discuss your dosage.
- Use a pill box to properly separate your
medications. You can use a pill box
to separate your daily medications. Some pill boxes even have AM and PM
separations. Keeping your medications organized makes it easier for you to
take them without worrying that you’re mixing up medications, or taking
them at the wrong time of day.
- Ask your doctor about any possible drug
interactions. When you’re taking
multiple medications it’s crucial to be aware of any possible interactions
they may have with one another. Pay attention to how you feel after taking
your medications. If you feel you’re experiencing side effects that make
you feel unwell, discuss it with your doctor immediately.
- Regularly review the list of medications that older adults should use with
caution. The
American Geriatric Society publishes this list and updates it on a regular
basis. This list highlights medications that seniors should avoid or that
may pose potential risks. Review your medications with your doctor to
ensure that none appear on this list.
- Pay attention to how you feel after taking
certain medications, and the side effects. Sometimes it’s not possible to avoid side
effects with certain medications. Fortunately and often, the side effects
can be manageable. After taking a new medication for the first time, pay
close attention to how it makes you feel and make some notes about any
side effects you experience. If you feel certain side effects are too
severe, speak with your doctor about alternate options immediately.
- If possible,
minimize the number of doctors you see and pharmacies you use. We’ve all seen specialists for various
health concerns throughout our lives. But for older adults on multiple
medications, having one primary care doctor may be the best form of
medication management. When the same doctor can coordinate all medical
care and corresponding medications, it can help reduce the risk of
adverse drug interactions, unpleasant side effects, and is just a safer
option overall.
Medication management at UMC at Collingswood
In assisted
living communities like Collingswood, medication management services are
available with associates who support residents with taking medications,
monitoring for any side effects, and coordinating with physicians to make
necessary adjustments. If they encounter any issues with their medications,
they can be promptly attended to and remedied by our experienced team of medical
professionals that are on site 24/7. Our residents appreciate the extra
support, and their loved ones have peace of mind knowing that their health is
being closely monitored by professionals.
For more information about our assisted living community in Collingswood NJ, or if you have any other questions about medication management, please contact the UMC team today at: http://collingswood.umcommunities.org/contact
Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/6-life-saving-medication-management-tips/
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