Medication Safety For Seniors

Did you know that seniors 65 and older, represent approximately 14% of the population but consume 40% of prescription medications and about 35% of all over the counter meds? The average number of medications a senior takes is between 12 and 18 prescriptions a year. That is a lot of medication to manage. Adverse drug reactions and non-compliance with medications is one of the leading causes for hospitalization in the elderly. With these statistics it’s important to make certain we are doing all we can to keep our seniors safe at home.

Some things to remember:
- Keep an updated list of your medications, dose and frequency in your wallet. Don’t forget to add any new medications
- If prescribed a new medication make certain to understand the name of the drug and its purpose
- How long to take the medication and side effects or warnings associated with the drug
- Fill prescription medications at the same pharmacy, their computer software can alert the pharmacist to any contradictions
- Over the counter medications should be discussed with a physician, some non-prescription meds can be potentially harmful

For those having trouble managing their medications we offer several options to assist.
- Direct Link medication dispensers,
- Nurse visits to help manage medications
- Employees escorting seniors to doctor appointments can bring current med list for the MD to review
Lastly, we can be in the home when family can’t, to remind seniors how important it is to take their medications as prescribed.

Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers has been making life easier for over a decade.  Call us today at 704-909-7958.  And as always, you can find us on our website,  Facebook and Google+!