As we age, the need to keep track of medications becomes even more important. Medication management is a key aspect of senior care and can help prevent unfortunate medical events. Medication management is organizing, storing and administering prescription drugs to adults with chronic illnesses who cannot manage their own medications independently. While these and other drugs may be necessary for maintaining good health in older adults, they also carry risks, such as side effects and dosing mistakes, if patients or their caregivers do not adequately manage them. Fortunately, there’s an alternative solution: memory care in Quantico, VA. Explicitly designed to meet the needs of seniors who need support managing their prescriptions.
Schedule Daily Medication Management
It’s common for family members to fall victim to improper dosages, missed doses and other prescription errors that can lead to adverse effects. With Memory Care services, the team will work with you and your loved one to create a schedule for each medication. They’ll also refill prescriptions, so clients don’t have to worry about running out.
Divide And Store Prescription Medications Properly
It is essential to divide and store your prescriptions properly. Each family member should have a prescription pill dispenser. Put medications in a different container, or all of the adult members’ drugs might get mixed together.
For example, if you have a prescription for blood pressure medication and another for diabetes, keep them separate so that you know where to find them when you need them.
Be Proactive About Researching Drug Interactions
If you’re caring for a loved one with memory issues, it can be difficult to keep track of their medications. This is why you must be proactive about researching drug interactions.
Memory care communities offer expert oversight regarding medication management, which means they can help ensure your loved one never takes two medications that interact in ways that could be harmful or even fatal. These communities also have access to an on-site pharmacy and registered nurse who can advise you about any new medications your loved one may need and even educate others in the community about potential drug interactions. For example, if one person takes antihistamines and another takes an antibiotic, this could cause problems with each other’s medical conditions.
Educate The Elderly On Their Prescription Medications
If a loved one has recently been diagnosed with a memory disorder, it’s essential to make sure that you educate them about their prescription medications. This will help them avoid common mistakes, such as not taking the right medication at the right time or mixing up two different medications.
It’s also important to understand what each medication is used for and how it works. For example, one medication might be used to treat pain while another may be prescribed as an antidepressant. Understanding these distinctions can help prevent harmful mix-ups between prescriptions with similar names but different purposes (for example, Vicodin vs Valium). If a person doesn’t fully understand how their medicines are supposed to work or what they’re supposed to do in their body when taken together, this could lead them down an ill-advised path where they take too much of one thing or too little of another! A caregiver can assist in organizing this information so that it’s easily accessible at all times. This can be done through a notebook, whiteboard with magnets, or even an app that keeps all this information organized on your phone!
Keeping Track Of Medication Refills
To help seniors remember their medication, you can set up medication reminders on your phone or computer. You can either set the alarm to remind them or send a text message to family members when it’s time for the next dose. This way, there are no excuses for missing the timing for your medication!
Conclusion
While it may be difficult for the elderly to keep track of their medication and make sure they don’t miss any doses, there are plenty of ways for caregivers to help them out. From memory care communities that will handle these tasks for you, to apps that can remind users when it’s time for their next dose, finding solutions is easier than you might think.
