If you’re caring for an older loved one, keeping an eye on their prescriptions and understanding the purpose of each one will help keep them safe. The most important roles of a caregiver in medication management are to identify potentially harmful medications, track signs of complications, and keep their loved ones on their medical therapy. It is essential to understand how to correctly manage your loved one’s medications in order to carry out the care plan efficiently.
Review Medications with Doctor
Write down or obtain a printout from the clinician team of the names and doses of any drugs your loved one takes, as well as the frequency with which they should be taken. Include herbal supplements, vitamins, and over-the-counter medications. If your loved one visits several doctors, keep track of who prescribed each drug and what it treats. One of the things that is sometimes overlooked in discussions is the emphasis on all of the over-the-counter drugs that their loved one is taking. The dialogue then provides some specific advice on which over-the-counter drugs to avoid.
Learn About Drug Interactions
Read the drug label carefully to learn about side effects, drug interactions, and dosages. Ask your loved one’s doctor if particular prescriptions and supplements on their list should not be used together, in addition to reviewing pharmaceutical labels. The more information the doctor knows, the more precisely he or she can identify any potential side effects or drug interactions. Some drugs might be as much a part of the issue as they are a part of the treatment. The solution is to eliminate drugs that may cause undesirable drug interactions and to simplify the regimen as much as feasible.
Ensuring that Dosages Are Age Appropriate
The way the body processes different pharmaceuticals varies as we age, and older adults may be more or less susceptible to specific prescriptions. This is mostly related to impaired liver and renal function. When drugs are not regulated appropriately, continuing use can result in a dangerous accumulation of medication in the system. Older adults may also develop new bad symptoms, such as reduced balance or memory. Check with your loved one’s pharmacist or doctor to confirm the prescription dose is acceptable for their age. Also, inquire whether they recommend starting with a lesser dose.
Caution Against Self-Medicating
Your loved one may be tempted to raise the dosage of a prescription, or they may opt to take their drug more frequently in order to relieve a symptom more quickly. They may also add an over-the-counter medicine to their prescription regimen to provide faster relief. Self-medication raises your loved one’s risk of dangerous drug interactions and overmedication. Caregivers must emphasize the significance of taking medications exactly as prescribed, but if a medicine isn’t delivering the desired relief, it’s always better to call the doctor and seek guidance.
About Our Assisted Living Option
Our retirement community offers three types of living options: active independent living, assisted living, and Memory Care. With our assisted living option, residents will be able to get assistance with not only their medication, but they can also stand to enjoy assistance with daily living if required, 7 days a week. Contact our retirement community to find out more.
