MEDICATION MANAGEMENT
One of the biggest issues elderly people face is medication management. Because the average elderly person takes up to eight different medications each day, it can be difficult for them to remember to take certain medications, remember when they took their medication last, and when they need to take their medication again. In addition to taking medication, elderly people may be over prescribed by doctors and health care providers.
In order to prevent overmedication, monitoring drug interactions is necessary by doctors and pharmacists. This can be done through hiring home health care professionals who will visit your loved ones each day to ensure that all medications are taken properly and at the correct times. Monitoring heart rate and blood pressure can also help determine if too many medications are being taken at one time. If the elderly person is able to tell caregivers and others how they are feeling during the day, this can also help doctors determine the right combination of medicine to give patients.
Medication management programs are another option you may want to consider. These programs, hosted by medical clinics, doctors, and pharmacies will review your loved ones medical history, take tests to determine the types of medication needed, and deliver the right medication daily or monthly to the elderly person’s home.
Protecting the health of elderly people begins by carefully monitoring medication and making sure that the person is taking the prescribed amount each day. Color coding bottles, creating a schedule that is hung near the medication, and making sure all medications can be clearly read by elderly people are ways that you can help them when it’s time to take their medication. If possible, elderly people should also keep a diary to document their mood during the day. Doctors can oftentimes tell from diary entries if a medication needs to be increased or reduced based on the elderly person’s mood changes over a short period of time.