Helpful Hints for Medication Safety

Our staff for Elder Care Assistance helps with medications and other kinds of more basic personal care. If you use our elderly home care services, we will take on the task of helping you stay on your medicine track. In order for your drug therapy to be effective, you must take your medications exactly as your physician directs, particularly when taking several medications at the same time. You or your loved one can trust our elder care services to ensure you are staying on track with your prescriptions, dosages, and refill needs. Do not try to adjust them yourself. If you or your caretaker is in charge of your medications, check out the following helpful hints:

  • Label empty dark containers, extra prescription bottles (you can get these from your pharmacist), or envelopes with the times of day or the days of the week you must take medication. Use a separate container for each time. Each morning fill these containers with the appropriate dose of each medication. Note: some drugs may break down when exposed to light. Before you remove drugs from their original containers, check with your pharmacist or physician.
  • Make a medication calendar. Use a calendar that has enough space to fill in the names of the drugs you need to take each day, then put a check mark next to the name of the drug after you take each dose.

Make a chart listing:

  • Name of drug
  • What it is for
  • What it looks like (shape, color)
  • Directions for taking the drug
  • Special cautions or side effects
  • Time of day to take drug

Hang this Chart Near your Medicine Cabinet

  • Set your alarm clock or ask a relative or friend to remind you to take your medications.
  • Check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medications like aspirin, Tylenol, or antacids. They may cause side effects when combined with your regular medications.
  • If a medication seems to be causing side effects such as nausea, trembling, etc., let your doctor or home care nurse know. Do not stop the medication yourself. Some medications must be gradually decreased. Your doctor will direct you or prescribe another medication.
  • If you develop nausea and vomiting due to the flu and cannot take your medications, notify your doctor or home care nurse immediately.

Medication Safety

Taking medications is a fact of life for most of us and yet, taking medications as prescribed is not a fact of life for at least 50% of people who do not follow their doctor’s orders for prescription medications. Our healthcare staffing services personnel are trained to help organize and ensure our clients are following their prescriptions in the exact way they were intended. That is one of the main benefits of choosing us to provide your loved one with our assisted living at home services. Some of the more common problems that arise in the aging population include side effects such as loss of balance, incontinence, memory loss, and low blood sugar. Rely on our elderly home care services to take care of your loved one or family member who may be at risk when taking certain prescribed medications.

The cost of medications is staggering. The cost of not taking medications as prescribed is even greater.

Consider:
  • Older people experience adverse events from medications at three times the rate of younger people.
  • While older people make up approximately 13% of the population, they account for over 50% of the deaths and 40% of the hospitalizations due to adverse drug events.

Therefore, it is essential that older people become active participants in the decisions that are being made regarding their medications.

It is also imperative that all people, regardless of age, follow their doctor’s orders for prescription and non-prescription drugs.

Below is a handy checklist of medication safety tips that may help you avoid an adverse event. You may find it helpful to post it in an easily accessible area.

Medication Safety Tips
  • When you receive a new prescription, ask your doctor
    • What is the name of the new medication?
    • What is it used for?
    • How should I take it?
    • How long will I need to take it?
    • What are the side-effects?
    • How much does it cost?
    • Is there a generic equivalent?
    • How much does the generic cost?
    • Is there a difference in the performance/side effects of the generic?
  • Bring a current list of medications with you every time you visit a doctor, even if the medications have been described by other doctors.
  • Notify your pharmacist if you cannot open a childproof container.
  • Ask your doctor or pharmacist if it is okay to take non-prescription (over the counter medications) drugs with prescription drugs.
  • Keep all your medications in one place.
  • Keep all your medications in a safe, dry place, out of the reach of children. Be especially mindful of this when you are with children. Remember to secure any medicines that you carry in your pocket or purse.
  • Wash your hands before taking your medications.
  • Turn on the lights and read the bottle label before taking your medication. Ask your pharmacist to use larger print on the labels if necessary.
  • Take medicine as close to scheduled times as possible. If you miss a dose, consult your doctor.
  • If you have difficulty in remembering to take your medicines, talk with your physician or pharmacist about a reminder system.
  • Do not skip, double up or stop taking your medications before consulting with your doctor.
  • If you feel a medicine is causing side-effects, call your doctor. Never stop taking medicine suddenly on your own.
  • Never save old medications for future use. They may weaken or change.
  • If the dose of a current medication has changed, ask your doctor or pharmacist to re-label it for you.
  • Never share or borrow medications.
  • Always take all the medication ordered by your doctor.
  • If you have allergies to medicine, food, etc., wear an allergy alert tag at all times.

Your health and quality of life are often determined by what medicines you take and how you take them. Should you need assistance in obtaining your medications or in remembering to take your medications, please contact Arcadia at 866-224-7541. Remember, you can reduce your risk of adverse reactions by being involved and active in decisions made about your medications.