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I overheard a conversation while working out at Curves the other day. The topic was elderly people and how hard it can be for them to keep all their medicines, prescription or not, straight in their minds, remember to take them, and then remember that they did take them.
This isn’t just an issue for those with Alzheimer’s, either. I’ve had days where I’m not sure if I’ve taken something in the morning or if I’ve forgotten and need to take it at night.
According to a recent article in the pharmacy journal Pharmacotherapy, thirty-five percent of prescription drugs are used by those over the age of 65.
This translates into millions of pills being counted out of a bottle, maybe several times a day, by folks who may not have the memory they used to.
It is not at all uncommon for the elderly to confuse one medication for another, forget dosages, or just forget entirely to take a drug that may be critical to their life and health.
One idea to help keep track of medicines is to use a chart. There is a downloadable example of this on www.seniorhealth.gov/takingmedicines.
It has columns for the name of the drug, what it’s for, color and shape, date you started taking it, the doctor who prescribed it, the dosage, and instructions for taking it.
It’s a good idea to have two copies of this, one for home and one in your wallet or purse. If you don’t remember what a drug is for or have questions about it, make sure to ask your health care provider the next time you see him or her.
Another thought would be to use a pill box that has compartments for morning and night every day of the week. It gets refilled once a week, and makes it obvious if you’ve missed a dose.
This also helps you keep track of when you’ll need a refill on a prescription, because you’ll be taking out a week’s worth of pills at a time. Just make sure the box stays out of the reach of visiting children or pets, or you could have a catastrophe on your hands.
Some health care providers schedule a “brown bag visit” with patients who are on multiple drugs.
This is when you put all your prescription bottles in a bag and bring them in for review. If you have any questions about the medications, this is an excellent time to get it all straight.
Your pharmacy and pharmacist can be valuable aids in helping you take your medicines correctly. You can request that labels be printed with larger type if you’re having trouble reading the names and dosages of the drugs.
Some meds can be put in easy-open bottles for your convenience (see note above about kids and pets).
They also sell pill splitters and crushers, but make sure you check with them before using either of these because some pills should never be taken in any form except whole.
Never store pills of any kind in the bathroom or on the back of the stove or on top of the toaster oven. Heat and humidity can have negative effects on certain drugs, usually decreasing their potency. A cupboard or shelf away from any heat source is your best bet.
Make sure to check expiration dates on all medicines. No use taking anything if it’s very far past the date.
We are lucky to live in a time when so many effective drugs are available to help us live longer, healthier lives. But in the end, we are responsible for taking them properly.
Pam Maxson is a health educator at Noyes Hospital in Dansville. If you have questions or suggestions for future articles, she can be reached at pmaxson@noyes-hospital.org or 335-4327.
