Unfortunately, there are many elderly adults who make mistakes with their medications. This can be a problem. Your loved one could overdose or develop worsened health problems from not taking enough of their medication. If you and your loved one’s home care providers know more about the common mistakes elderly adults make with their medications, you can help prevent your loved one from making these mistakes.
Timing Problems
One of the mistakes that elderly adults make with their medications is with the timing. For many health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes, the timing of medications is extremely important. Every dose needs to be taken at an exact time. However, there are many elderly adults who experience memory loss and they might forget to take some of their medication or they might take medication too soon. To prevent this issue, you or home care providers should give your loved one medication when they need it.
Dosage Issues
In addition to timing issues, your elderly loved one might not take the right dose of their medication. For instance, if they are supposed to take 2 pills, they might only take 1 of them. They might take more than they are supposed to, as well. To prevent this issue from occurring, you should use a medication dispenser or give your loved one medication instead of letting them take it themselves.
Vision Loss
As your loved one gets older, they might experience vision loss. This could make it tough for them to read their prescription bottle. They might not be able to read the dosage that needs to be taken. If your loved one has vision loss, don’t let them take medication on their own. Help them out with this.
Modifications to Medications
At certain doctor appointments, your loved one’s doctor might make modifications to their medications. For instance, their doctor might lower the dose they need to take, yet the bottle still stays the same thing. Your elderly loved one might forget about these modifications and take the wrong amount.
Storing Medications in the Wrong Place
Your loved one might also store their medication in the wrong place. For instance, they might put their medication in the bathroom or the kitchen. Yet, these are terrible rooms to store medication due to the humidity levels and temperature in these rooms. These things could cause problems with medications. You should make sure your loved one stores their medication in a bedroom or living room area. They can be stored in high cupboards, cabinets, or a lockbox.
These are some of the mistakes that elderly adults make with their medications. If you are taking care of an elderly loved one, be sure that you and their home care providers help them to manage their medications.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Walnut Creek, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-485
Sources
- The Impact of Home Care on Seniors Aging in Place in Sacramento, California - November 22, 2024
- Recognizing When Seniors Need Post-Hospital Care - November 20, 2024
- Risk Factors and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer - November 13, 2024
