Approximately 90% of adults age 65 or older take at least one prescription medication. Plus, 54% report taking four or more prescription medications. How many medications are your mom and dad taking each day?
Depending on your mom and dad’s health issues, they could be taking minor prescription medications that don’t cause harm if they miss a dose. Others require them to pay very close attention to dosages, or their health could decline. Medication management is crucial, and it’s an area some older adults struggle with. How can you help them?
Purchase Pill Organizers
A pill organizer makes medication management easier to manage. Set it down in an area where your mom or dad won’t miss it. If their habit is to get a cup of coffee each morning, a pill organizer set with their coffee mug is hard to overlook.
Each week have someone stop by and refill their organizer with the medications they need to take each day. If they take pills at different times of day, they need one that’s divided into morning, afternoon, and evening.
Some pill organizers have flashing lights or beeping alarms that are hard to miss. If your mom and dad are likely to forget their pills without an audible alarm or lights that are impossible to overlook, investing in this type of organizer is best.
Create a Daily To-Do List
On a whiteboard, chalkboard, or computer tablet, create a daily to-do list that your parents have to follow. When they take their pills, they mark that they’ve completed the task. If it’s on a tablet, you can use a cloud service to be able to check their progress from wherever you live.
Schedule Mail Order Refills
Do your parents remember to take their daily medications but ignore how many pills remain in a bottle. When they run out, they have to wait days until their refill is ready. If you schedule mail order refills, they won’t run out.
Once a month or every few months, refills are shipped directly to their home. They always have their medications on hand. They just need help remembering to take them, which you can do using pill organizers, to-do lists, and medication reminders from a personal care at home service.
Hire Personal Care Aides to Offer Medication Reminders
What do you do if reminders on a to-do list and pill organizers aren’t enough? Your parents still forget to take their medications each day. It’s time to enlist the help of professional caregivers.
Personal care at home specialists assist with medication reminders. They can also help them remember when it’s time to order refills or see their doctor for a prescription renewal. Talk to an expert in personal care at home to learn more about prices and scheduling services.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Personal Care at Home in Danville, VA please contact the caring staff at Passion Home Health Solutions LLC today at. 703-462-9141
Sources:
- What are the Most Common Speech Disorders in Adults? - October 25, 2023
- World Mental Health Day: The Importance of Support for Older Adults with Depression - October 9, 2023
- How Home Health Care Helps Seniors With Alzheimer’s - September 20, 2023
