Skip to main content

Creating Effective Medication Management Systems for Seniors

medication management systemsMedication adherence is a term that simply means taking medications as they are prescribed. However, to the extent in which patients correctly take their medications can vary. Patients, especially the elderly, may not take their medications correctly. Several circumstances such as financial limitations, memory loss, little comprehension of directions and the ability to have prescriptions filled may hinder medication adherence. This is why it is essential that medication management systems are in place to help the elderly, disabled and other homebound patients stay on their medication regimens.

Barriers to Adherence

As briefly stated, medication adherence can be difficult for those that have barriers. For example, many seniors take more than one prescribed medication. These medications may also have dosing schedules that are very complex. Unless effective medication management systems are in place, diseases will not be treated properly. Complications can occur after surgery or illness, and patients can experience a decreased quality of life.

Although medication adherence is important for all medications, there are some medications that can pose even great challenges for patients when they are not taken as prescribed. Fortunately, there are tips that you can include in a medication management system for your loved one.

AIDS/HIV Medications

Patients with HIV or AIDS can experience issues with medication adherence. It is not uncommon for these patients to be on multiple medications at once, and the medications cannot be taken at the same time. Certain medications for HIV and AIDS can actually make patients feel sicker and less motivated to take their medications.

On the opposite of the spectrum, when patients feel good, they may forget or simply refuse to take their medications. Since the physical reminder is not there, they may not understand the need to take the medicine.

Antibiotics

Many patients stop taking antibiotics as soon as they feel better or their symptoms have disappeared. However, if you are taking antibiotics for a bacterial infection, stopping the medication too soon can be dangerous. If the patient doesn’t take the entire prescription, some bacteria could still live. These germs can become resistant to the antibiotic and a new strain of bacteria could develop.

Medication management systems and medication therapy are important to implement in your loved one’s care plan if he or she is having problems taking medications as prescribed. All members of your loved one’s health care team can work together to find the most effective system for their needs.

Prosper Home Care Medication Management System

Do you or your loved one need medication reminders or a more thorough medication management system? Contact us today for a free assessment and learn how our professional caregivers can help your loved one stay on track with their medication regimen.

The post Creating Effective Medication Management Systems for Seniors appeared first on Prosper Home Care.



from Prosper Home Care https://ift.tt/2TDO0ak
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dads and Pops: Your Good Health Matters to Us 

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard...
Post a Comment
Read more

Memorize These Six Signs of a Scam

An 88-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of the sweepstakes scam. She lost $160,000 in order to get the millions the scammer claimed she’d won through the Publishers Clearing House. She’s not alone. This scam has been around for years and has affected tens of thousands. Be aware of the six signs of a scam to avoid losing money. The Caller Insists You Not Tell Anyone In a scam, the caller will insist that you cannot tell anyone. This is more likely to happen with the grandparent scam. The caller will say that the grandchild’s parents cannot know. Secrecy is important to the “grandchild.” If your parents are told not to tell anyone, it’s very likely a scam. Your parents should immediately report the scam to local authorities or the FTC at 1-877-382-4357. The Contact Arrives Out of the Blue A scam is going to start with a random call, email, or unsolicited mailer. Your parents didn’t enter a contest. It could be a scammer posing as a police officer, IRS representative, or ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sleep in the Elderly: What is Normal?

If you are a caregiver for a senior, or even just have elderly people in your life, you may wonder about their sleeping habits. It sometimes seems that the elderly don’t need as much sleep as the average person. You may feel like the elderly in your life are sleeping a lot, or sleeping too much during the day. Unfortunately when it comes to sleep in the elderly, what is normal may not necessarily be what is healthy. Excessive sleep or daytime sleeping in the elderly are all related to sleep disorders and can be helped. How Many Hours of Sleep Does an Elderly Person Need? A pervading myth related to sleep claims that elderly adults need less sleep than the average adult. It’s not quite clear how this myth began. Perhaps because elderly adults tend to nap in the afternoons and sleep less during the night. Perhaps because the elderly tend to wake up earlier in the morning, it appears they do not need to sleep as much. Whatever the reason, it remains a myth. From the mid-’20s onward, do...
1 comment
Read more