For many seniors, managing multiple medications is just a fact of life. It can be hard to keep track of all the dosing schedules, let alone side effects and drug interactions. That’s one reason it can be helpful to have the kind of medical support and staff that most retirement homes provide. Having someone keep record of medications as they are taken can help provide critical information in the case of an emergency, and may even help avoid such a situation.
According to the Maine Center on Aging, the risks of taking multiple medications can be serious, and include:
- Harmful drug interactions
- Increased risk of falls
- Increased risk of hospitalization
- Risk of taking more or less of a drug than needed which can lead to serious health problems or even death in extreme cases
To limit the risks inherent in taking multiple medications, there are some simple steps you can take. Doing these things once is not enough, however. The information must be kept up-to-date.
- Inform your doctors Make sure all of your healthcare providers are aware of all your current medications when prescribing new drugs.
- Keep it with you. Make a wallet-sized list of all your medications, the dosage amounts, and how often you take each dose. Update it as needed, and be sure to show it to your doctors and other providers any time a change is made.
- Get to know your pharmacist. Inform your pharmacist about other medications, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies you are taking and ask that they check for drug interactions.
- Ask questions. Whenever you get a new prescription from your doctor, ask if there are any side effects or drug interactions you need to be aware of. You can also ask your pharmacist the same question. You can often get more information by asking them both.
- Seek alternatives. Ask your prescribing doctors if there are other treatments that could reduce your need for medications.
- Stay organized. Use a timer on any digital device that can help you remember when it’s time to take medications. Use pill dispensers with separate repositories for each dose, rather than each day. Use a log to record each time you’ve taken your medication, and list each drug and its dosage. You may also find it useful to log an entry when side effects appear.
By asking questions and keeping track of prescription drug information, you can reduce the inherent risks of managing multiple medications. It takes a little bit of time and forethought up front, but it could prevent a disaster in the long run.
