Does your loved one have to take a long list of medications to stay healthy day to day? If so, they’re one of the millions of Americans who also take multiple medications to stay healthy and happy. Managing medications and making sure they’re taken properly can be a difficult thing to do, especially as we get older.
Medication management is one of the most important steps your loved one can take to ensure they remain healthy for the long term. The doctors at Palm Medical Centers, who deliver senior primary care with genuine kindness, put together a guide to teach you about medication management and why it’s so important for older adults.
What is Medication Management?
Medication management is exactly what it sounds like – it’s a plan for you or your loved ones to keep track of the types of medications they are taking when they should be taking them, and how they should be taking them. Medication management is crucial to ensure your loved ones remain in good health for the long term. According to recent studies, almost 20 percent of adults ages 40 and older take at least five prescription medications from day to day. Proper medication management makes it easier for you or your loved one to keep track of all these medications, especially for seniors.
Medication Management in Seniors
There are several reasons why medication management for seniors is so important. Our expert, compassionate doctors put together a list of the top four strategies for managing medications so that you and your loved ones that take prescription medication can remain happy and healthy.
1. Make a List of Your Medications and When You’re Supposed to Take Them
Keeping track of when you’re supposed to take your medications can be difficult when you have multiple medications to take. We encourage patients to make a list of their medications with the respective times they are supposed to take them to ensure no mix-ups occur.
2. Use a Pill Organizer
Making a full list of your medications with their respective time frames can also reduce the risk of missing medications throughout the week. We also encourage patients to consider organizing their pills in labeled pill boxes to ensure they get the correct dose each day.
3. Discard Expired or Discontinued Medications
Keeping track of your medications can be more difficult if you keep expired or discontinued medications around the house. We encourage our patients to dispose of discontinued and expired medications appropriately to reduce the risk of getting confused and adding them back into their rotation of medications.
4. Your Doctor Can Help You Avoid Unwanted Drug Interactions
Talking to your doctor about the medications you’re taking can reduce the risk of unwanted drug interactions between your medications. This ensures you remain in good health and keep your quality of life regardless of your prescriptions.
Medication Management for Senior Health Near Me
Getting help for your loved one’s medication management is made easy with the expert providers at Palm Medical Centers. Our doctors and other medical professionals have been bringing genuine kindness to senior primary care for more than 10 years. We take the time to sit down with your loved ones and listen to their concerns one-on-one, which is just one of the reasons we have 98% patient satisfaction.
Palm Medical Center offers its services to senior citizens at multiple locations throughout the South and Central Florida areas, so we’re conveniently located within 3 miles of your home. For your convenience, we are also happy to offer telemedicine services to all our patients.
To schedule your first appointment with us, we encourage you to contact us at your preferred location and you will receive a free $15 gift card at your first new patient appointment! Medicare same-day appointments and walk-ins are available, and we also accept most Medicare Advantage plans. Don’t hesitate to come and see us today!
