A Simple Way to Keep Your Elderly Loved One Safe from Medication Overdose

Prescription medications are an essential part of life and they can help elderly patients live less painful and more productive lives. According to the Mayo Clinic, about 7 out of every 10 Americans take at least one type of prescription drug. That number likely goes up for senior citizens, who are most apt to take several or more medications every day. One of the biggest worries for caregivers is how to ensure that their loved one is taking their medications according to directions.

Medication Overdose Concerns

Medication overdose is possible when an elderly patient is taking a variety of medications daily. To make things more complicated, some medications need to be taken at specific times of the day. It is easy to see how an older person could lose track of their prescription intake. Someone could mistakenly take too many of a particular pill when he can’t remember whether he already took one.

Additionally, a patient may think that if they forgot to take a pill they should take an extra one. These mistakes could lead to a serious or even fatal overdose. Remember that your parent may have changing prescription needs from week to week, especially if they are dealing with a progressive disease such as Parkinson’s or cancer.

How to Manage Medications

When you want to be sure that your parent is taking his medications as directed you need to properly manage them. Make a list of all the medications that your parent is taking along with the directions for when and how to take them. Do not allow your elderly parent to have unlimited access to the prescription medication containers. Instead, remove only the amount of medications that are necessary for a specific day.

You can utilize a medication organizer to separate medications by day of the week. If you will be providing the medications to your loved one you should administer them while you are present. This allows you to oversee the process and ensure that each prescription was taken at the correct time. For example, some medications have to be taken with meals.

Provide Medication Instructions

Keep a list of medications and instructions for use in a place where it can be easily found. If someone else will oversee the medications they will have the information they need to ensure your parent’s safety. Keep prescription bottles out of the reach of your elderly parent so he won’t be able to take extra medication. A locking medicine chest is ideal for ensuring the safety of your loved one. Keep in mind that changes to medications can cause side effects and interactions are a common problem. Before adding a new prescription or changing the dosage, consult with your parent’s physician or a pharmacist to make sure that the changes will not create problems. Finally, keep track of how many pills were taken from each bottle so you can properly account for all the medication.

Keep a calendar of medication that is available to your parent and update it every time a medication is taken. That way, anyone can check to make sure that a prescription was taken properly. If your parent is unsure about a medication, instruct him to contact you before he takes another dose.

close up of a hand handling prescriptions pills as a concept