One of the services MAS Home Care Maine offers is medication management and it turns out taking advantage of this assistance could be more important than people think. Every year, an extraordinary number of hospital cases are deemed preventable; half of which are due to mismanagement of medications.

Older adults are particularly at risk for overdosing on prescription drugs for several reasons. Memory problems can make it difficult to them to remember what medication to take and when. Sometimes they may forget they already took the prescribed amount for the day. Others mistake one type of pill for another when vision gets in the way. Never mind that certain combinations of medications can interact with each other in a negative way. It can get particularly confusing when multiple medications are prescribed to a patient. According to the American Medical Association, approximately 40 percent of seniors age 65 and older take five or more prescription drugs.

Another reason that seniors can be more affected by adverse effects of medication is due to changes in the body. Although a person may be using a substance that they have been for years, over time the body can react differently to it. A patient may need a lower dosage if the medication begins to last longer than it previously did or produce negative effects.

Individuals who live at home may require the help of family members in managing their medications. In order for this to work well, the family members must know the important information about each prescription. How much should they be taking? When should they be taking it? Must it be taken with food? Having good communication with a loved one’s doctor can help to ensure proper use of the patient’s prescription drugs.

Unfortunately it is not always possible for a senior’s loved ones to keep tabs on their prescriptions. Work and other obligations can prevent them from administering the daily medications. They can also feel nervous about messing something up. By having an in-home caregiver provide aid with medication management, overdoses and unnecessary hospital visits can be prevented. Not only will the client be taking the right dose of medication, but the prescriptions can also be picked up at the pharmacy for them if necessary.

Seniors who may not necessarily require home care assistance, but are concerned about the possibility of making a mistake with their prescription drugs, can follow the medication management tips below:

• Make sure all doctors involved in the care of a patient have a list of all medications being taken, even if they were not the one to prescribe it.
• Use one pharmacy for all prescriptions so that all medication history will be in one location.
• Follow the instructions written on the box or label.
• Know the side effects of each medication.
• Keep track of expiration dates and discard of them properly. Do not keep medications that a doctor has told you to stop taking hanging around.
• Use a pill organizer.

The agency for home care Maine residents use for medication management services and others is MAS Home Care. Call today for more information about how MAS can help to improve the quality of life of yourself or a senior you know.