Some people live with conditions that require taking medication their entire life, while others develop certain health conditions as they get older. Elderly people striving for independent living at home have to manage their medication so they don’t take too much, too little or miss taking it altogether. When caring for the aging population, you can help them stay on track in several ways. Here are some medication management tips to consider to help your senior loved one stay safe and as healthy as possible.

Go To Your Loved One’s Doctor Appointment

Whether you’re a primary caregiver for your loved one or just want to help them thrive with independent senior living, consider going to a couple of doctor appointments with them. Sometimes older people don’t know what questions to ask the doctor, so they refrain from asking any and just read the label on the prescription. You need to know things like whether the prescribed medication reacts negatively with any over-the-counter pills, supplements or even vitamins your loved one may take regularly. As a caregiver, you can have some peace of mind managing their medication when you get answers and hear advice straight from the doctor.

Create A Schedule With Reminders For Taking Medication

You may not be able to be with your senior loved one 24/7 to monitor when they take their medication and how much they take. Investing in an organizing product, tool, device or a combination of them can be helpful for your loved one and give you peace of mind at the same time. You could color-code them, set reminders or alerts for when it’s time to take medicine or anything else to help them out. There are several apps to use on your smartphone or tablet for this purpose, but you can also go the old fashioned route with handwriting instructions on a calendar for them. Understanding what works for them specifically is important to increase their chances of successful independent living

Watch For Potential Side Effects

When you go to your loved one’s doctor’s appointment, the doctor may indicate potential side effects to look out for. Monitor those closely, as well as any other side effects that occur after they take their prescribed dosage. Some of the side effects may be immediate, like fatigue, dizziness or confusion. Others may occur over time, like changes in sleeping patterns, eating patterns and weight fluctuations. No matter how minor some of these changes may seem, reach out to the doctor to confirm those are normal reactions and there are not any long-term concerns to be worried about.

Next Day Access has great respect for caregivers who help their senior loved ones thrive with independent living. Managing medication is a major part of this and there are plenty of other aspects to consider as well. We offer a wide variety of mobility products and devices to make the home more accessible, so feel free to contact us at any time if you believe accessibility needs to be improved in your or your loved one’s home.