We’re always being warned to “talk to our kids about drugs.” Good advice – but we also ought to be talking to seniors about drugs as well.

Prescription drugs, that is.

Senior citizens often have to juggle several prescriptions at once, often prescribed by different doctors with varied side effects. Managing all that can be very difficult – and failing to do it exactly right can have serious health consequences.

And that’s a common problem, as it turns out. A recent survey of seniors by Home Instead Senior Care found that “nearly one-fifth of those taking five or more prescription medications have experienced challenges in managing their medications, including keeping track of which medications they have taken and when.”

If you’re caring for an aging loved one, how do you start the conversation about properly managing medications? It’s an important discussion to have – but it’s not an easy one to begin.

The Home Instead Senior Care network has launched a new public education program called “Let’s Talk About Rx,” which offers resources, pamphlets, and tips for families looking to start that conversation and help senior family members better manage their prescriptions.

Stephen Lair of Home Instead’s Chapel Hill branch spoke about “Let’s Talk About Rx” with Aaron Keck on WCHL.

 

If you’re caring for a senior, Home Instead offers five tips to help them better manage their medication regimen:

1) Have a family or professional caregiver accompany them to the doctor to ask questions and make sure they fully understand the regimen.

2) If they’re seeing more than one doctor, designate one as the ‘gatekeeper’ to manage medications and discuss any problems (like being unable to swallow a pill).

3) Use medication organizers, like a pill box.

4) Use medication trackers.

5) Consider ordering medications from pharmacies that provide pre-packaged doses.

Learn more at LetsTalkAboutRx.com.