Share:

Many seniors rely on multiple medications to treat health conditions and improve their quality of life. Managing these pills is one of the major tasks of quality elderly care. Here are five helpful tips to make organizing, storing, and dispensing these medicines easier.

5 Steps to Elderly Care & Medication

1. Set a Schedule

Write down which medications need to be taken at specific times or multiple times during the day. Place this schedule in a visible, hard-to-miss area of your home, such as the dresser where you store the medications or your refrigerator door. Set alarms on a phone or clock if needed to make it easier to remember. This way, your loved one is less likely to miss a dose.

2. Keep Medications Together

elderly careYou may find it best to store all your loved one's daily medications in one place, such as a mirrored bathroom cabinet or an end table. For enhanced convenience, you can separate them by location. For example, if your elderly loved one typically enjoys breakfast at your kitchen table and must take certain medications at their morning meal, it may be easiest to keep a pill organizer on your countertop or a dedicated drawer. Medications they take at night can be kept in their bedroom. The key is consistency, as the risk of loss or misplacement increases if pills are frequently moved around. 

3. Speak to a Pharmacist

Not all medications can be safely taken together. If your loved one is seeing multiple specialists, ensure they’re updated on every medication currently prescribed. You can also consult with pharmacists, since they’re trained to spot drug interactions and can alert you to any other concerns.

4. Use Tech Solutions

The modern world is full of convenient programs and devices that make elderly care and medication management easier. Use an app to plan and track your loved one's dose schedule, or put lids with timers on their pill bottles to tell you how long it's been since they were opened.

5. Hire a Home Health Aide

If your loved one has a complicated medication schedule, has trouble remembering to take their pills even with reminders, or has other physical and medical needs, a professional home health aide will offer an enhanced standard of care. Even if you’re able to provide for your loved one's needs most of the time, having occasional help will give you a well-deserved break. 

 

For skilled and compassionate in-home elderly care in Tolland, CT, choose Visiting Angels Of Northeastern Connecticut. For almost twenty years, their dedicated aides and caretakers have served Tolland County and surrounding areas, helping seniors achieve the most independent lifestyle possible in their individual circumstances. To schedule a visit, call (866) 872-6084. Learn more about the types of care they offer online.

tracking