When a loved one reaches their golden years, prescription medication is often a necessity to maintain their health and a higher quality of life. For peace of mind, elder care professionals encourage family members to create systems to ensure much-needed medication is always taken as prescribed by their physician. 

NOTE:  If your loved one resides in an assisted living community, your best option may be to enroll in their medication administration program, which takes the burden of medication management off your hands.  If your loved one is living at home or in an independent living community, these tips may help you manage their medications.

4 Elder Care Tips for Managing Medication

1. Know Their Prescriptions

Attend doctor’s appointments with your loved one, so you are aware of the medications they are taking and their overall importance. Educate yourself on the dosages, how and when they should be taken, and how frequently prescriptions should be filled. This way, you can guide your relative and always come from a place of knowledge and understanding in terms of their medical needs. 

2. Set Alarms & Reminders

When visiting your relative at home or in elder care, find ways to help set reminders within their living spaces. Post a daily or monthly calendar with notes, set alarms on their phone, gift them an alarm clock, or put sticky notes in areas you know they’ll see, so they get an extra nudge. 

3. Presort Medication in Pill Organizers

Taking multiple pills can get confusing. During visits with your loved one, help them presort their medicine in a pill organizer.

4. Establish a Routine

Talk to your loved one about their daily activities. By understanding your relative’s routine, you can create methods and ways for them to easily take their medication without disruption. This can be as simple as placing the pill organizer next to the bathroom sink or pairing medication with specific activities like lunch or a daily program so that the odds of forgetting are greatly reduced. 

Abbington Assisted Living is proud to provide elder care throughout Columbus, Pickerington, Powell, Chillicothe, and Coshocton, OH. Abbington senior living communities are one-story buildings that are designed with comfort and security in mind, offering comprehensive nursing care services in a compassionate, comfortable, and cost-effective manner. Please visit our website or call us directly at (614) 451-4575 in Columbus, (614) 577-0822 in Pickerington, (614) 789-9868 in Powell, (740) 773-4630 in Chillicothe, or (740) 623-4600 in Coshocton.