A senior woman reads a prescription medication bottle as she learns about managing medications for seniors.

Managing Medications for Seniors: A Guide to Preventing Overmedication

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A senior woman reads a prescription medication bottle as she learns about managing medications for seniors.

Overmedication can have serious consequences for older adults’ health, which is why managing medications for seniors is so important.

The days of “take two aspirin and call me in the morning” have morphed into “take two of these…and two of these…and maybe one of those, too!” Nearly forty percent of older adults are taking at least five different prescription medications each day—not to mention vitamins, supplements, and OTC meds. It is easy to understand why overmedication and adverse medication reactions are incredibly common in older adults. Managing medications for seniors is vital to help prevent these issues.

Take these measures to prevent medication complications for an older adult you love:

  • Make a list, and check it twice. Create a list of every one of the medications – both prescription and over-the-counter – that a senior loved one is currently taking. Share the list with all of the older adult’s healthcare providers, and present updated lists whenever there’s a change in medications. Then at a minimum of every six months, review the list along with their primary care physician to confirm that all of the medications are necessary and that current doses are optimal.
  • Do not be afraid to ask questions. Ensure you completely understand what each medication is for, and make sure there are no contraindications with other medications the individual is taking. The doctor or pharmacist can run the older adult’s meds through a drug interaction database to confirm. If you’re unsure about anything else associated with the medications prescribed, speak up. You will want to make certain you understand:
    • Whether a generic version is available
    • What the potential side effects might be
    • How to handle if a dose is missed
    • Exactly when as well as how the meds must be taken (in other words, with a full glass of water, on a full stomach, if they can be crushed or broken in half, etc.)
    • And any other questions you might have
  • Set up a system. As soon as you’ve confirmed that all the older adult’s medications are necessary and you have the details you need to ensure they are taken correctly, create a system for following physicians’ orders. Depending on the senior’s cognitive functioning, this may be as simple as a pill box that is filled weekly. Or you may want to rely on the services of a home health care provider, like Harmony Home Health and Hospice, for medication management and administration.

It is additionally vital to be aware that a doctor should always be consulted before starting or changing any medications, including vitamins or over-the-counter meds. Some prescription medications belong to the same drug category as OTC meds, which could lead to too much of a medication being administered. In other cases, OTC medications or vitamins interact negatively with prescriptions.

We are always here to help seniors stay healthy and safe. Contact us online or call us at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322) to learn more about our in-home health care services and how they could benefit a loved one in your life. Harmony Home Health and Hospice provides home health care in Salt Lake City, Tooele, Ogden, and throughout Central New Mexico and Northern Utah.

Knowing the facts about vitamins for older adults, a woman holds a glass of water and the supplement she is about to take.

The Latest Recommendations on Vitamins for Older Adults

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Knowing the facts about vitamins for older adults, a woman holds a glass of water and the supplement she is about to take.

Understanding the latest recommendations on vitamins for older adults is crucial to optimal health and wellness.

Minerals, vitamins, and supplements—oh my! 70 percent of seniors take them; but are they really necessary as we get older? After all, a balanced and healthy diet offers older adults necessary nutrients. But there are particular instances of deficiency that may make a case for the addition of a supplement. Always check with the physician prior to making any changes, but with their recommendation or approval, consider the following vitamins for older adults:

Calcium

Aging bones are prone to breaks and fractures when calcium intake is insufficient. This is especially true for post-menopausal women, with an astounding 50 percent of those over age 50 breaking a bone as the result of osteoporosis. However, men are also in danger for serious complications from calcium deficiency. A hip fracture in men, for instance, is much more likely to be fatal than it is for women.

The best natural sources for calcium are salmon, leafy greens, broccoli, kale, and dairy products, but most women over age 50 and men over age 70 aren’t getting sufficient calcium from food alone. The National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements recommends 1,200 mg of calcium per day for women over age 51 and men over age 71, and 1,000 mg daily for men ages 51 – 70.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is calcium’s closest friend. They work most effectively when taken together to enhance not only bone health, but the nervous and immune systems and perhaps the heart as well. Sunshine is the best source for vitamin D, but aging skin along with the danger of skin cancer can create roadblocks to obtaining adequate levels.

Recommendations are 15 mcg/600 IU per day up to age 70, and 20 mcg/800 IU per day for anyone over age 71. If vitamin D supplements are advised by the doctor, they should always be taken with food for optimal absorption.

Vitamin B12

Deficiencies of vitamin B12 are not unusual in seniors, and even more so for individuals who take specific prescription drugs (especially gastric acid inhibitors or metformin). Without sufficient vitamin B12, older adults are far more at risk of developing anemia, neuropathy or nerve damage, depression, balance problems, poor memory, confusion, and dementia.

The National Institutes of Health recommends 2.4 mcg per day, which can be acquired through a diet rich in fish, clams, liver, meat, poultry, milk, eggs, and fortified cereals. And unlike other vitamins and minerals, even high doses of vitamin B12 have not been shown to cause harm, according to the NIH.

Not sure which supplements are appropriate for an older adult you love? Contact our home health experts for additional tips and resources and to learn more about the benefits of in-home health care. We are proud to offer home health and hospice services in Salt Lake City, Tooele, Ogden, and throughout Central New Mexico and Northern Utah, you can reach us any time at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE (1-877-463-3322).

Senior man sitting and looking at his medication despondantly

Safe Medication Management for Seniors: Strategies to Avoid Common Issues

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Senior man sitting and looking at his medication despondantly

With a majority of older adults taking at least one prescription daily, safe medication management for seniors is a top priority.

A study of over 2,000 older adults revealed that a remarkable 87% take a minimum of one prescription drug, and a staggering 36% are taking 5 or more – as well as 38% using over-the-counter meds on a routine basis. Safe medication management for seniors is essential, as there are a number of risks and dangers that can occur in the process.

As specialists in aging care, Harmony Home Health & Hospice’s caregiving team helps older adults to ensure meds are taken when and how they are prescribed. It’s also extremely important to understand common problems older adults experience with using their prescriptions, and how to conquer them. As an example:

Sometimes, signs or symptoms continue in spite of taking medications properly. Busy medical practitioners may prescribe what is known as a “starter dose” of a medication, which calls for follow-up to figure out if modification is necessary; but in many cases, that follow-up never occurs. Make sure to schedule a subsequent visit with the doctor when a new medication is prescribed, and make certain the older adult keeps that appointment.

Side effects could very well be worse than the condition being treated. Of particular issue are medications that impact a senior’s balance and thinking – escalating the chance of a fall or other hazardous consequences. Drugs to be particularly cautious about include anticholinergics, sedatives/tranquilizers, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and opiates. Consult with the physician if any of these medications are prescribed for an older relative and carefully weigh the possible risks against benefits.

Staying compliant with medication adherence may be a challenge. Remembering that one particular med needs to be taken with food, while another on an empty stomach, another with a full glass of water, one before breakfast and two at bedtime, can make it tremendously challenging to take prescriptions precisely when and how they are prescribed. Engage the services of a home health care agency, such as Harmony Home Health & Hospice, for medication reminders and management.

Cost may be prohibitive. When cost for a specific prescription is high, older adults could very well be tempted to reduce their dosage amounts to reduce cost – a very risky behavior. Older adults should instead talk with their doctors about generic versions of medications, or any other methods to keep cost at a minimum.

Be informed on likely interactions with other meds. Bring a full listing of all the medications a loved one is taking to a physician or pharmacist with knowledge in polypharmacy, who is able to confirm that the drugs can safely be taken in conjunction with one another. Be sure to include any over-the-counter medications taken regularly as well. For a fast online evaluation, this drug interaction checker lets you enter each of a senior’s medications and view any concerns, which can then be discussed with his or her doctor.

Contact Harmony Home Health & Hospice online or at 1-877-I-NEED-CARE for more medication management tips, as well as for professional hands-on assistance with a full range of home health care services. For a full list of all the communities in New Mexico and Utah where we provide care, please visit our Service Area page.