A Comprehensive Guide to Which Medications Cause Falls in Seniors
What comes to mind when you think about fall prevention for older loved ones? Adding more lighting? Getting rid of clutter and other tripping hazards? Keeping floors clean and dry? These are all crucial elements of fall prevention, but there is another common cause to bear in mind: reactions to medications. Many older adults are […]
A Comprehensive Guide to Which Medications Cause Falls in Seniors
What comes to mind when you think about fall prevention for older loved ones? Adding more lighting? Getting rid of clutter and other tripping hazards? Keeping floors clean and dry? These are all crucial elements of fall prevention, but there is another common cause to bear in mind: reactions to medications. Many older adults are […]
What to Ask the Pharmacist When a Senior Gets a New Prescription
You’ve just left the physician’s office with Mom. The doctor is sending over a new prescription to the pharmacy which should be ready by the time you get there. You plan to just zip through the drive-through window, get the medication, and take Mom to lunch. However, you are missing an important step. When a senior […]
Saying No to Medication: How to Combat Medication Non-Adherence
“I don’t need that medicine! There’s nothing wrong with me!” If you’ve heard an older relative say this or any other sentiment to make a case for refusing to take prescribed medication, you appreciate how frustrating and concerning it can be. There are numerous reasons a senior may resist adhering to doctors’ orders, from dementia […]
Older Adults Often Don’t Report Adverse Prescription Side Effects
Anyone who has taken prescription drugs understands that they normally come with a comprehensive listing of possible adverse reactions and prescription side effects. Although prescriptions are, of course, intended to help us, the harm that can result from these adverse reactions may outweigh the benefit we obtain. For older adults, the vast majority of whom […]
Ask Your Pharmacy to Help Evaluate Your Medications to Ensure Safety
They call it “running” errands for a reason – we are inclined to feel like getting through them as quickly as possible! Nonetheless, in terms of picking up prescription medications, slowing down and spending additional time to speak with the pharmacist, rather than buzzing through the pharmacy drive-through, is important – especially for senior loved […]
Proper Medication Management for Seniors Means Better Outcomes
“Take 2 hours after eating. Avoid exposure to sunlight while taking this medication.” “Take on an empty stomach. Do not take with aspirin.” “Take twice per day with food and a full glass of water. Can result in excessive drowsiness.” Picture trying to effectively manage multiple medications, from a number of doctors, taken at several […]
Keep Seniors Safe: Know the Dangers of Combining Prescriptions and Vitamins
“Be sure to take your vitamins!” How often are we made aware of the need to make sure we meet the daily recommended requirement for the wide range of vitamin and mineral supplements that are intended to keep us healthy? What we hear less often, however, is the threat in mixing specific drugs with OTC […]
Tricks to Make Medication Management Less Scary!
Although it’s certainly true that medications can be life-saving, we’ve also heard a number of shocking accounts of patients who erroneously took an incorrect medicine – either because of a miscommunication with the prescribing medical professional or the pharmacy. Yet there’s inherent danger to taking any drugs: substance misuse. Much like it would be exceedingly […]
Try These Tips to Reduce the Effects of Chemo During Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy treatment is a lifesaver, and is used to treat around 650,000 people in America each year; but as miraculous as this procedure can be, it’s not without risks and often difficult negative effects. Hearts at Home In-Home Care, one of the top home health agencies in Kansas City, MO and the surrounding areas, outlines some […]