How a Caregiver Can Help You with Medication Reminders

Hiring an in-home care specialist is a great way to provide basic medical care, monitoring, and companionship for your loved one. On top …

· 5 min read
Giving the medicine

Hiring an in-home care specialist is a great way to provide basic medical care, monitoring, and companionship for your loved one. On top of helping with day-to-day tasks, your hired homecare professional can help manage another crucial aspect of your family member’s well-being: their medication. It’s estimated that almost a third of all people over the age of 57 are consuming at least 5 medications daily. Out of that number, 55 percent aren’t taking their prescriptions as recommended by their physicians. These high numbers put elderly patients at an increased risk of serious side effects and overdose. Your Danville caregiver can head up every facet of your loved one’s medication consumption to ensure that they are not misusing or misunderstanding their prescriptions.

Reminders and Dosing

Many elderly patients don’t realize that they’re taking medications incorrectly. For most, it’s can be hard to remember when or if a certain dose was taken. Because of this, multiple doses are taken or skipped altogether. An in-home healthcare provider can prevent this problem from occurring by acting as a memory aid. Depending on the needs of your loved one, they may provide a chart or a medication dispenser to ensure that the proper amount of medicine is being taken at the right time. If needed, the healthcare professional can provide medication to the patient to prevent any issues from occurring.

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Proper Consumption of Medication

Most prescriptions are laden with instructions and restrictions to ensure that they are effective. To ensure that these instructions are being followed, your in-home care specialist will spend ample time reviewing the interactions and the instructions of your loved one’s medications. Then, they’ll ensure that each medication is being properly administered. Whether this means restricting certain foods or taking certain medicines on an empty stomach, interactions and complications are greatly reduced with the help of an in-home specialist.

Communication with Physicians

It’s important that your loved one follows up with their physician from time to time. During these appointments, the doctor will review the efficiency of each medication being consumed. In some cases, the physician may change the doses of certain prescriptions. An in-home care specialist can attend these appointments with your loved one and communicate with the doctor. They’ll note any necessary medication changes and implement them into their daily schedule. If the home healthcare provider has noticed any issues with the medications or dosages, they can bring up these concerns with the physician during the appointment. Having an in-home specialist act as a liaison between your loved one and their medical provider is a great way to ensure that no unnecessary medications are being consumed and that side-effects are being kept to a minimum.

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Refills Made Easy

Many elderly patients struggle to keep up with their medication refills. On top of having to call in a refill, seniors may find it difficult to find someone available to drive to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription. An in-home healthcare provider solves this problem and simplifies the refill process. In some cases, the specialist may pick up the prescriptions themselves. Others may prefer to arrange a medication delivery service to ensure that the needed prescriptions are always available on time. No matter the method, hiring an in-home care provider is a great way to ensure that your loved one never runs out of the medications that they need.

Proper Medication Storage

Certain medications may require very specific storage. For example, some antibiotics may need to be stored in the refrigerator, while others are fine in a medicine cabinet. If not stored properly, these prescriptions could lose their efficiency or expire. An in-home care provider understands the importance of storing medications properly and checking them before each use. If any prescription is discolored or has an unusual smell, it will be properly disposed of, ensuring the health of your loved one.

Whether you’re looking for around the clock care or for intermittent help following surgery, allow 24 Hour Home Care to match you with the perfect in-home care specialist for your medication management needs. Our home care in Danville is specifically tailored to each patient, giving you and your loved one peace of mind.

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