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How to Get Seniors to Take Their Prescription Medications Safely
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Many concerned adult children wonder how to get their aging loved ones to take their medications safely and effectively—and the ones that have not thought about medication management, probably should. Two-thirds of all seniors take at least one medication each day, and 25 percent take three or more. Many seniors owe their lives—or at least their quality of life—to prescription medications. Of course, medicine doesn't work if patients don't take it. Researchers have found that getting seniors to take their medicine is a difficult task—even seniors who have life-threatening conditions. In fact, a new study shows it is almost hopeless to get seniors to take the medicines their doctors prescribe, let alone to follow directions for long periods. "Simple things don't work and nothing works very well," said lead researcher Dr. R. Brian Haynes of the McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario. And what does this mean for seniors who need to administer prescription medications themselves? "Few people take all of their medications and many do not bother to take any," Haynes said. Failure to take prescribed medication is linked to higher death rates.
Why Is Medication Management So Important?
There are many reasons why seniors might not bother (or be able) to take their medications. Some of these include dementia, mental illnesses, depression and confusion. Plus, many conditions, such as diabetes, have very complex monitoring and drug regimens. Some seniors are stubborn about taking medicines, believing they are unnecessary. This can be especially true for seniors who have conditions that are relatively asymptomatic, like hypertension or hypothyroidism. The worst case scenario appears when prescription drugs are essential, but come with unpleasant side effects. Finally, some seniors may adopt a state of mind in which they believe that treating their illness is futile. They abandon hope that they will recover and thus view taking medications as pointless.
What Is the Remedy?
Researchers have found some approaches that are successful in helping seniors take their medications for the short-term. These include counseling and providing written instructions and pill packaging that helps patients take their drugs properly—like the day-by-day dose packaging and calendar-based pill boxes.
Getting seniors to take their drugs over long periods is much more challenging. A few of the most effective methods include giving daily reminders, using psychological therapy and following up by phone. However, even the most effective strategies often do not lead to major improvements in adherence to taking the medications or the health of these seniors. Research into improving long-term success has been inconclusive. Debra Roter, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, warns that strategies used in research studies are simplistic and inflexible, and that "Studies don't match messiness of what patients do in everyday life."
The Caregiver Connection & Medication Management
Since up to half of seniors are unable or unwilling to follow a prescribed medication regimen, the only sure solution is continual monitoring of medications by a caregiver. That caregiver can be a private caregiver, a family caregiver or a caregiver at a facility. Unlike family members, though, professional caregivers are often more effective at medication reminders and monitoring, since seniors tend to view them as more authoritative than relatives, especially their own children. Plus, tasked with this duty, caregivers are more reliable at following through, since they keep daily records and are less susceptible to distractions or caregiver burnout that family members may suffer.
Monitoring is Critical
Drug interactions are a serious concern for seniors. Caregivers can help by noticing and reporting any side effects a senior may experience, such as dizziness, constipation, nausea, sleep changes, diarrhea, incontinence, mood changes or a rash. By monitoring medications and watching for side effects, caregivers can save lives by helping to avoid dangerous accidental drug interactions between multiple medications.
Editor's Note: Want more information about medication tracking? Read iGuard Free Medication Tracking, Alerts and Online Community Forums.
Kathy N. Johnson, PhD, CMC is a Certified Care Manager and the Co-Founder of Home Care Assistance, Inc. She holds a Doctorate in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Kathy is committed to serving the needs of seniors nationwide.
Posted in: Aging in Place, Get Organized: Tools for Caregiving, Medication Management
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