Managing Medications

Senior counselor Carol Carson advises you on Medication Management. Making sure your loved ones take their medications exactly how prescribed will ensure they are receiving the exact treatment they need, and hopefully keep them healthier for a longer period of time.

As your parents or loved ones age, the amount of medication they will take will most likely increase. Taking medication correctly is crucial to its effectiveness on our bodies. This becomes increasingly true as now, even some Cancer medications are able to be taken at home. While this convenience saves patients time and visits to their doctor, Cancer is a very serious condition, and should be treated specifically and consistently. Because some patients are opting to take their medication at home, it becomes imperative that you or your loved one take their medication exactly how it is prescribed.

As your parent or loved one becomes more dependent on others, and as their need for a primary caregiver increases, their medication can become lost, forgotten or taken inappropriately. Making sure they take their medications exactly how prescribed will ensure they are receiving the exact treatment they need, and hopefully keep them healthier for a longer period of time.

According to the FDA, 50% of prescriptions written in the US are not taken correctly. There are some very common reasons why this is the case. He or she could feel better before their medication runs out, and discontinue taking their pills or they might forget the schedule of their medicine, especially if they are supposed to take it multiple times a day. Some medications do not have an obvious benefit immediately, so one might think the drug isn't working and discontinue use. Someone might also skip medication purposefully to make their prescription last longer, and avoid the high cost of refilling it.

Communicating with your loved one's doctor is the best way to avoid these common mistakes. Ask them questions about the medication, prior to filling the prescription. This way you will know what his or her purpose is in prescribing each medication and what to expect when taking them. Things you should know:

1. How long will your loved one need to take this medication?
2. What should they do if they miss a dose?
3. What are some common side effects of this medication?
4. What amount, and in what dose should they be taking this medication?
5. Are there foods or beverages that will alter the effectiveness of this medication?
6. What is the plan of action if an unexpected side effect occurs?
7. What should they do if they double their dose of medication?

Ask your doctor to write down instructions so you can refer to them later, and also make sure to have their phone number, so you can contact them should you need to. Assisted living communities will also help keep track of medication, side effects and administer them according to the doctor's instructions.

Once you have the medication, staying on the right schedule is the most important part. Make sure to organize the medication in a way that is easy for you and your loved one to remember and keep track of. Here are a few tips to help you.

1. Read the labels on the medications carefully to make sure you or your loved one is taking the right dose at the right time. Make sure to take the medication at the same time every day.
2. Use a weekly pill organizer, so you can keep track of which day you have taken your medication. Also remember to keep the prescription bottle for reference.
3. Keep a reminder in the home of your loved one. Whether it's on the refrigerator or on their bathroom mirror. Make sure they have at least one reminder to take their medication.

While communicating with your loved one and their doctor about their medications will help you care for your loved one, keeping track of medications and other things can become overwhelming. It is very likely that the number of medications they take will increase as they age, and the more complicated the times and schedules of each pill will become. Assisted living communities administer medication manage meals for each resident. If your loved one should avoid certain foods and take their medications at a specific time each day, an assisted living community will be able to tailor their care specifically to your loved ones needs, avoiding any type of mishap with medication.

SPOTLIGHT!

 Excellence in patient care, comfort, and personalized attention..
that's what defines The Lovettsville Home.

We provide Long-Term & Short Term Care, Respite care, Rehabilitation services, Alzheimer's dementia Care, and Hospice program. All staff members trained in Alzheimer's dementia care. This means it has special care and attention for wandering seniors, and caregivers are trained in handling dementia behaviors very well.

_{Nestled in charming, private and elegant residential setting, this facility is located on three beautifully landscaped acres and features full handicapped bath with safety bars, fire alarm system and cable television.}

Step into Lovettsville Home  Assisted Living community and you can't help but feel at home. We stop at nothing to make your experience warm and inviting, from our home exterior architecture, to our comfortable community areas and taste of suites to our exceptional outdoor gardens and landscaping. Look around and you'll notice fresh flowers throughout the residence.
Our home is a wonderful alternative to a nursing home that not only provides individualized attention and compassionate, professional care to its full-time residents but also creates and maintains an environment that uplifts, enhances, and inspires the lives of our residents. In our home, the purpose is not only to provide essential care, it is to help each resident achieve and/or maintain the highest quality of life that is possible for that resident.

thelovettsvillehome@yahoo.com

The Lovettsville Home Quality Assisted Living Facility

39196 Rodeffer Rd

Lovettsville, VA 20180

 

Senior Travel Discounts!

THE FOLLOWING HOTEL CHAINS HAVE REAL SENIOR TRAVEL DISCOUNTS UP TO 50%...

Starwood Hotels (Sheraton, Four Points, W Hotels, Westin Hotels and Resorts): Though they caution that the discount can be withheld during periods of peak business, and is not applicable to minimum-rate rooms, virtually all Sheratons give a 50 percent senior travel discount to those 60 and older. Phone toll free 800/325-3535. Web site: starwood.com/.

Marriott Hotels: At more than 2000 Marriott Hotels in the United States, senior travelers (62 and older) save at least 15 percent off normal rates. This includes Marriott's Fairfield Inns and Courtyards by Marriott (two subsidiary chains), and Marriott's Residence Inns. Phone Marriott itself at 888/236-2427, Web site: marriott.com/.

Days Inns: AARP members receive 15 percent off at participating Days Inns, and all Days Inns offer 10 percent off to senior travelers over 60 with proof of age. Reservations: 800/329-7466. Visit daysinn.com/ for more information and online reservations.

Howard Johnson's: Twenty percent off for AARP members, at all the nation's Hojos. Phone toll free 800/IGOHOJO. Web site: hojo.com/.

Ramada Inn: AARP members get 20 percent off normal rates. Phone toll free 800/2-RAMADA. Web site: ramada.com/.

Radisson Hotels: Begun in September of 1997, the "Senior Travel Breaks" program allows persons 50 or older to stay at any Radisson Hotel Worldwide (there are 427 in 300 countries) at a discount of 15-40 percent off the regular rate. For more information, call 800/333-3333. Web site: radisson.com/.

Choice Hotels (Clarion Hotels, Quality Inns, Sleep Inns, Friendship Inns, Rodeway Inns and Econo Lodges): offer 20-30 percent discounts to senior travelers over the age of 60, and 10% for people 50+. AARP members get 15 percent off. Reservations must be made through the chains toll free number (800/4-CHOICE), so check first with the local hotels to make sure the "discounted" price you're getting from the nationwide reservations center beats any local discounts (sometimes it won't). Web site: choicehotels.com/.

B&B Bargains for Seniors. Consider a bed-and-breakfast club paying only $10 to $20 a night, breakfast included, to stay in the homes of travelers like you. In return, you offer your spare room for others. Members of the Evergreen Club (800.962.2392) must be 50-plus.

What gifts are best for the Baby Boomers' parent?

When asked what they might want, elders frequently say, “Oh, don’t bother with me. I don’t need anything.” Pshaw. Everyone wants something. But with elders, you might need to do some investigative work.

One of the characteristics of many elders is a loss of interest in “stuff.” In fact, some spend a great deal of time in later years cleaning out a lifetime accumulation of clutter in their homes to simplify their lives. Others may have moved to smaller living quarters – apartments, retirement communities or assisted living facilities where there isn’t space for new acquisitions.

So it is important in choosing gifts for elders to find something that is useful, needed or won’t unnecessarily complicate their lives and most of all, is something they will enjoy. Unless an elder on your list is a passionate collector of, for example, ceramic frogs, tchotchkes are not good choices. They take up space and they’re just one more thing that needs dusting.

Also, consider that many elders are on fixed incomes. We are entering our second year without a cost-of-living increase to Social Security while inflation for goods and services elders spend more on than younger people continues. So gifts that might seem too ordinary and mundane for a holiday can fill an important hole in elders' lives.

Here are some ideas:

Entertainment
Eyesight sometimes dims with age. For readers, consider a large-print version of a book they would enjoy. Or a year’s subscription to the large-print edition, if there is one, of the local newspaper.

This year, I am also recommending a Kindle or other e-reader. Kindle seems to have the clearest and easiest-to-read text and Kindle editions are cheaper to buy than hardcover books. Also, there are thousands of classics available for free or as little as 99 cents in the Kindle store.

Movie buffs might like a year’s prepaid membership to Netflix. Or even better now that Netflix is streaming movies via television, you could equip an elder's set for this and give them a year's subscription. Or, if the old-fashioned way makes more sense, a small collection of DVDs starring a favorite actor or built around a theme or genre they like might be welcome. Or a dozen pre-paid tickets to the local movie theater.

If your budget allows, a Wii could be a fun gift. At a retirement community I visited not long ago, it was the most popular equipment in the common area and it has the advantage of getting people out of their chairs and moving around.

Personal
For a woman, a monthly prepaid visit at a salon for haircut and manicure. It’s good to include a pedicure too for elders who have trouble bending over to do it themselves.

Find out if your elder likes a particular kind of clothing that needs regular renewing. I have a fondness for a specific brand of flannel nightgown that can be hard to find. Two friends know this and starting long before I entered the realm of elderhood, have kept me supplied over the years.

Perfume and cologne fall into this category too. It doesn’t appear to be so common now, but people of my age (69) and older, often settled on a particular fragrance when they were young and have used it all their lives. The price of mine is now so high that I feel it is an unwarranted extravagance, so it is always a welcome gift.

Practical
If an elder you know has had to give up driving, consider a voucher for a local car or taxi service. Even better, if you have the time, make up a certificate promising a weekly or bi-weekly trip to the supermarket or a monthly ride to the local mall.

My great aunt Edith who lived to be nearly 90 told me how she, in her early 80s then, had scrubbed the kitchen floor one day and then couldn’t push herself up off her hands and knees. She laughed when I suggested to her that there is now this newfangled invention – a mop with a long pole attached – but she said they didn’t get the floor as clean as she wanted.

Thereafter, a cleaning service was hired. Elders often won’t admit they can no longer do common, everyday chores because they don’t want to be a burden to others. So you could promise a weekly cleaning or hire a biweekly service to come in – and maybe do the laundry too.

Fresh fruits and vegetables get more expensive every day. For low-income elders, a fruit-of-the-month club would be both fun to recceive and good for their health.

A word of caution about practical gifts: there are endless old jokes and cartoons about husbands giving their wives washing machines for their birthdays or anniversaries – practical, but hardly romantic or fun. An elder in your life may need or have trouble affording some safety equipment, incontinence supplies or a new cane, but it's better to help provide those needs during the year and find something for Christmas that will improve their lives and delight them.

Home
A lifelong gardener who no longer has a yard might appreciate a Plant-of-the-Month membership or a kitchen herb garden. There is little upkeep and a continuous supply of nature’s color in the house.

If you're a blogger and have written stories about your childhood and your parents, you could print them out and make a book for a parent. If you're not a blogger or time is too short until Christmas, you could start such a project now for next year.

For cooks and bakers among the elders in your life, there are new, silicon pans, cookie sheets, muffin tins, etc. in stores that don’t need greasing and can be cleaned easily without scrubbing - more healthful and work-savers too.

For do-it-yourselfers, check to see if there are repairs needed around the elder's home and commit to getting them fixed as soon as possible.

Electronics
If an elder in your life uses a computer and the internet, check to see if they might need a large-key keyboard. Such ailments as arthritis and the natural decline of feeling in fingers can make normal-sized keyboards difficult for some elders to use. You could also pay for a year’s broadband connection.

iPods and digital cameras are marketed so relentlessly to younger people that it is easy to forget elders can enjoy them too. A camera can give an elder a reason for a daily walk they might not otherwise take. You could give an iPod already filled with music you know your elder likes.

Unless your elders are sufficiently geeky on their own, be sure to make time soon after Christmas to help them learn how to use electronic gifts.

These ideas don’t begin to cover the possibilities, but I think they should give you a place to start thinking. And when giving such things as subscriptions to magazines, monthly flower clubs, a cleaning service, etc. that are only a piece of paper, be sure to include a token gift – a box of candy, a bottle of wine, a scented candle. Even after 65, 70 and more years, it’s still fun to tear open packages with the family.