Older adults use more medications from prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) and supplements than any other age group in the United States.  As a person ages, the likelihood of receiving a prescription increases. People age 65 and over make up 13% of the population but account for 40% of all prescriptions medication use and 35% of all OTC drug use.  Add to this, most older adults live with at least one chronic health condition, are taking multiple medications with more than one prescribing physician.  

Caregivers for the elderly who often have to help manage daily medications can find it to be very challenging.  According to the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, individuals aged 65-69 on average, take nearly 14 prescriptions per year while individuals aged 80 to 84 take an average of 18 prescriptions per year.  Combine this with some elderly experiencing adverse drug reactions and being noncompliant on taking their medications, this can result in up to 28% of the reason for hospitalizations of senior citizens.

A new study to be published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found another challenge when it comes to older adults taking their medications – missed pills rises with age and failing memory particularly among men.

The research looked at over 4,100 North Carolina residents aged 65 and older who all had various health conditions from poor vision and hearing, to diabetes, hypertension and cancer.

What was found was many older adults are failing in the proper use of their prescription medications which can lead to their health conditions worsening.  Problems included:

·         Taking the medications at the wrong time and using the wrong dosage

·         Forgetting to take their medications

·         Men were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to need help with taking medications than women

·         People aged 80 and older were 1.5 to 3 times more likely to require help taking medications than those aged 65-69. 

This study highlights an important issue for all older adults and for those who take care of them – the need for better and improved medication management. Both the elderly and their caregivers should view medications as just one piece of a health and wellness plan.  The medications may or may not be a cure for a health condition but they should help reduce or alleviate symptoms and give a person a better quality of life helping them to incorporate more healthy behavioral changes.

Here are simple strategies for taking medication.  Remember, always discuss with your doctor or pharmacist regarding any questions or concerns over your medications and do not stop taking medications on your own without their advice:

·         Use a pillbox – Placing medications in a weekly pillbox subdivided into different times of the day can be an easy solution visually reminding a person to take their medication and to prevent double dosing.  Place all prescriptions medications, supplements or vitamins in the same pillbox.

·         Take advantage of technology – Use your smartphone to remind you when to take medications.  Create email or text alerts to signal it’s time for a medication dose.

·         Use daily cues as a reminder – Certain routine activities can remind a person to take their medications. It could be brushing your teeth or making coffee cueing you to take your medicine.

·         Practice self-care routines – Remind yourself to take medications when practicing self-care.  As an example, take your medication in conjunction with reading a book, taking a walk, meditating, or during a morning stretch.

·         Keep medication visible – Place your pillbox in a visible location you easily see throughout the day.

·         Repeat to yourself when taking medication – Break out of auto-pilot, look at the pills in your hand saying out loud, “I’m taking Monday’s medication now.”  This simple act can  help a person remember they did indeed take the day’s dose.

·         Enlist help from others – Have your significant other, a hired caregiver or a family member help remind you of taking your medications.  They can be physically present to help with this or they can call, send an email or text to trigger that reminder. 

·         Know what the medication is for – Keep a record of all medications listing the name of each one, what it is for, what doctor prescribed it, the dose to be taken, how often, any special instructions (with or without food, by mouth, etc.) and any possible side effects to be aware of.

 By following the strategies suggested, this can help keep older adults on track using their medications correctly and safe from potential harm.