According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, approximately one-half of senior adults who take at least one medication per day find keeping to the regimen difficult to maintain. Senior home care providers indicate that elderly patients can often become confused about dosage and scheduling and sometimes do not even understand the purpose for each prescription.
Because medication is metabolized differently as people age, it must be taken as prescribed for the full benefit to be achieved. Unfortunately, many seniors may be taking prescriptions at the wrong time or missing doses entirely. Medications can also get mixed up when there is more than one elderly resident in the home, creating an additional danger to the individuals.
Becky Kearney is the Senior Director of Operations for Golden Heart Senior Care in Centerville, Ohio. “Our senior home care providers frequently deal with the effects of over or under medicating,” she says. “Improper medication administration can create havoc for both the individual and his or her family members.”
Senior home care providers from Golden Heart Senior Care can ensure that the proper medication is given in the correct dosage and method (oral, topical, etc.) and at the right time.
“Mishandling of prescriptions can cause long term, if not permanent damage to the physical and mental health of the individual. All of which could be prevented with medication monitoring by senior home care providers,” adds Kearney.
