Managing medications for patients and their caregivers can be overwhelming and challenging. Due to frequent dosing and medication changes, it is difficult to keep up with a successful medication process at home. That’s where we can help. At Quality Private Duty Care, we provide personalized in-home care. Your Care-mate will work with you one-on-one to provide a customized care plan that fits your needs. Let Quality Private Duty Care give you the peace of mind that independent living can bring with the security of in-home care.
Medication management is especially important for patients with multiple chronic conditions and illnesses. According to Mayo Clinic, nearly 70 percent of Americans take at least one prescription drug, and more than half take two.
Here’s our tips on how to manage your medication at home:
- Presort pulls into dispensers or daily reminder boxes
Containers that sort the pills out by the day of the week and time of the day make it easy to remember to take your medication on time. A Quality Private Duty Care-mate can help you fill this reminder box every week to ensure it is correctly filled every time.
- Be on the lookout for side effects
It is crucial to know what side effects to be on the watch for when starting a new medication or changing a dose. Pay close attention to loss of sleep, dizziness, upset stomach, pain, or feeling of weakness. Call your prescribing doctor as soon as you feel these side effects and inform them of what you’re experiencing.
- Know what medications need to be taken with foods or liquids
Some medications require an empty stomach to be as effective as possible and others require a full stomach in order to avoid nausea. It is important to know what you need to eat or drink with each medication. Check with your pharmacist or doctor if it is okay to take multiple medications at the same time or if they need to be spread out throughout the day.
- Maintain an up-to-date medication list that includes the following:
- Medication names including over the counter medications, supplements, herbal remedies
- Who prescribed each prescription
- Purpose of each medication
- Pharmacy contact information
- Dosing information
- Schedule frequent doctor appointments
Keep the lines of communication with your doctor open, honest, and frequent. For those taking multiple medications, always adapting and building a relationship with a doctor you trust is important to ensure nothing has changed with your symptoms – you may even be able to get off certain medications with time. Does your loved one need transportation to their next doctor’s visit? A Care-mate can be there with them every step of the way and provide transportation to the appointment.
Whether you’re considering a Care-mate for your elderly parent or family member or another loved one that needs assistance with their medication management – we are here for you. We have been treating patients and helping families for more than 30 years.
If you would like to know more about our services, please fill out the form here or give us a call at (866) 994-2027. We can’t wait to hear from you and learn how we can serve your family!