Whether it’s putting up a fuss when it comes time to take another pill or skipping doses, seniors and their caregivers sometimes need help managing daily medications. What’s referred to as non-adherence (failure to take medications on time or as directed) can result in increased symptoms and side effects associated with the conditions the medications are supposed to be treating. Consider the following tips to help your senior loved one take his or her meds as directed.
Start a Productive Dialogue
Fight the temptation to reverse roles and insist your loved one take medications for his or her own good, which often sets up a confrontation. Instead, set aside time to talk about why your loved one doesn’t like taking the medicine. Realize some of the reasons your loved one gives may be valid and correctable. Take time to thoroughly discuss the thinking behind the following possible reasons your loved one may not want to take medications:
- Having friends who took the same medication with adverse reactions
- Not liking the way certain medications make him or her feel
- Claiming to feel just fine (and seeing no reason to continue with medications)
In-home care providers can benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care are available to help your elderly loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cut Back on Some Medications
Your loved one may get understandably annoyed with having to take so many medications throughout the day. Schedule an appointment with the doctor to determine if some of these medications can be eliminated, reduced, or replaced with a medicine that treats multiple symptoms. You can also inquire about alternative and holistic treatment options.
Schedule an Evaluation for Other Conditions
If your loved one only recently began forgetting to take medicine or is being difficult about taking medication, he or she may have an undiagnosed condition that’s causing the problem. Some forms of dementia, for instance, can diminish cognitive functioning or result in mood shifts that can make medication time difficult.
For seniors who want to stay healthy, it’s important that they take their medications as prescribed by their physicians. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, medication reminders, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of Home Care Naples families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Associate Taking Medications with Mealtime
Associate mealtimes throughout the day with taking medications to help your loved one remember when to take medicine. Since some pills need to be taken with food anyway, there are other benefits to linking meds with mealtime, which also tends to be a more relaxing time for seniors. Meds that can’t be taken with food often go down more easily when placed on the back of the tongue and taken with water (to counter complaints that some medications taste bad).
Living with serious health conditions can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Naples seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more. Trust Assisting Hands Home Care to provide high-quality compassionate professional care for your loved one. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today.