How to Help the Elderly Manage Medication?

The elderly often need guidance and a helping hand, especially if they live alone. You need to remind and motivate your aging parents to maintain a healthy daily routine. If you cannot do it yourself because you live far from your aging parents, you can rely on experienced local caregivers to lend your elderly loved ones a helping hand. 

A caregiver checklist is long and covers everything from assistance with household chores to incontinence care, to companionship and keeping your elderly loved one entertained. One of the most important tasks of providers of home care in Santa Monica is to help the elderly manage their medication. 

How do elderly organize their medications?

A staggering number of seniors do not take their medication in accordance with doctors’ instructions: at the right time and in the right dosage. This puts their health in jeopardy and either diminishes the effect of the medication or increases the risk of overdosing.

It is of vital importance that your elderly parents adhere to their medication regimen. There are certain risk factors to be mindful of if you suspect that your elderly loved one might not be following doctor’s orders:

• Vision problems
• Hearing problems
• Swallowing issues
• Memory loss
• Social isolation
• Low or limited income

Some of these issues are more difficult to overcome, but in general, a simple solution can do the trick: procure a pill box. Nowadays, there are various sophisticated, technologically advanced versions of this product. They can help your elderly loved one organize their medication and keep track of their medication regimen.

How to help your parents take medication?

You can always give your elderly parents a call to remind them that they need to take their medication. You can also leave them notes around the house. Still, none of this is a guarantee that they will remember to take their medication.

Being there in person or having a caregiver pay your elderly loved one a visit on a regular basis and remind them to take their medication at the designated time is certainly the best course of action. This is especially the case if your elderly loved one is suffering from memory loss on account of dementia. 

What do you do when a person with dementia refuses medication?

Many dementia patients refuse to take medication, mostly because they cannot understand why they need it. Worse yet, patients in the more advanced stages of the condition cannot even understand the consequences of non-adherence to the medication regimen. This is a perfectly normal manifestation of dementia. 

However, if you are new to caregiving, this common scenario may turn into a source of great frustration and irritation. Experts recommend that you stay calm and approach the elderly with patience and understanding, no matter how many times you have to deal with the exact same scenario. Try to fall back on a trusted authority (such as a doctor your elderly loved one knows and respects) and reason with your parent by talking slowly and clearly.

A Better Way in Home Care: expert home care in Santa Monica

Situated in Santa Monica Bay, Santa Monica is a place where the elderly can truly enjoy a more peaceful life, especially if they have devoted home care professionals looking out for them. Here at A Better Way in Home Care, we go out of our way to track down the leading caregivers with an impeccable background and a long and successful track record in the field. 

We will match you with an experienced and compassionate caregiver who will treat your elderly loved one with respect and patience. Call today to open a new chapter in the life of your elderly loved one.