Taking medication can be a simple part of the day: take one pill with breakfast and move on. But add another prescription at bedtime, a medication that needs to be taken with food, an over-the-counter pain reliever, a vitamin or two, and a new prescription after a hospital stay, and suddenly medication management can feel like a job of its own.
As we age, this medication complexity becomes more of the norm. Older adults are more likely to manage multiple health conditions and medications at the same time. One in five people aged 40-79 take five or more prescription medicines and 60% of seniors take at least four medications. Polypharmacy, or taking multiple medications, is not necessarily a problem; each medication may be important. But the more medications someone takes, the more complicated it can become to keep track of doses, schedules, interactions, and side effects. In fact, more than 750 older adults are hospitalized every day because of medication-related reactions.
October is Talk About Your Medicines Month and a reminder to review and simplify your medications routine. Here are five ways to simplify the routine while supporting medication safety.
1. Keep one medication list; and keep it current.
Think of a medication list as a single source of truth. Include prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements, along with the dose, when you take each one, why you take it, and who prescribed it.
You can create a simple chart with five columns: medication; what it’s for; dose; when to take it; prescriber. Keep the list somewhere easy to find, like on a piece of paper or your phone. Update it whenever something changes and use it at medical appointments, pharmacy visits, and during emergencies. Don’t forget to share up-to-date medication lists with healthcare providers.
2. Ask whether the packaging can help.
Medication organization has moved well beyond a row of prescription bottles on the counter. Depending on the pharmacy and medications involved, options may include pill organizers, calendar blister packs, or multidose packaging that groups medications according to the date and time they should be taken. Four Seasons Pharmacy has senior friendly, easy-to-open packaging.
Research suggests that packaging can improve medication adherence. The best system is the one that works for you.
3. Make medication review part of fall prevention.
When thinking about fall prevention, we often picture grab bars, better lighting, and balance exercises. The medicine cabinet deserves attention, too.
Some prescription and over-the-counter medications can cause dizziness, drowsiness, changes in vision, slower reaction times, or problems with balance. The CDC recommends asking a doctor or pharmacist to review medications to identify ones that could increase fall risk. Four Seasons offers educational support and guidance to ensure safe management. Never stop or change a prescription medication without talking with the prescribing healthcare professional.
4. Pay extra attention when care changes.
A trip from the hospital back home can come with a change in medication routine (in addition to a surprising amount of paperwork). A new medicine may have been added, a dosage changed, or an old medication discontinued. This is where medication reconciliation becomes important. In simple terms, medication reconciliation means comparing what someone was taking before with the new medication orders to look for differences, duplications, or other discrepancies. Nurses, pharmacists, physicians, patients, and caregivers all play a role.
Before leaving a hospital or rehabilitation setting, make sure you understand what is new, what changed, what stopped, and what stays the same. Home health nurses can also help reinforce medication instructions and identify questions that need to go back to the physician or pharmacist.
5. Schedule a medication check-in.
Medication management is an ongoing activity: health shifts, prescriptions change, different health providers may become involved.
Periodically bring your complete medication list to a doctor or pharmacist and ask questions:
- Do I still need everything on this list?
- Could any of these medications interact?
- Could any be causing a symptom I am experiencing?
- Can this schedule be simplified?
A healthcare professional may determine that a medication is no longer necessary or that its risks now outweigh its benefits.
Good medication management isn’t about remembering more; a good system lets you remember less. A current list, easier packaging, regular medication reviews, careful coordination, and open conversations can turn a complicated medication routine into something manageable. The best first step is simply putting all your medications on the table and asking, “Can we make this easier?”
