Avoiding Medication Errors

Many seniors take multiple medications, which increases the likelihood of medication errors.  Here are some excellent tips for seniors to reduce the likelihood of making a mistake with their medications:

1. Check the label when you get a prescription to verify that you are receiving the proper medication. Read back the prescription to your pharmacist and doctor.
2. Keep all medication in original containers.
3. Remember to contact your health care provider or pharmacist if you have any doubts about missing a dosage.
4. Fill all prescriptions at the same pharmacy.
5. Read the patient information sheet that accompanies your medication.
6. Notify your pharmacist immediately if there is a change in the color, size, shape or smell of your medication.
7. Do not share or take another person’s medication.
8. When in doubt about a medication you are taking, always consult your pharmacist and doctor.  Ask about any side effects that you might experience or expect.
9. When in the hospital:

- State your name before taking any medications and always offer your wrist bracelet for identification. Ask the nurse to identify each medication by name before you take it.

- Ask your nurse why your medication has not been given at its regular time during your hospital stay.

- Remind your doctor if you have any allergies to certain medications and food or if you also have a health condition that could affect the use of certain medications.

1. Tell your pharmacist and doctor if you are taking any dietary supplements or over-the-counter medications.
2. Create a list of all the medications you are taking and share with your family members. The list should include the following information:

- Your full name and date of birth

- Drug name (the drugs being taken, both generic and brand)

- Strength (dosage)

- Directions for using the medication, including how many times a day and when the medication should be taken

- What liquids or foods are being used to take or should be used to take with medications, for example, water, juice, apple sauce etc.

- Allergies to certain medicines and foods

- Pharmacy and health care providers names, addresses, telephone numbers

- Family emergency contact information

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Consider these common myths about medication use:

•    If one dose makes me feel good, a larger dose will make me feel even better.
•    If I run low I can cut the pills in half so they will last longer.
•    If I can buy it over the counter, it must be safe.
•    If a physician gave it to me before, I can use it again any time.
•    If it helped my friend, it will help me.

Following any of these myths can cause serious trouble.  While advances in medicine have produced many effective drugs to treat various chronic conditions, certain drugs when taken together can produce adverse reactions.  This is particularly true among the elderly, who may suffer from a number of different ailments consistent with aging, such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal disorders, and bladder dysfunction.  Over medication can cause such side effects as dizziness, confusion, fatigue, heartburn, insomnia, falls, depression and general malaise.  The risk of adverse drug reactions rises exponentially with the number of drugs used, and older people are particularly sensitive to potential adverse reactions.

For example, the drug Coumadin, a blood thinner used by patients after cardiac surgery or stroke, or to treat clots, can cause bleeding if taken with aspirin.  Use of an anti-depressant can lead to serious side effects if taken in combination with an over-the-counter cold and cough remedy.  Medicines frequently associated with adverse reactions in the elderly are psychotropic drugs, especially benzodiazepines, as well as anti-hypertensive agents, digoxin (a cardiac drug), corticosteroids, warfarin (taken for blood clotting), diuretics, Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, and theophylline (a medication for chronic asthma).

Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is defined as the use of multiple medications. While seniors comprise 12% of the population, they use 32% of all prescriptions. This can include, on average, up to six prescription drugs and 3 – 4 over-the-counter medicines at a time, as well as vitamin supplements and herbal preparations.  The average patient of skilled home health care takes 11 drugs simultaneously. Over medication among the elderly is not surprising – after all, many elderly people see multiple specialists, who may prescribe medications without full knowledge of what else their patient is taking.

Polypharmacy can lead to adverse drug reactions, decreased adherence to drug regimens, increased hospitalization rates, a high rate of symptoms, unnecessary drug costs and a poor quality of life.  Studies show that one out of seven hospital inpatient days is a result of a medication problem.

Doctors and pharmacists recommend a “brown bag review” – where seniors take all of their medications to their doctor or pharmacist and have them screened for appropriate dosages and potential interactions. ♦

New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable care and assistance for NJ seniors, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us when you need help at 800-848-2336.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care

Diabetes is characterized by hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar) and insulin resistance (which prevents glucose from entering the cells and, instead, builds it up in the blood).  A diabetic may not show any symptoms for many years.  As a result, many overlook the most common initial symptoms – increased thirst and frequent urination. This a result of excess glucose in the bloodstream sucking water from tissues, thus forcing the body to take in more liquid and, as a result, excrete more fluid.

What Can Be Done?

The single most effective treatment, and best prevention, is gradual and permanent weight loss.   This means eating less and exercising more.

One can start by cutting out desserts and avoiding second portions.  Increase the consumption of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that are high in complex carbohydrates, and decrease the amount of red meat and sugars.  Avoid alcoholic beverages.

It is important to consult a physician about medications, since there can be serious side effects and contraindications.   In addition, seniors with diabetes need to:

• Have regular blood tests.

• Have their eyes checked regularly to keep track of diabetic retinopathy.

• Monitor their weight and blood pressure.

• Check the health of their feet for any signs of foot ulcers or infections

• Monitor their levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

• Conduct regular urine tests to look for any kidney problems

• Get vaccinated against influenza and pneumonia as a precaution against additional infection

• Stop smoking

• Manage stress

New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors has been educating diabetic seniors and helping them manage their illness since 1984. Please call us when you need help at 800-848-2336.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, President of Expert Home Care

Expert Home Care in New Jersey wants adult children to pay close attention to the early signs of Alzheimer’s and take proper action if you see a parent displaying one or serveral. Consult with a neurologist who specializes in dementia. A neurologist or an medical doctor who specializes in geriatrics will do the proper testings and evaluations to uncover Alzheimer’s or dementia early on. They will prescribe the right medications that help delay the progression of the disease. Hopefully the medications will help your aging parents and potentially keep them in that early stage for a longer period of time.

Memory loss that disrupts everyday life is not a normal part of aging – It may be a sign of Alzheimer’s disease, a fatal brain disease that gets worse over time and causes changes in thinking, reasoning and behavior. Although the disease is more common in people 65 and older, it can also strike those in their 30s, 40s and 50s.  Alz.org.

Visit us in a day or two when we give more information of the signs of the disease.

Expert Home & Live-in Care for seniors and elders in New Jersey.

Call us for help at 800-848-2336.

If an elder is suffering from high blood pressure, or hypertension, without ever knowing it can damage the heart, kidneys, brain and eyes before the condition is ever diagnosed. Hypertension is widespread, affecting as many as 60 million Americans, or one in every four adults. It is often killed the “silent killer.”

In the medical world, 120 over 80 is considered a normal blood pressure reading and the range for pre-hypertension is 120 to 139 over 80 to 89. Stage 1 hypertension is a range from 140 to 159 over 90 to 99.

The top, larger number is called the systolic pressure. This is the pressure generated when the heart contracts (or pumps), and it reflects the pressure of the blood against arterial walls. The bottom, smaller number is called the diastolic pressure. This reflects the pressure in the arteries while the heart is filling and resting between heartbeats.

The key risk factors for hypertension include obesity, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, diets high in salt and fat, increased alcohol consumption and physical inactivity. Men 55 and over and women 65 and over are most prone to the disease. African Americans, particularly women – and family history are also factors.

Visit us tomorrow when we give tips and lifestyle enhancements to decrease your high blood pressure.

In the meantime call Expert Home Care when you need live-in care for your loved one.. call us at 800-848-2336.

More Tips for New Jersey Seniors and Medications

The rule when buying from Internet pharmacies is not to purchase anything:

• Without a proper medical examination
• Stay away from medications that are not FDA-approved 
• Avoid sites that do not require a written prescription
• Resist claims of “new cures” or “amazing results”

How can you reduce the likelihood of adverse interactions? You can start by following these practices:

• Always read the label
• Follow directions exactly
• Drink a full glass of water and do not lie down for 30 minutes after taking medication
• Take medication in a well-lit room
• Only take medications that are prescribed for you
• Look for single ingredient products
• Do not take over-the-counter drugs without first consulting with your physician or pharmacist
• Discard any expired medications
• Keep a record of all prescription, over-the-counter drugs, herbs and vitamins
• Use one pharmacy
• Contact your primary care provider or pharmacist if you have any problems with your medicines

Many seniors not only are likely to take different medications but also see a variety of specialists who may prescribe medications without a full knowledge of what else they are taking. This can put your at further risk of taking multiple medications that may interact adversely. As a result, consider discussing your medication use with a geriatric specialist or a pharmacist.

Expert Home Care, we offer free van service for our caregivers directly to our client’s doors in the counties of Bergen, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Essex, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, Passaic, Union and Hudson.

Call us for assisted living at your New Jersey home – 800-848-2336.

Expert Home Care is a good alternative to Assisted Living & Nursing Homes.. keeping seniors and elders safe and healthy in their homes. Call us today at 800-848-2336.

Medications Need to Be Carefully Managed

Consider the following common myths about medication use:

• If one dose makes me feel good, a larger dose will make me feel even better
• If one drug does not work, take two or three
• If I can buy it over the counter, it must be safe
• If my physician has not stopped the medication, I can still use it
• If it helped my friend, it will help me

Many seniors and elders living in New Jersey buy into these myths. Since seniors take on average as many as six prescription drugs and three to four over-the-counter medications, problems with medications are common.

The biggest medication problems for New Jersey elders:

• Not taking medicine correctly – either forgetting to take it or failing to follow instructions
• Allergic reactions
• Drug side effects
• Drug interactions
• Duplication
• Wrong dosage
• Unnecessary or inappropriate usage

Those with chronic conditions that take multiple medications may find one drug interacts or interferes with the effectiveness of another drug, or can cause unexpected side effects that can result in such symptoms as nausea, dizziness, heartburn, faintness, fatigue, drop in blood pressure, or blurred vision.

Common drug-to-drug interactions include aspirin with a blood thinner, like Coumadin, or certain diabetic medications; antacids with heart and blood pressure medications; and antihistamines with antidepressants.

There can also be problems when certain medications are taken with such common foods as dairy products, caffeine, grapefruit and orange juices, and alcohol, or with certain herbal supplements like gingko biloba or kava kava.

Let us help your loved ones live safely in their home. We are one of the best alternatives to Assisted Living and Nursing Home facilities – Expert Home Care New Jersey. Call for assistance 800-848-2336.