Many older adults in retirement tend to suffer from chronic health conditions that may require them to take medicine regularly for relief, whether it’s hypertension or hyperlipidemia. Unfortunately, your aging parents may have trouble managing their medication properly, which can lead to them experiencing potentially dangerous complications. To combat this problem, retirement communities that offer residential assisted living in Columbia, SC offer assistance with medication management, adding perks such as the following.
Receiving Punctual Reminders
Prescription medications typically come with specific instructions when it comes to consumption, which can lead to various negative impacts when not followed accordingly. For example, failing to comply with medication instructions such as dosage and timing can lead to falls, hallucinations, and even bleeding. At an assisted living community, the caregivers are responsible for helping residents like your parents by ensuring that they take their prescribed medication on time and keeping track of refill dates.
Staying on Top of Pill Organization
54% of adults aged 65 and above have been reported to be actively taking a substantial number of four or more prescription drugs on a regular basis. Thus, it’s not surprising that one of the aspects retirees struggle with the most when it comes to medication management is pill organization. If your parents are taking multiple types of medications, the team at their assisted living community can support them by optimizing the way they take their medication, such as helping them to sort their pills or labeling pill containers for them.
Scheduling Regular Doctor’s Appointments
Adults in their golden years are always encouraged to visit their doctors frequently, especially since their healthcare needs are constantly changing during this stage of their lives. This is especially important in cases such as if your parents’ symptoms start changing, or if a prescribed drug is not working as expected. Most assisted living communities can handle tasks such as booking appointments, as well as providing transport to the clinic.
Watching for Side Effects
Many elderly patients go through a trial and error process to find the prescription medication that works best for them, causing them to start new medications or even change their medication routine entirely. During this time, they may be subject to a variety of side effects due to these changes such as dizziness or sleep issues. At an assisted living community, you’ll never have to worry about your loved ones being unable to cope, as there’s always a reliable team member around to help.
Disposing of Expired Drugs
Most prescription medications have expiration dates, which are more than just for show. Taking expired medications can lead to them being less effective at best, and can take a toll on a patient’s body at worst. Additionally, expired medications also need to be disposed of properly to prevent problems such as accidental exposure. Not only can an assisted living community’s team help your parents to dispose of their expired drugs, but they can also help them to refill their prescriptions.
Are you on the search for a retirement community for your loved ones that require day-to-day support? Check out our excellent Assisted Living services!
