ASK THE EXPERT: Medication Regime

Ashley Seace, Care Management Associate – ashleys@aoscaremanagement.com

Question:

I was recently prescribed a new medication regime. I’m unsure why it’s important for me to stick to specific times for taking the medications, as long as I am taking them daily. Can you explain?

Answer:

This is a great question! Taking your medications at the time recommended by your doctor can prevent conditions from worsening and help you feel your best. Also, taking medications as prescribed helps avoid hospitalization and even death. The reason your doctor gave you very specific instructions is because it can make the medication more effective. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to keep track and manage multiple medications.

There are several common reasons people don’t take medication as prescribed:

· not understanding the directions

· forgetting to take the medication

· forgetting if/when medication was taken

· uncertainty about how to take the medication (with food, for example)

· having several medications to take each day

· desire to avoid negative side effects

· uncertainty about medication effectiveness

· the cost of the medication is too high

All of these reasons can make medication management challenging. Here are tips to stay on track with your medication.

Helping a loved one manage medication in person can go a long way to keeping a schedule on track. Having a caregiver come into your home around the time you take your medicine is helpful. They ensure your medicine is taken correctly and help keep track.

Another option is hiring a geriatric care manager to come weekly to help set up your medication box and make sure that you are following directions. Care managers also help find ways to afford medication by providing resources that lower the cost of prescriptions. They’re also a good resource for communicating with doctors about side effects or dosage adjustments.

Medication boxes with alarms are also great options. You can set the alarm for the specific time you have to take your medication. The alarm will go off and will get increasingly louder until you take your medication. You can also put timer caps on pill bottles, which go off when you are supposed to take your dose. Picking a set day each week to refill your box will help maintain your schedule.

When picking up your medications, pharmacists recommend ways to adhere to a routine or even provide medication management therapy to get you on a schedule. Some pharmacies offer a program to simplify the pickup process by having all medication available on the same day each month. Several pharmacies offer a delivery service that brings the medications straight to your door. Pharmacists can also ask questions at pickup to help organize your routine and offer solutions. These questions might include “how do you remember to take your medications?” “how would you know if you missed a dose?” or “how do you organize your medications?”

Regardless of how you manage your medication, it’s an important routine to implement and give attention. Your health can be impacted by taking medication properly, and medication management can prevent or slow the progression of disease. Maintaining open communication with your doctors and pharmacists can provide you with clear steps for taking your medications as prescribed. 

Are You In Need Of A Caregiver To Assist With Medication? 

If you or a loved one have reached a point where you could use assistance in sticking to a medication regime, you may want to consider hiring a personal caregiver. At CaregiverNC, we help pair you with a pre-screened & qualified Caregiver based on yours or your loved one’s specific needs. We are North Carolina’s only accredited registry.Call our team at (910) 692-0683, or contact us online to find out how CaregiverNC can help you find the best-fit Caregiver today!