Importance of Medication Management

• Bring all medications to doctor's appointments, especially if the care recipient has prescriptions from more than one doctor.
• Check with pharmacist about possible side effects or interactions of any of the medications, including over the counter drugs, dietary supplements, and herbs.
• Be aware of side effects of different drugs, how they affect the care recipient, and when. Some side effects may be drowsiness, nausea, or dizziness.
• If side effects persist or are especially troublesome for the care recipient, talk with the prescribing doctor about modifying the dose.
• Not taking a prescribed medication can also cause problems. For example, a diabetic who does not take his/her insulin can become dizzy and develop very serious complications. Someone with hypertension (high blood pressure) who doesn't take his or her medication can end up with increased blood pressure with headaches and/or dizziness.
• You can get information about medications on the Internet by going to the medications manufacturers' website.
• Don't wait until the last minute to get refills of the care recipient's medications.
• Consider using a medication prefill box available at any drug store in order to help minimize the chance of taking doses incorrectly. Council for Jewish Elderly care managers can also come to your care recipient's home and fill his/her medication cassette.