Did you know that the average elder takes from 6 to 14 different medications and, did you notice, I said average.
It's not unusual for an elder to be taking up to 21 different medications a day.
Isn't that special? So it won't surprise you then to learn that 65 percent of all admissions of these elders to hospital is due, not to illness, but -- I bet you can guess.
Yes, you're right! To the medications they take.
Now, do let's thrown something else into the mix.
Well, let's throw your Mom in.
Now, admit it, you know you've been a bit worried about her.
You don't think she has dementia - not really.
But...
And you really have no idea, do you, whether she is taking her medications or not? You're just hoping that she is.
And that she isn't taking two or three days at a time.
Or on the other hands, none.
You're hoping it will all turn out okay.
Did you know that 65 percent of all elders -- oh I already mentioned that.
So, don't be too optimistic about what you hope your Mom is doing.
Instead, build in a structure that helps her to be on track with medication.
Five Ways to Help Mom Take Her Meds: 1.
Get a 7-day pill box suitable for her medication schedule; 2.
Fill that box yourself; 3.
If you're too far away, seek someone reliable to fill it for your Mom; 4.
Have a help aide to do it for her; 5.
Hire regular help for your Mom who also has that duty.
Supposing the real issue is that your Mom doesn't want to take her meds? Well, first, she has the legal right to refuse, by the way.
No-one can make her, not even if she were in longterm care.
And truly, with the absolute epidemic of injuring or even deadly side effects in elder medications, maybe that's not all bad.
Five Ways to Check Mom's Meds: 1.
Look each one up on the Internet; 2.
Note the side effects; 3.
Note any duplication of purpose in the meds.
For example, it's not unheard off for one elder to be taking three different anti-depressants or two diuretics.
This is because each different doctor and specialist has prescribed for your Mom without consulting each other.
4.
Talk to your Mom's pharmacist for guidance; 5.
Take the list to her primary care physician and ask for a medication review.
Once that's all done, many elders will do what their doctors want them to just because doctor is spelled G-O-D.
Others will be suspicious of meds.
Others have mood changes about them.
Yet others don't give a damn.
With tactful handling, most elders can be persuaded.
bribed or nicely manipulated into taking their helpful meds.
Most caregivers find out what works just by trail and error.
Often,m explaining nicely what they're for, will work.
Here's what doesn't work - bullying, ordering, commanding and demanding all just serve to make an elder stiffen up and hunker down.
So, your success at this task will require you to be a really nice person to your Mom.
Now, how hard could that be?