Almost a quarter of the elderly population has to take three or more pills per day. With many seniors taking multiple pills, it can be difficult to keep up with the times, and dosages needed. Home care workers can help elderly clients remember their medication in a number of ways.
Medication alarms are much like alarm clocks, which can be set to go off when the next medication needs to be taken. These can be set to go off several times a day, as needed. Another good way to help elderly clients remember to take their medication, is to associate taking the medication with a common daily activity. Some medications need to be taken with food, or right before bed, so it is easy for a caregiver to associate the medication with the normal activities.
It is also important for the caregiver to make sure that their client is taking the correct dosage of medication. Daily medication organizers can help tackle both the task of remembering when to take a medication, as well as the dosage. Medication organizers are cheap, and allow patients, or caregivers, to preset the dosages of medications, as well as remember which ones need to be taken on a given day. Another alternative caregivers can look into, for patients who have a hard time remembering dosages, is bubble packed medication. These prepackaged dosages are an effective way to help people manage their medication needs.
Hiring a home care agency can help elderly clients remember to take their medication, and help protect them from a variety of other complications. Many times a caregiver can serve an elderly client better than family, as they form a different type of relationship with the client. Many people are more likely to take advice from a trained professional, as opposed to a close family member.
There are many agencies which can help families manage the needs of elderly members, who can no longer fully take care of themselves. Hiring a trained home care worker can help elderly loved ones live longer, and fuller lives, without the need to move into an assisted living facility.