Caregivers Can Limit the Over-Medication of Seniors
In the following article, the AARP reports that it is not uncommon for older adults to be over-medicated and to experience adverse reactions to the ever-lengthening list of medications they take.
Although it is sad to say this this problem is a way that institutions have dealt with patients on a general basis due (especially where staff is limited), this problem also suggests why having home care can really help to offset unneccessary medication intake. Having a good caregiver can help your senior become monitored regularly and correctly where each sign of over medicating or improper medication can be observed. A good caregiver's job is to help a senior feel naturally better, physically and mentally, with as little dependency on medication as possible.
Click on the link below to access a full list of both prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals to which seniors should pay especially close attention.
Too Many Pills: Are We Overmedicated As We Age?
Have you considered this a problem with your own loved one that needs care? What do you think could be done to keep them from being over-medicated in insitutions?
While I agree that institutions have been over-medicating its patients for as long as medicine existed and it was possible, however, it's still a shame that despite what we know of the harmful effects on drugs that our care system still feels as if they have to over-prescribe to our elders. I can't say I blame them either due to the short staff. I am glad to have come across this post however as my mother will be needing care soon and we have been wondering about our options (getting a family caregiver or looking into senior services for the elderly that is). We do live in florida so we may check in some home care agencies (yours included) as an option.
ReplyDeleteI had a grandfather who was bipolar and it almost seemed necessary to have him over-medicated or he could hurt my grandmother. It was really said seeing him go like that.
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