Many common age-related conditions require prescription medication management. Remembering to take medications is easy enough when there is just one pill to swallow daily. However, when individuals require multiple medications for various conditions, medication management can become more complicated.
For some medications, forgetting a dosage is not a cause for alarm. For others, missing a dose can have serious consequences. So if medication management is something you or your loved one is finding harder to handle, the support of a home carer could be a welcome solution.
Medication management at home can be administered as part of live-in care services or hourly care. Below, we explore the options in more detail to help you or your loved one choose the level of care required to support medication management.
What does medication management involve?
Medication management offers elderly people with ongoing health conditions support in managing their prescribed treatments. A home carer providing medication management will typically:
- Remind individuals to take their medicines at set times during the day
- Help people remove medicines from packaging
- Administer medicines in line with healthcare professionals’ instructions
- Pick up prescriptions and arrange for renewals
- Organise and properly store medications
- Correctly dispose of medications
- Alert emergency services in case of reactions to medicines
- Liaise with other healthcare professionals
- Monitor individuals for side effects and worsening symptoms
Who is medication management for?
Medication management is ideal for individuals who are taking medication under the supervision of a healthcare professional, but are unsure of their ability to manage their own medication. Moreover, medication management provided by a home carer offers a watchful eye and second opinion, as any progress can be observed and side effects spotted.
Medication management could be a temporary arrangement, supervising the taking of a short course of antibiotics for an infection, or a long-term solution managing medication treating a chronic disease. A home carer can offer as little or as much assistance as is needed, from full support to helping individuals retain their independence with a few prompts concerning taking their medication along the way.
Making mistakes regarding medication dosages and timings can become more common as we get older. That’s because as we age, our cognitive skills can decline, and we may not remember information or follow instructions as accurately as we once did. For people living with dementia or another condition affecting cognitive function, medication management support becomes all the more important.
If you or a loved one require support with taking medication regularly, it may be a good idea to enlist the help of live-in care or visiting care services.
The benefits of medication management care
There are many advantages to receiving medication management support in your own home.
The benefits of medication management care at home include:
- Making sure that medications are taken correctly
- Ensuring the safety of the individual taking medication
- Offers peace of mind for loved ones
- Someone around to monitor the effects of medication
- Accurate note-taking and records around taking medication
- Limiting the risk of interactions with other medications, food, and drink
- Organising repeat prescriptions and picking up medication
- Liaising with healthcare professionals regarding medication reviews
In addition to medication management, a home carer can help with other aspects of care to improve the quality of life of an elderly individual. This can include assisting with personal care such as bathing and dressing, supporting mobility, and ensuring the home is clean and clutter-free, all according to the individual’s specific care needs.
How Trinity Homecare can help
Medication management care can provide welcome reassurance for individuals and their families concerning the correct administration of medications. A home carer can gently prompt elderly individuals to take their medications on time and in accordance with healthcare professionals’ instructions.
Medication management can be offered through around-the-clock live-in care or as a visiting care service. Trinity Homecare can match your loved one with a home carer experienced in medication management to ensure that medications are taken correctly under expert guidance.
If you would like to learn more about arranging visiting or live-in care, get in touch with our friendly and professional care team.
Arranging home care with Trinity is easy.
Just follow these five simple steps:
- Call our care team
- Undergo a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your care needs and arrange a care assessment
- After the assessment, a plan of care is created
- A well-suited carer is found and placed
- Care can be adapted at any time
