The Complete Guide to Medication Management for Caregivers

For seniors, proper medication management can be the difference between thriving at home and an emergency hospital visit. Consider these facts:

• 1 in 4 older adults are hospitalized due to medication problems
• 125,000 deaths annually in the US are attributed to medication non-adherence
• 50% of medications for chronic conditions aren't taken as prescribed
• Polypharmacy (5+ medications) affects 40% of seniors

As a caregiver, you're often the last line of defense against medication errors. This guide will help you manage medications safely and effectively.

Your first step is creating a comprehensive medication list. This document should go to every doctor visit and stay updated.

What to Include

• Prescription medications: Name, dose, frequency, prescribing doctor
• Over-the-counter medications: Pain relievers, antacids, sleep aids
• Vitamins and supplements: All vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements
• Eye drops and topicals: Often forgotten but important
• As-needed medications: Note when and why they're taken

Information for Each Medication

• Generic and brand names
• Dosage and form (tablet, liquid, etc.)
• Frequency and timing
• Special instructions (with food, at bedtime, etc.)
• Start date and why it was prescribed
• Prescribing doctor and pharmacy