More than half of seniors admit to not taking their medications as directed. For those living alone, this can be due to a variety of factors. For a senior living in a nursing home, this can be a result of poor oversight by the facility. Almost half of Americans age 65 years and older take at least five different prescription medications regularly, according to a recent study from Kelton Research. When a senior is taking a variety of medications in different dosages over an extended period of time, frequently they can make mistakes or miss a day.
When a senior moves into a nursing home or assisted living facility, it is usually because of a loss of independence resulting from declining health. So it’s more important to these individuals to take all of their medications as directed by their physicians and it’s up to the staff of the senior care facility to ensure this. All too often, we receive calls from loved ones detailing the injuries or worse that are a result of improper medication administration.
When you factor in that one quarter of all nursing home admissions are the result of poor medication adherence to begin with, according to a recent story, it compounds the problem into a potential nightmare. Luckily, some companies like Medicine-On-Time is seeking a solution both before a senior moves into a nursing home, and during. A study released in the American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy found that seniors using Medicine-On-Time were 66% less likely to be admitted to a nursing home. Imagine how much this colorful, calendar system could improve adherence once someone is living in an assisted living facility and when their medication may be more important than ever.
If you are considering placing your loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home, or if you know someone who currently resides in one, please read our recommendations on how to spot abuse and neglect, like improper medication adherence. Have a talk with the seniors in your life and see if they are having any issues adhering to their prescription schedule on their own
