Researchers estimate that 25 percent of people ages 65 to 69 take at least five prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions, a figure that jumps to nearly 46 percent for those between 70 and 79. Most of these drugs help keep patients more comfortable and many are essential for patients to stay alive. But in the wrong hands, many prescribed medications are dangerous and potentially deadly, especially for children.
Home-bound people who live alone are usually not too concerned about locking up their medications, especially if they live alone, but if they have young visitors such as grandchildren they should take precautions. Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning, according to SafeKids.org. One out of every 150 2-year-olds is sent to an emergency room for an unintentional overdose, from mistakes in dosing by caregivers or children finding and ingesting medication. Even items like vitamins can be very dangerous to children who may mistake them for candy and eat an entire bottle.
The key is to make sure senior patients take their medications as prescribed while being careful about pills and liquid medications staying out of the reach of anyone who could possibly misuse them.
In a National Poll on Healthy Aging, one in four grandparents reported storing prescription medications in easy-to-open containers or pill boxes. While this may make medication adherence easier for grandparents, it can inadvertently increase the risk of accidental ingestion by children.
If you have a loved one who is a senior, a grandparent, and you’re not sure if they have an adequate system for safeguarding medications, please read this informative guide from Centers for Disease Control → Click Here and if you believe it may be wise to have some in-home assistance to help with taking medications properly and as prescribed we can help.
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