Home Management (3)
It is becoming more frequent to see medications distributed in blister packs, rather than in pill bottles.
Skilled nursing facilities and other medical facilities tend to use them to avoid medication distribution errors. For the elderly, this packaging style can be very difficult to manage, if the person has problems with fine motor or hand coordination and/or arthritis.
If you are helping a loved one manage their medications, and this is a struggle for them, you can organize their pills one week at a time in a pill organizer and minimize self- medication errors, by putting all of the bottles and sheets of medication in a separate place.
To help the overall understanding of what medication is used to treat what type of condition, you can make a chart, that includes a picture of the pill, what it is used for and when it is taken. You can copy a picture of the pill from the internet, or take a picture of the pill, and apply it to the chart. The chart will serve to reinforce and remind the person about their medications, and reduce the potential for errors.
Here is an example:
| Pill - Description | Name of Pill | When I take it | Why I take it |
|
White, Large, Oval |
Atorvastatin |
In the evening |
To improve my Cholesterol |
If you are challenged with how to manage a loved one’s medications, let us know what the issue is, and we’ll see if we can help you problem solve your issue! - Now "Let's Get Going" xo Sally
If you would like to learn more about Sally Thimm OTR/L Occupational Therapy Services visit: Professional Case Management of SWFL
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Simplify the organization of your medications by using containers that separate your pills into compartments that best describe the time of day that you take them.
For example; one of my favorite types of medication containers is pictured below. They come marked for medications to be taken 4 times per day: Breakfast- Lunch- Dinner- Bed time.
Sometimes those descriptions don’t fit the timing schedule that you follow. A good example of this is when some patients that take medication for Parkinsons Disease four times per day, take them every four hours. To make the pill organization easier, I take a label maker and cover the printed words on the boxes, and put the time that the pills are supposed to be taken over the wording. See below:
This particular pill organizer has 7 different compartments labeled with each day of the week.
There are 4 individual sections in each compartment that are labeled with the time the pills are to be taken in each section.
This allows the patient or caregiver to take the supply of pills for the day in a compact carrier, and be reminded about the time to take the pills, just by looking at the top of the box.
Let us hear from you through Contact Us, and share how you manage medications that are timed. A web site you may find interesting is www.epill.com . They have a number of electronic pill reminder gadgets that may help you to remember to take your pills on time!
“Now let’s get going” xo Sally
If you would like to learn more about Sally Thimm OTR/L Occupational Therapy Services visit: Professional Case Management of SWFL
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Falls can be complicated. The injuries that result from falls are many, and frequently are responsible for loss of independence.
A reason for a fall may not be as simple as losing your balance.
Balance is a critical part, but when we couple falls and illness, or we combine falls and the elderly,
the question gets more complicated, and there may not be just one easy answer.
First, do not believe that people fall just because they are old. Living in Southwest Florida, I have had the personal experience of working with patients ranging in age from 70 to 100. It’s not unusual to have patients in their 80s and 90s be independent, live alone, and continue to drive safely.
One thing I know for sure — there’s always a reason that a person falls. A rare fall due to an actual loss of balance can happen to anyone. Whether you’re the patient, caregiver or a therapist, you need to be a detective to figure out the potential reasons for a fall, and follow up with your doctors to define treatment options for your condition
Balance is best understood by realizing that our muscles provide our support system, and the reason we’re able to keep our upright or standing balance is that our muscles work in concert with each other. Agonist and antagonist muscles act in opposite directions. When the agonist produces an action, the antagonist opposes the action. Stability is the result.
So in a perfect world, our muscles support our bones in harmony when we’re standing, and adjust when we take on different postures — walking, moving forward to stand from a chair, getting out of bed, getting on and off the toilet, and so on. Physical and cognitive problems infludence balance and falls.
Here are six things you should consider before assuming someone is falling due to “old age:”
Vision. Limitations in vision can impact accuracy of steps, determination of curb or threshold heights, and depth perception.
Joint pain. If you’re having arthritic pain in a hip, knee, or ankle, you may be unconsciously or consciously shifting your weight to the stronger side to reduce pain. This causes a problem with balance, and can cause damage to the “good side” due to overuse and inflammation.
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Coordination. If you are noticing a change in your coordination, a change in how you’re walking, or a worsening of posture (more bent over), these things contribute to balance. When a person shuffles when they walk, or stops picking up their feet when they step, that could be a sign of a change in their neurological status. It could be as simple as sensory changes developing in the legs, or as complicated as an evolving change in their neurological condition. These changes need to be evaluated by a neurologist. Blood Pressure. Most people talk about high blood pressure, because it is common. Monitor your bood pressure at home. If you experience weakness in the legs, lightheadedness and/or dizziness while walking, check your blood pressure. It may be low, and it might be contributing to falls. Check blood pressure while sitting, and then stand. Wait 3-5 minutes before checking blood presure in the standing position, so it will be more accurate. If you take it immediately upon standing, you won't get an accurate reading of the blood pressure you have, when you are upright for a length of time. Report these problems to your doctor. Changes in metabolism and the endocrine system. If you have diabetes or any other physiological condition that affects your balance of blood sugar and/or endocrine function, follow your physician's orders to maximize internal stability. You can become light-headed and dizzy and fall when these systems are not under good control. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is chracterized by intense sensations of dizziness, or of a feeling that the inside of your head is spinning. Characteristically the sensations occur when the poisiton of the head is changed. There are exercises that help, and treatment is usually very successful. Your physician can direct you to resources. Successful management of any change in your medical status will require that you become a good "detective" for yourself and your loved ones. Pay attention to how someone loses their balance, and how they fall. For example, if someone consistently falls backwards, rather than forward or sideways, that is important for your neurologist to know. If you feel you need to use medical equipment such as canes or walkers for suport, keep in mind that you don't want to miss an oportunity to figure out why you're experiencing unsteadiness. Ask you doctor whether there is an underlying issue that can be treated. This also goes for people who must hold on to the backs of chairs or kitchen counters. If you have to reach out for something to stabilize yourself, ask yourself why. Falls can be fatal, especially in the senior population. Get to the bottom of the reason for your unsteadiness. Don't let anyone tell you that your balance problems are "expected" in people "your age." Learn how to be your own advocate, and get some answers! Contact us via email for more information. Send your questions and comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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