Introduction to Giving Medicines Safely
It is very important for anyone who takes medicine to follow the correct schedule and take the right amount at the right time. The Food and Drug Administration reports that between 30 and 50 percent of people using medicines are not taking them as they should. They are not following doctors’ orders.
Why Do People not take their Medicines?
- Lack of information about the medicine or about ways to give medicines safely.
- Not being able to self-administer medicines correctly, because of visual problems, not being able to open medicine containers, or becoming confused about doses and times to take medicines.
- Not having the money to afford prescriptions medicines.
As a caregiver of someone who is taking medicine, always be watching for problems. Giving medicine is an important responsibility. You need to understand the medicines you’re giving and why the person you care for takes them. That will help you be able to anticipate how a medicine should act and how the person should respond. The information in the video "Show me How" will give you valuable tips on how to prepare and give medicines correctly.
Here is Naomi’s Story:
I have been taking care of my mom for five years now. She is able to do most things on her own, but she has trouble remembering when to take her medicines. The problem is she has several medicines, about 6 different kinds. I help her set up medicines for 7 days in a special 7 day pill box. It works very well. I always check the box to be sure she has taken her medicines, and not missed any doses. Before we had the pill box, she was missing doses and that led to many problems. Her blood pressure got out of control pretty quickly. Each time I go with her to the doctor we take a list of her medicines to be sure we have her on the right medicines.