Many of Canada’s seniors and elders have to manage multiple prescriptions, sometimes upwards of 5 prescriptions daily. It is vital for a senior’s health that he or she take the proper dosage of their medication.
Canada’s seniors and elders who choose to live at home rather than in a nursing home or other assisted living facility face many challenges. Some of these challenges include keeping up with daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, home maintenance and more. Some seniors may have a decreased mobility or trouble with memory loss, while others may require a certain level of assisted living to ensure that proper nutritional needs are met and living conditions remain safe and comfortable.
Another critically important factor affecting a vast majority of seniors’ wellbeing is the proper usage and dosage of medication. Many of Canada’s seniors and elders take at least five prescriptions per day, and those suffering from chronic illnesses can take up to twenty medications. For seniors who are living at home and care for themselves, this situation poses a real threat, as seniors must be aware of each medication’s dosage time and amount as well as potential reactions with other medications, side effects and other special instructions. A missed or improper dosage of just one medication can have detrimental and serious effects on an elderly loved one’s health.
Comfort Keepers® Canada is aware of this issue and offers reminder services to remedy this potential problem. Like assisted living centers, Comfort Keepers care providers can assist seniors with medication reminders so that seniors do not need to remember each medication’s dosage and requirements on their own. Care providers can help seniors plan out dosage of medications, read and understand labels and remind seniors to take medication at proper times and with food or drink if necessary. Comfort Keepers also provides assistance with food shopping and meal preparation, and even offers technology solutions such as the SafetyChoice® TabSafe unit, which organizes and dispenses medications with the touch of a button.
The proper usage of medication is absolutely critical to any senior’s wellbeing, and can be especially challenging to those seniors living at home. However, in-home care services such as those offered by Comfort Keepers Canada can help ensure that elderly loved ones do not have to face these challenges alone.