What is Polypharmacy?

Polypharmacy is a term that refers to what happens when someone takes many medications and instead of each one doing what they are supposed to do, the combination that is created ends up having a negative impact on the health of the person taking the medication, instead of the positive one that was intended by the prescribing doctor or doctors.

 

It can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, doctors might not be aware of the impact that certain combinations of medications can have on the person taking them. In other instances, many different doctors might have prescribed the various medications that someone takes, and the person taking those meds might not remember to tell the doctor everything that they are taking accurately.

 

Regardless of why it happens, polypharmacy is very dangerous. There are a number of things that can be done to prevent it, though. For one, working closely with all of your loved one’s doctors and ensure that they are communicating with one another so that all of the information that they need is at their disposal is an important beginning. It can do a lot to make sure that all professionals involved in their care have the information that they need to be successful.

 

Taking medication is a necessary part of life for many of us. As we age, the odds that we will need some sort of medication to manage our health increase. Many elderly individuals take more than one medication. While the fact that meds can have a negative interaction with each other isn’t a new discovery, as new drugs are developed and as they are used more and more frequently with older medications, the extent to which polypharmacy can have a negative impact on the health of those that take medications continues to be uncovered. Unfortunately, it can be the people that we love that suffer as a result of this.

 

Polypharmacy can be dangerous for the elderly.

 

The best place to start when you have questions about medication management is your loved one’s doctor. Asking them to review medication interaction can be a good way to get a jumpstart on ensuring that your elderly loved one stays safe.

 

Also, ensuring that medications are taken correctly can be a good way to continue to make sure that medications are taken appropriately. Tracking meds is an important component of senior care, and if this is not something that you have not been doing, it can be helpful for you to start. If you’ve never done this before, there are a number of apps that can be helpful, or you can use an old fashioned pen and paper checklist. Really, as long as it works then it doesn’t matter how you do it.

 

Having a professional caregiver who has been trained to manage medications can also be helpful. A caregiver can also assist with other aspects of daily life. If you have questions about how care can help you and your family, feel free to get in touch. We offer free consultations within the Bay Area, so give us a call if we can be of any help to you.

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