CareOne Shares Medication Management Tips

This press release comes courtesy of Joseph Filipak Jr., director of admissions for . CareOne, a senior health care and assisted living company with 29 locations throughout New Jersey:

Juggling multiple medications, OTC drugs, vitamins and supplements can be a prescription for trouble if you don’t take them safely. The following tips can help.

Brown-bag ‘em. Bring all of the medications you take—including prescriptions, vitamins and OTC pain relievers—to each of your health care providers. That way, they can see what your other providers have prescribed and, if necessary, alert you to any potential problems.

Get organized. Pill organizers can help you keep track of what you need to take and how often. And keeping a list of your meds on your refrigerator or nightstand can serve as a handy reference.

Check expiration dates. Expired OTC or prescription meds may lose their potency—or even cause adverse effects. Throw out any expired medications (if you’re unsure of a medicine’s shelf life, ask your pharmacist).

Get tested. “Some medications, such as Coumadin, may require that you have periodic blood work done,” says Steven D. Missaggia, RN, DCONA, Director of Nursing at CareOne. “Your physician may need to adjust your dosage based on the results of that testing.”

Don’t share or skip. Never take a medication that’s been prescribed for someone else, and be sure to take your meds as directed (ask your doctor or pharmacist what to do if you miss or skip a dose). “This is especially important when taking antibiotics—taking them for a shorter period of time can promote the growth of resistant strains of infectious organisms or superinfections,” Missaggia adds.

Speak up. If you have any questions about your medications, or if you experience unusual symptoms after taking an OTC or prescription drug, don’t hesitate to call your doctor and/or pharmacist.