
Medication noncompliance is common for older adults, and extremely dangerous.
- Neglecting to fill a prescription for a recommended medicine
- Skipping at least one dose
- Taking the wrong medicine
- Taking an excessive amount of a prescribed medication
- Stopping a medication too soon
- Incorrect use of medical equipment such as inhalers and syringes
- Taking damaged, out of date, or improperly stored medications
- Memory Problems: A top difficulty in medication adherence among seniors is loss of memory. Those with dementia or Alzheimer’s might forget to take their prescriptions or may even take multiple doses, having forgotten that they had taken a dose earlier.
- Tip: Make taking medicines a part of an ongoing, everyday habit, making use of medication dispensers and/or charts to stay organized.
- Swallowing Problems: Some older individuals struggle with swallowing pills, and as a result, may attempt to chew or crush medications, triggering long-acting drugs to be released into the body too quickly.
- Tip: Ask the health care provider or pharmacist if the medication is available in a liquid or smaller pill form that is simpler to swallow.
- Accessibility Problems: Many seniors have difficulty with transportation and/or ambulation, making it hard to get to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions and refills.
- Tip: Check into mail order prescriptions that are delivered to the home, or contact Advanced Home Health Care for assistance.