The holiday season's excitement and bustle present difficulties for senior caregivers. Medication adherence is one of them. It ensures older adults stay healthy and manage their conditions effectively.
However, the holiday season can disrupt daily routines with busy schedules and travel plans. As leading professional caregivers, we'd like to share some helpful tips for managing seniors' medications during these hectic times.
Recognizing the Challenges
The holidays often mean packed schedules, back-to-back gatherings, and sometimes travel. These changes can disrupt prescription schedules, resulting in missed doses or incorrect timings. Festivities can lead to increased activity, making it easy to lose track of time and skip medicines
Whether visiting family or taking a vacation, travel can throw medical routines off balance. These disruptions make managing senior medications during holidays more challenging. Holiday meals and gatherings can change when and how seniors take medicines, especially those requiring an empty stomach or food.
Tips for Staying on Schedule
Maintaining a consistent medication schedule during the holidays requires deliberate planning and the right tools. Creating a detailed medication routine is the first step. Plan daily and weekly times and doses, and list them visibly in a planner or on a calendar for easy reference. For tracking prescriptions, sending reminders, and making sure no dose is missed, medication management apps and tools can be quite helpful.
Setting reminders and alarms on phones or clocks can alert seniors and caregivers when it's time to take medicines. It's a simple guide to stick to a schedule during busy times when holiday activities and visitors can easily distract you.
Dealing With Travel-Related Changes
When travel is on the agenda, organizing medications can ease the process. Planning for prescription needs during travel is essential. Pack enough supplies to last the entire trip, considering potential delays that might extend the senior's time away from home. Always keep drugs in original containers with labels. It avoids confusion and is needed for airport security, laws, and customs when flying to different countries.
For those traveling across time zones, it's significant to adjust schedules accordingly. Calculate the time difference and alter the times to ensure adherence to the proper intervals between doses. Consulting with a healthcare provider before travel can help determine the best approach for timing adjustments.
Keeping an Adequate Medication Supply
Ensure your loved one has enough medications throughout the holiday season. Check prescription supply well in advance by counting what's on hand to ensure there's enough for the holiday period, including a few extra days as a buffer. To prevent last-minute stress when pharmacies may have shortened hours or be closed, schedule refills with pharmacies in advance of the holidays.
Consider mail-order options for convenience. With delivery services, you can avoid the rush of picking up medicines, especially during busy seasons when pharmacies are crowded and wait times are longer.
The Importance of Communication
Is your loved one staying with family or friends? Inform them about your loved one's medication needs. This helps them understand your routine and provide support when needed.
Coordinate with healthcare providers for any adjustments by discussing holiday plans with doctors or pharmacists.
They can adjust doses if needed or provide guidance on managing prescriptions during travel or schedule changes. Ensure clear communication with travel companions as well, making sure anyone traveling with you is aware of the senior's medicine schedule and needs so they can assist if necessary.
Need Help With Medication Management?
When staying organized with schedules, anticipating travel challenges, ensuring sufficient supplies, and communicating effectively, caregivers can help seniors maintain their routines. As the holidays approach, proactive planning and open communication will make all the difference in managing senior medications over the holidays.
For professional assistance in the Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield, Westland, Southfield, and Canton areas, contact us at Senior Helpers Southeast Michigan.