Many pharmacies may have reduced hours or close on Thanksgiving (November 26 this year), and doctors' offices might close around Christmas and New Year's. If your parent's blood pressure pills run out on December 24, it could take a long afternoon of calls to get a new prescription. Senior Helpers suggests planning senior medication refills in early November to spare you both the scramble.

Count What's Left in Every Bottle

Taking inventory of medications can help avoid last-minute pharmacy runs during the holidays. A quick review ensures you’re prepared before closures start.

• Collect every prescription bottle your senior loved one uses, including eye drops and inhalers.
• Write down the medication name, how many pills remain, and the refill date on each label.
• Get a wall calendar and mark Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.
• Mark any days you or your family will be out of town, since those are the stretches when a missed refill is hardest to fix.
• Any prescription that will run low between Thanksgiving week and the first week of January is added to a call list for planning senior medication refills.

Talk With the Pharmacy and the Doctor Early

Coordinating with medical professionals ahead of time helps prevent unwanted medication delays. A few quick conversations can help maintain your loved one's health during the holidays.

• Phone the pharmacy where your senior loved one fills prescriptions, and ask about their upcoming holiday hours.
• Inquire about early refills and syncing medication due dates. The pharmacist can explain the insurance rules.
• Prescriptions with no refills left need the doctor's approval. Request by mid-November to allow for planning senior medication refills before the holiday rush.
• To prepare for the next appointment, review the list of questions to ask from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
• Do not change doses or skip pills to make supplies last. Inform your doctor or pharmacist if something is running out.

Plan Around Holiday Travel

Holiday travel requires careful medication planning. If your senior loved one is spending a week with you in Pittsburgh, or you are driving them to see family out of state, keeping their prescriptions organized ensures a safer trip.

• Pack their medications in their original labeled bottles and carry them in a bag that stays with them, never in checked luggage.
• Bring enough for the trip plus a few extra days in case of a snow delay on the turnpike.
• Snap a photo of each label so the pharmacy name and prescription number are on your phone.
• Carry a printed list as backup in case you lose access to your phone.
• Ask the pharmacist ahead of time whether a chain pharmacy near your destination can transfer a prescription in an emergency.

Keep the Routine Steady When Everyone's Busy

Gatherings change mealtimes. When Thanksgiving dinner is at two, it’s easy to forget evening pills. Set a cheerful phone alarm or ask a family member to remind you.

For the bigger picture of juggling a parent's care with the rest of your life, the National Institute on Aging's caregiving pages cover a lot of ground.

Planning Senior Medication Refills This Holiday Season

While you're traveling or hosting, someone can still make that pharmacy run. Our caregivers pick up prescriptions, give medication reminders, drive your parent to appointments, and keep the day on track. Senior Helpers Northwest Pittsburgh covers Avalon, Bellevue, Ben Avon, Rosslyn Farms, and Sewickley. Contact us, and we'll plan holiday coverage together.