If an elderly loved one receives regular medication to manage their health conditions, it is essential that all attendants understand and apply safe handling of medication practices to safeguard them and help them to take their medication effectively, correctly and on schedule.
The consequences of medication mistakes
Medication mistakes are a common cause of medical emergencies with missed doses or accidental overdoses contributing to an increased incidence of falls, complications and hospital admissions.
How to handle medicines safely
To avoid the complications of misadministered medicines, it is essential that anybody caring for an elderly person who takes regular medication implements a system that ensures that their medicines are stored at the correct temperatures, are in date and that the correct medication is taken at the right time and at the right dosage.
Safe handling of medicines training such as that delivered by https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/health-and-social-care-courses/safe-handling-of-medication-training can help professionals such as carers to understand their responsibilities, to support families and to implement safe medication practices, such as correct storage of medication and the use of organisation tools such as dosette boxes and pharmacy-filled compliance packs.
Digitally-literate individuals may benefit from alarms or medication reminder apps which prompt them at specific times of the day to take their medicines, listing them by name and dosage to help them administer them correctly.
In conclusion
Handling medication at home can be a challenge so putting in place organisational systems can support people to safely self-administer their dosages while ensuring carers and family have peace of mind, knowing that medication mistakes are unlikely to occur.