Managing Medication for Seniors with Heart Disease
By Brenda Enright
Owner of Home Instead Newmarket and Aurora
Seniors with heart disease know they need to monitor their bodies and work closely with their medical providers. Those with congenital heart failure may require additional attention to follow the doctor’s orders to take their medicine on time. Without careful management, your loved one may find that they lose their breath quickly during activities, become fatigued, and have swelling and chest pain.
Managing congenital heart failure begins by managing medications properly. You may not be available every day to set out Mom’s pills, but that is exactly why you may want to seek help from home care workers who step in to assist when you can’t. These professionals understand the importance of maintaining consistency in your senior’s life.
Tips for Better Medication Management
The secret to a better quality of life for your aging loved one with heart disease is nutritious food, gentle physical activity, and taking medications. It can be a little tricky to ensure Dad has all his pills and remembers to take them. You cannot be there 24/7, so working with a professional caregiver is an excellent choice. They can help your senior manage their heart disease by:
- Setting out medications. Part of the battle may be getting things set up, especially if there are several prescriptions to take. With help, your parent can have everything lined up and ready to take at the appointed time.
- Ensuring prescriptions are taken on time. Timing is essential. If Mom needs to take certain pills in the morning and others in the evening, it can be challenging to remember that. Personal support workers ensure she gets what she requires when it is necessary.
- Preparing food or drink. Each medication has specific requirements for consumption. For instance, some may need to be taken with food. Others only need to be taken with a full glass of water.
- Watching for any side effects. Each prescription has side effects. Taking more than one drug can lead to interaction. Caregivers remain on watch for potential reactions to medications.
- Alerting you when prescriptions need refilling. When you are busy, you may overlook the fact that mom needs refilling of her heart pills. Since her home care specialist is there frequently, they can ensure you know when medications run low.
Proper Medication Management Support
Heart disease doesn’t have to overrun your parent’s life. They can still enjoy family, friends, and hobbies through proper management. The team from Home Instead Newmarket, Aurora understands this and works with you and your aging adult to develop a plan of specialized home care services. We realize that living at home is the best choice for most seniors. That is why we strive to support seniors in our care with quality assistance delivered with kindness and compassion. Let’s talk about how we can aid with medication management, cooking nutritious meals, companionship, personal care assistance, light housekeeping, and any of our other home care services. Contact us today for more information.
Call us at (905) 235-7130 to schedule a no-obligation, in-home consultation. Learn more about the compassionate, quality senior care we deliver every day to families in Newmarket, Aurora, Baldwin, Beaverton, Bradford, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Cannington Brock, Ceder Valley, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Holland Landing, Jacksons Point, Keswick, Kettleby, King, Leaskdale, Mt Albert, Pefferlaw, Queensville, River Drive Park, Sanford, Sharon, Stouffville, Sunderland, Sutton West, Udora, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Willow Beach, Zephyr.