Tue, Dec 02 2008
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Published July 15, 2008 12:08 am - Seniors careful with meds Older adults face increased likelihood of side effects, drug interactions By Keith Purtell Phoenix Staff Writer For some senior citizens, safely managing their medications can be troublesome.
Because seniors take the majority of medications and have the most reported reactions to drugs, they are an at-risk population for poisoning, warns the Oklahoma Poison Control Center. In a media release, Lee McGoodwin, managing director of the center, detailed the danger. “As we age, how the body handles medications can change, leaving seniors more at risk for side effects and drug interactions,” he said. The center estimates that, on average, seniors over the age of 55 take four to five prescribed medications and three over-the-counter products. Over-the-counter medications include vitamins, calcium, aspirin, pain relievers and laxatives. Karen Sedberry, information and assistance specialist with the Area Agency on Aging, said it is important for seniors to take their medications as directed by their physician. “For instance, a lot of seniors are on blood thinners,” she said. “If they miss taking them, it could cause a heart or stroke problem. Or, if they take too many, it could be dangerous.” Sedberry believes the various types of pill organization devices on the market are both convenient and useful. “A lot of seniors are active and so busy,” she said. “With a pill organizer, they could keep track. I think an organizer is a good system for managing their medication.” Sedberry said her agency has a limited supply of one-week pill organizers that are free to people 60 or older who call 682-7891. For a wider selection, seniors can consider what’s available at a drug store, such as the Walgreen Drug Store on Chandler Road. Christian Brodersen, executive assistant manager, described some of the choices available. “The Pharmadose pill manager has a child deterrent, with compartments divided Sunday through Saturday horizontally, and vertical divisions for morning, noon, evening and bedtime,” he said. A larger container called Practidose offers approximately twice the capacity with a similar design. Another option is the Medtime Planner where each individual day and time of day has its own snap-top lid. There also is a stackable pill organizer with translucent round containers for each day of the week. 
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