Page 5 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - June 2016 - 23-06

Senior Times - June 2016
Page 5
SIX TIPS TO AVOID MEDICATION MISTAKES
By: Rose Baran Pharm. D.
1. Find out the name of your medication.
Rather than simply letting your doctor write a prescription and send you on your way, be sure to ask the name of the medication. “This way you’ll notice if the pharmacy gives you something different,” says Cindi Fitzpatrick, BSN, a registered nurse and a consumer safety officer in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Also, every time you receive a refill, look at the medication before you leave the pharmacy to make sure it looks the same as what you had before. Is it the same color, size, shape, and texture? Is the packaging the same?
If anything about the medication seems different, ask the pharmacist about it.” 2. Ask questions about how to use
the medication. “It’s important to choose a doctor and pharmacist that you feel comfortable with so that you can freely ask questions,” Fitzpatrick says. Some good questions to ask: What should I
do if I forget a dose? Should I take this medication before, during or after meals? What should the timing be between each dose? What side effects might I have? When should I contact my doctor or pharmacist if I have certain side effects? Are there any other medications, food, or activities that I should avoid while using this medication? Should the medication be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature? Take notes or ask your doctor to write down instructions or other information that is important to know about your medication or condition to help you remember.
3. Know what your medication is for.
Stephen Setter, Pharm.D., associate
professor of pharmacotherapy at Washing- ton State University in Spokane, says, “It’s important to understand your medication because you are more likely to use it correctly, more likely to know what to expect from the medication, and better able to report what you are using and problems to your doctors and pharmacist.”
4. Read medicine labels and follow directions. Before you use any medication, you should know when to use it, how much to use, and how long to use it. Be sure to read the medication label every time. In the middle of the night, you could accidentally put drops for your ears into your eyes.
“Use the measuring device that comes
with the medicine,” suggests Fitzpatrick. “If you don’t have a medicine device for measuring your liquid medicine, ask for one at the pharmacy.” Also, read the patient medication information that comes with your prescription thoroughly before using your medication.
5. Keep all of your health care providers informed about your medications and dietary supplements (including vitamins and herbals). Make it a habit of showing your list
of medications to all your health care professionals at every visit to the doctor, the pharmacy, and the hospital. Include on the list all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, and dietary supplements, including vitamins and herbals. Keeping all of your health care professionals informed about everything that you use will help ensure that you
do not use two medicines with the same active ingredient or use anything that will interact with something else you are using.
You can keep your health care professionals informed about your medications and dietary supplements with “My Medicine Record,” a list
in chart form developed by FDA.
Get the printable form at www.fda.gov/ downloads/AboutFDA/Reports ManualsForms/Forms/UCM095018.pdf.
Some doctors work with their patients to do a “brown bag checkup.” This involves putting all of your prescription and over-the-counter medications into
a paper bag and bringing them into your doctor’s office to be checked by your doctor. Include your dietary supplements and herbals too. “This should be done every year and preferably more often,” says Douglas Paauw, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle. “Some of my patients do it at every visit.”
6. Keep the list of your medications with you at all times and keep a copy in your home. Share a copy of the medica- tion list with a family member or friend, or let them know where you keep the list. In an emergency, that person will be able to inform your doctors of the medications and dietary supplements you use.
Note: A list of medications purchased using your Medicare D is available online when you set up an account but it will not include over-the-counter purchases.
Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Consumer Updates page is the source for this article with the full article and the latest updates on FDA regulated products available at www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ default.htm.
CITY
Nashville Delton
Union City
Battle Creek Albion Marshall Battle Creek Homer
Michigan Center Jackson Jackson
LOCATION
Main St. Banqets
Faith United Methodist
FACILITATOR
Jenny Burlison Elayne Nottingham
PHONE DAYS
(269) 852-9182 M-F (269) 623-5400 M,W,T
TIME
10:30am-1pm 10:30am-1pm
SENIOR DINING CENTERS
BARRY COUNTY
Hastings
COA Building
Mary Cook
(269) 948-4856
M-F
10am-2pm
Woodland
Eagles Club
Joyce Dennie
(269) 367-4041
M,W,F
10:30am-1pm
Meals provided by Barry County Commission on Aging. A program sponsored by Barry County United Way.
Union City Fire Station Rusty Hampton (517) 741-7212 M,T,TH,F 10:30am-12pm
Lunch served at 12pm
BRANCH COUNTY
Coldwater
Branch County CAA Office
Tamara Wittbrodt
(517) 278-8249
M-F
9am-1pm
Lunch Served at 12pm
Meals provided by Community Action Food and Nutritional Services. Funding sources AAA 3C, Branch County United Way, USDA and private donations.
CALHOUN COUNTY
Albion
Albion Senior Dining Center
Cynthia Rose
(866) 200-8877
M,T,W,F
10:30am-1pm
Lunch served at 12pm
Bedford Manor Dining Center Clarence Dining Center Marshall House Dining Center Westbrook Place Dining Center Homer Presbyterian Church
Burdell Wells
Sharon Rice
Bablynn Squires Michelle Dove
Senior Health Partners
(866) 200-8877 (866) 200-8877 (866) 200-8877 (866) 200-8877 (866) 200-8877
M,W,F 10:30am-1pm M,T,W 10:30am-1pm M,W,F 10:30am-1pm M,W,F 10:30am-1pm T 10:30am
Lunch served at 11:30am Lunch served at 11:45am Lunch served at 12pm Lunch served at 11:30am Whole Person Wellness too
Lunch served at 12pm
Lunch served at 12pm
Lunch served at 12pm
Battle Creek
Cherryhill Manor Senior Center
Constance Siegel
(866) 200-8877
M,W,F
10:30am-1pm
Lunch served at 11:30am
Battle Creek
Lakeview 900 Dining Center
Karl Hoard
(866) 200-8877
M,W,F
10:30am-1pm
Lunch served at 11:30am
Battle Creek
Springview Towers Dining Center
Caroline Oberlin
(866) 200-8877
M,W,F
10:30am-1pm
Lunch served at 11:30am
Battle Creek
Northside Senior Dining Center
Deboraha Sallee
(866) 200-8877
T,W,Th
10:30am-1pm
Lunch served at 11:30am
Tekonsha
Tekonsha Community Hall
Senior Health Partners
(866) 200-8877
T
10am
Whole Person Wellness too
Meals provided by Senior Services. Funding by Calhoun County Senior Services, AAA 3B, USDA and private donations.
JACKSON COUNTY
Jackson
Crouch Senior Center
Michelle Rose
(517) 788-4364
M,T,W,Th,F
8am-4pm
Lunch served at 12pm
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Park Forest
Word of Light
Nikki Soli
Lynn Walker
Nancy Behling
(517) 764-2950
(517) 787-9750
(517) 782-7755
M,W,F 10am-2pm
M,T,W,Th,F 10am-1pm
M,T,W,Th,F 10am-1:30pm
Norvell
Norvell/Township Hall
Gail Jamieson
(517) 536-4370
M,W,F
10am-1pm
Lunch served at 12pm
Spring Arbor
Spring Arbor Senior Center
Bev Greene
(517) 750-1010
M,T,W,Th,F
8:30am-2:30pm
Lunch served at 12pm
To have your senior dining center added, Call Sherii at (269) 979-1412 ext. 302 or Email: ssherban@wwthayne.com