4 Reasons Seniors Don’t Want to Take Their Medication
By Home Care Assistance Des Moines 9 am on
Medications can be a critical component of staying healthy later in life, so it can be frustrating and baffling when a senior loved one doesn’t take his or her prescribed medicine. Here are four major reasons your loved one may be refusing his or her meds.
1. Side Effects
Many seniors have difficulty adjusting to the side effects of medications, which may include nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and dry mouth. These and other side effects can be intense enough to dissuade seniors from following their medication regimen. In fact, they may even believe they feel worse due to their medications. In this case, working with a doctor to reduce the side effects may increase your loved one’s cooperation.
2. Insufficient Health Benefits
Seniors may sometimes feel as though their medications aren’t working and give up taking them for this reason. They may not experience the benefits they had hoped for when their doctors prescribed the medications. Instead of waiting or contacting their physicians, they simply stop taking their meds. You may have to convince your loved one that continuing to take the meds is in his or her best interest. For seniors who want to stay healthy, it’s important that they take their medications as prescribed by their physicians. Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leadingsenior home careagency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks.
3. Complex Regimens
Many seniors feel confused or frustrated by the complexity of their doctors’ instructions. For instance, it may be difficult to remember whether to take food on an empty stomach or what to do if they miss a dose. This complexity can lead to taking their medications sporadically or not at all. Drafting an easy-to-read schedule can help your loved one handle taking his or her medications. In Des Moines, elder care providerscan benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Home Care Assistance are available to help your elderly loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
4. Memory Loss
Outright refusal isn’t the only reason seniors don’t take their medications. Sometimes they just forget to take them. Though some seniors use this reason as a convenient excuse, those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s are likely to experience some form of memory loss. A caregiver can easily help by creating schedules and reminders for your loved one to use. Without the right assistance, Alzheimer’s can be challenging for seniors and their families to handle. If you’re looking for professional Alzheimer’s care, Des Moines Home Care Assistance provides high-quality care aging adults and their families can count on. All of our hourly and live-in caregivers are trained to help seniors with Alzheimer’s live happier and healthier lives, and we also provide specialized dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care. If you need professional care for your loved one, Home Care Assistance is just a phone call away. Reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (515) 264-2438.
