Aging brings with it many changes. Our social lives may change – we may have more time to spend on hobbies and doing those things we have put off for years. We may move to a different place, retire from an existing job or start a new job. We may enjoy grandchildren and new friends.
Our bodies may also change. We may develop other medical conditions and find ourselves seeing several doctors and taking multiple medications. Medications can certainly improve our health and the quality of our lives and also help us live longer, but they can also be dangerous if taken incorrectly. Safe medication use is an absolute necessity in order to benefit the most from the medications that we are taking while experiencing the fewest problems possible.
The more medications we take, the more likely it is that we may experience a preventable adverse effect or side effect from our medications. Some of us may have problems with memory or hearing or vision that make it harder to understand and remember medication instructions. It may be difficult to coordinate all our medications and all the instructions we receive from multiple doctors and multiple pharmacies. Managing our health gets very complicated! As a result, as many as 80 percent people of make errors in taking their medicine, while approximately 60 percent stop taking their medication before they’re supposed to. These mistakes can create serious problems, ranging from preventable threats like falls to worsening medical conditions and even death.
The good news is, more than 50 percent of medication-related problems can be prevented – and Independence at Home’s C-MEDS program is here to help! Here are a few questions to consider:
- Do you have questions about whether your medicines are working?
- Do you wonder if you are taking too many medications?
- Do you sometimes forget to take your medicine?
- Do you know how to monitor your blood pressure and/or your blood sugar?
- Do you ever feel dizzy or drowsy and have fallen?
- Do you have questions about possible side effects from your medications?
- Have changes in your vision made it hard for you to manage your medicines?
- Are there medications that you cannot afford?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the C-MEDS team can work with you and your physician to reduce your risk for medication problems – we are just a phone call away! C-MEDS is a no-cost program for persons residing in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside or San Bernardino County to increase the safety of your medication use. Let us help you to increase the positive health outcomes you get from taking your medications. C-MEDS Program Eligibility: 1) Adults 55 years and older experiencing or suspected of experiencing issues related to medication use. 2) Any adult caregiver of a person 55 years and older who helps an older adult with their medications and needs help with managing their medications. 3) English, Spanish, or Tagalog speaking.
The C-MEDS team is directed by a pharmacist. In addition to pharmacists, the team is comprised of nurses and health coaches to assist you in making your medication use safer. In total, team members have decades of experience in helping resolve and prevent medication issues affecting aging adults in the community.
Please also note that the C-MEDS team is not affiliated with any community pharmacy.
Call for more information about C-MEDS: 866-421-1964
Let us help you get the MOST out of your medicines!