Do you know someone who struggles to safely manage medications on their own?
For many seniors managing medications at home is hard. Taking the correct medication, at the correct time, at the correct dosage, can be more confusing and challenging than it seems. Medications may change frequently, or medications may interact with each other, presenting potentially dangerous situations. For these reasons, and many others, it is important to have someone watching out for you.
Can my in-home caregiver manage my medications?
Your in-home caregiver can assist you in many ways. One of those ways can be through medication reminders as directed by the family. Your private in-home caregiver can monitor for issues and notify families if they have any concerns.
To manage and administer medications requires a higher skill level than that of most in-home caregivers. Therefore, the private caregivers referred by Abby Services can not administer medications.
Why cant my caregiver manage moms medications?
Clients frequently ask this question. While seemingly simple, administering medications requires knowledge of the medications, their potential interactions, and possible side effects. These are areas not covered in HHA & CNA (Caregiver training). Medication administration is an area that requires skilled nurse training such as an RN or LPN.
However, often having a skilled nurse manage your medications is not cost-efficient. The liability for a private caregiver providing home care to attempt to manage medications can be significant.
Rates for a private skilled nursing visit can range from $50-$150 or more per visit. Even when using a skilled nurse to help with medication management errors can still happen.
A pharmacist is the individual best suited to assist with medication management.
That’s right, your pharmacist is best suited to assist you with your medications, and it should come as no surprise. That’s why we typically recommend a medication service provided by a local pharmacy and many other independent pharmacies.
These medication management services are designed to help increase medication compliance for patients with even the most complex regimens. When using a medication setup service, medications are managed by a pharmacist and delivered directly to you. The pharmacist handles dosing in an easily manageable format similar to a traditional medication box.
Using this system saves money over an expensive skilled nursing visit, limits the potential for medication errors, and provides clients with the flexibility and freedom they want and need when requesting in-home care.
The following video is from Cypress Pharmacy in Fort Myers. In the video, they showcase a medication setup service they call Cypress Packs which you can see in the video below. With the Cypress pouch packaging system, one of their pharmacists can package medications, vitamins, and supplements into clearly labeled daily doses sorted by day and time.
Once your medications are sorted and managed by a pharmacist your in-home caregiver can help.
When medications are managed by a pharmacist your in-home caregiver simply has to remind your loved one when to take prescribed doses. Your in-home caregiver is not managing medications, they are simply reminding their patient to take prescribed medications. This is a much safer, more effective, and cheaper way to help a senior who requires medication management.
For seniors, and the families trying to help them, Medications, along with everything else, can be overwhelming. But you're not alone.
Our nurse, Scott Strachan has the experience and training to help families develop a personalized care plan that addresses the unique needs of your loved one. With our support and input, families can develop a care plan that delivers stability, support, and quality of life.
By developing a client-directed care plan with clear expectations and guidelines your in-home care provider can be guided and directed by the individual who knows the patient best, you.