Don’t Let Habits Sabotage Your Medications

Experts say that up to 90% of everything we do each day is driven by habit. Isn’t that a wow number? But stop to think about it – how we brush our teeth, the way we watch TV, what and when we eat – how many of those things do you give any real thought?

There’s another habit that adults might have that could be bad for our health – taking medicines.

How could medicine be bad for our health?

My friend, Kathy, who is aging quite gracefully, told me that she has gotten into the habit of taking one of those PM pills every night. It started when she was having a really hard time getting to sleep, and it just became a habit. Now, you might have heard or read about how taking daily doses of meds of this sort can contribute to the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. You can see that this is an innocent habit that could be detrimental to Kathy’s health.

Other OTC medicines taken routinely can damage kidneys, liver and other organs. Be sure to read the warnings and use medicine thoughtfully.

Prescription drugs can also become a problem. One problem we find a lot here at Keeping In Touch Solutions when we make our daily check-in calls to our clients is that many seniors actually forget to take their medications. I’m wondering if that is a habit in reverse … or maybe forgetting is the habit!

In any event, many medications must be taken regularly in order to be effective. Some require daily dosing at specific times – the same time each day. So when doses are forgotten, the meds are never truly as effective as intended.

Create a good habit – connect medications and food     

I try to build good habits when it comes to medications. One way I have discovered is that I take the medications that must be taken with food at mealtimes. This happened as a result of an admonishment from a friend. I had the habit of taking pills when I thought about it and one day she caught me catching up with a dose while I was riding in the car with her. She knew I was supposed to take the pill with food because she takes the same medication. I heard about it for several miles and ended the conversation by promising to change this bad habit.

Taking medications at the same certain times every day will improve the regularity of taking the pills and, therefore, the effectiveness of the prescription, too.

Medication reminders are just one part of the daily call our Care Callers make each day. While our clients might feel having someone to chat with each day is why they like to subscribe, knowing they are eating, taking pills and being active is another part of the reason their loved ones like it!

Staying independent in the place they call home is important to aging adults. I’m sure you’ve heard it from aging loved ones. Keeping In Touch Solutions’ daily call is one way to help make that happen for them.

A daily check-in call could be the lifeline, the joy you give someone that makes the biggest difference in their perception of what old age is like.

Contact me at 317-480-1038 today. Let’s make a difference together.

I’m Diana Beam, Founder of Keeping in Touch Solutions. It is my heartfelt desire for every person to live a happy and healthy life in the place they call home, no matter what their age. You can’t put a price on peace of mind for your parents and yourself. It’s priceless . . . and significant.

For that reason, the goal of every Keeping In Touch Solutions program is to provide a caring connection and service that both the elderly and their caregivers can rely on to make living that good life easier.

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