More and more, people young and old are taking at least one medication, regularly. In fact, 76% of Americans age 60+ are taking two or more prescription drugs on a regular basis. At StillWell, we believe in overall wellness. This doesn’t mean we are against prescription medication–we understand its benefits and life saving abilities in certain circumstances. However, we do advocate minimizing prescription medication as much as is safely possible, and KNOWING what you are putting in your body.
Far too many of us blindly take prescription medication because our doctors tell us these pills will make us feel better. We don’t ask about side effects, dosages or drug interactions. We don’t inquire about the best time to take the medication. Perhaps, most significantly, if we are prescribed medication on an indefinite timeline, we often continue taking the medication at the originally prescribed dose, indefinitely, without reevaluating our condition. We must stop to ask ourselves, is this medication/dose appropriate for our CURRENT states? This is a dangerous gamble, particularly for older adults whose bodies are often more sensitive than their younger counterparts.
We all know one of the main issues among older adults is falls. When we talk about falls we talk about gait, shuffling, walking, strengthening and chronic health conditions. Far too often, medications are left out of the discussion. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve worked with older adults who have experienced multiple falls with unknown causes, only to discover they are on high doses of multiple medications that can increase fall risk. We aren’t saying that medications are the only factor in falls–we have to remember our bodies are complex machines, and health concerns are caused by perfect storms of factors. However, we are saying that we should not forget to talk about our medications!
Agingcare.com posted a great article called 12 Medications that may Increase Fall Risk. EVERYONE should read this article. If you have an older adult in your life, complete the “Brown Bag” evaluation mentioned in the article using your loved one’s medication list. Get his/her primary care physician involved and ask the 4 questions listed in the article. If you don’t have an older adult in your life, do this for yourself! It is never too early to start taking control of your healthcare. If you start this process now, even if you are on minimal medication, it will become second nature when you are older and really need to utilize this skillset. You could save your future self from a debilitating fall, hospital stay or negative drug interaction. Go on and take control of your health, RIGHT NOW!
StillWell Senior Care, LLC 