Addiction Prevention in Elderly Adults
Unfortunately, there are many elderly adults who end up addicted to prescription pain medications. Part of the reason for this is that tolerance in elderly adults isn’t nearly as high as it is in younger people.
Another reason for this is because many elderly adults don’t pay attention to how often they should be taking the medication and may misuse it. If you or your loved one’s elderly care providers want to help prevent addiction in your elderly loved one, there are some tips that can help with this.
Using Medications Only as Instructed
One of the best tips for addiction prevention in elderly adults is to make sure they are only using their medications as instructed by their doctor. Many elderly adults, when left unattended, will not take their prescription pain medications as instructed. They may forget they already took a pill and take another one before it is time. You and their elderly care providers can help to ensure they are only taking medications as instructed.
Take the Amount that is Prescribed
Your elderly loved one should never take more prescription pain medications than have been prescribed. They should only take the amount that is on the bottle. If they don’t feel they need as much as prescribed, this should be discussed with the doctor. The same goes for if they feel they need more than what has been prescribed. If they take more than what is prescribed they could overdose or become addicted to the medications. Neither of these things would be good.
Regular Follow-Ups with Their Doctor
Another way to prevent addiction with prescription pain medications in the elderly is to make sure they regularly follow up with their doctor. Whenever someone is on prescription pain medications, they should at least be seeing their doctor at a minimum of once every 3 months, if not more. The regular check-ups will allow their doctors to see how they are doing. The doctor will make sure they are still in pain and see if the medications need to be continued or not.
Side Effects or Concerns
Addiction prevention is also about the side effects or concerns that your loved one, you, or their elderly care providers have, as well. If the medication is causing them certain side effects such as too much euphoria, this could lead to an addiction. If there are other concerns about how they are using the medication, these should be brought up to the doctor, too.
These are some of the tips for addiction prevention in elderly adults. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, be sure they are following through with the prescription that is on the bottle. Make sure they are regularly visiting their doctor, as well.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Noblesville, IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760
Sources
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