Memory

Take Medications Properly

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Did you know?

Roughly 40% of all strokes could be prevented with better medication management systems. Florida Sun Sentinel, Sept. 8, 1995.

Swallow Safely

Do you tilt your head back to swallow a pill? This is not a good idea, because it allows unguarded access to your trachea. Here the pill can cut off your breathing, according to Nutrition News Focus, an online newsletter.

The safest way to swallow a pill is to tilt your head forward so that your chin almost touches your chest. This way, the pill can not wind up traveling into your trachea. (At first we were skeptical of the head-forward technique, but tried it and it does work...)

Free Medication Record

Take medicines properly

To be safe and effective, medications need to be taken as directed. Yet it is estimated that 30 to 50 percent of all prescriptions are not taken properly - up to 12 percent of patients never even get their prescriptions filled!

Misuse of prescription medications is estimated to cost the United States $100 billion a year. And this says nothing about the human toll from drug-induced illness.

The brain-injured are especially vulnerable because:

They take numerous medications (the more taken, the greater the risk)
The medications they take are powerful
Their drug-taking regimens are complex
They may not understand the instructions
They tend to be forgetful

Are you at risk?

To check whether you are at risk for drug-related complications, answer these questions:

How often during the day do you take prescription medications?
How many different medications do you take?
How often do you take each medication exactly as prescribed - right dosage, on time, etc.? (always/mostly/sometimes/rarely/never)
What is the total number of pills you take daily? (Include nutritional supplements and over-the-counter medications)
Do you feel that any of your medicines are not working as they should?
Do you ever take more (or less) medicine than you should?
What keeps you from taking your medications as directed:
- unpleasant taste
- difficulty swallowing
- expense
- troublesome side effects
- complex or confusing dose schedule
- forgetfulness

Every day millions of (non-brain injured!) people forget to take their daily medicines...and thousands more accidentally "double-up" and overdose. Fortunately, you don't have to leave your--or your loved one's--health to chance.

Gaining control

If you're having trouble with medication management, try to figure out why. Then look for a solution that addresses that problem. Here are some ways to gain control over the pill-taking process:

So many choices, so many possibilities! If you are feeling slightly overwhelmed by medication management options, see Choosing an Aid. We'll help you do some sorting.

Taking medications long term requires special commitment. It's easy to let good habits lapse, especially if you're feeling fairly well. Not surprisingly, studies show that medication adherence drops off over time.

Since medications for chronic diseases are key to preventing long-term complications, make sticking with the daily medication routine as effortless as possible!