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Memory |
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Organizers
Supplements
Safeguards
Strategies
Book Excerpt
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Medications |
Take Medications Properly
Catch
Rx Errors
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Did
you know? |
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Roughly 40% of all strokes could be
prevented with better medication management systems. Florida
Sun Sentinel, Sept. 8, 1995. |
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Swallow Safely |
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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...) |
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Free
Medication
Record |
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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:
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They take numerous medications (the more taken, the greater
the risk) |
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The medications they take are powerful |
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Their drug-taking regimens are complex |
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They may not understand the instructions |
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They tend to be forgetful |
Are you at risk?
To check whether you are at risk for drug-related
complications, answer these questions:
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How often during the day do you take prescription
medications?
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How many different medications do you take?
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How often do you take each medication exactly as
prescribed - right
dosage, on time, etc.? (always/mostly/sometimes/rarely/never)
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What is the total number of pills you take daily?
(Include nutritional supplements and over-the-counter medications)
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Do you feel that any of your medicines are not working as
they should?
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Do you ever take more
(or less) medicine than you should?
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What keeps you from taking your medications as directed:
 | unpleasant taste |
| difficulty swallowing |
| expense |
| troublesome side effects |
| complex or confusing dose
schedule |
| forgetfulness |
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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. |
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Products
that help you B... |
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B organized
with
memory joggers, medication reminders, timers &
watches
B
able
with assistive technology,
disability & daily living aids
B
fit with exercise balls, Therabands,
Airex mats, hand exercisers
B
well with organic products
& natural therapies
B
inspired
with books, CDs, software,
games, puzzles, toys
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