6 ways to convince seniors to take medication

1. Focus on critical medications. In caregiving, it’s important to pick your battles.
2. Have the doctor explain the importance.
3. Check for unpleasant side effects.
4. Change the flavor or formula.
5. Address emotions instead of words.
6. Keep a positive attitude.

What do you do when elderly won’t take medicine?

5 steps to help your loved one take the medication he needs when he needs it

1. Consider an evaluation.
2. Create an up-to-date medication list.
3. Find out which medications are necessary.
4. Centralize pharmacy records.
5. Talk with your loved one.

What should you do if a person refuses to take their medication?

If a client is refusing and saying they don’t want to take their medication, you should:

1. Try to find out the reason why e.g. unpleasant side effects?
2. Explain calmly the consequences of not taking their prescribed medication.
3. If no reason given, wait a while and ask again.

How can you encourage someone to take medicine?

There are several ways to increase motivation to take medication as prescribed.

1. Think about why you are taking the medication in the first place.
2. Track progress in a journal.
3. Take your medication at a similar time each day.
4. Use a medication planner/pill box.
5. Enlist family and friends to help with these strategies.

Why do elderly stop taking medication?

Memory: Senior simply forget to take their medications. Need: 40% of elderly patients do not know the purpose of their medication. Some do not take them because they don’t feel good, others stop taking because they feel good. Volume: too many medications.

Can you legally force someone to take medication?

In most cases, you cannot be forced to take medication. If you are offered medication, you usually have the right to refuse it and ask for an alternative treatment.

Why would a person not take their medication?

The most common reasons for patient non-compliance to medications are intentional and include: high drug costs, fear of adverse events, being prescribed multiple medications, and experiencing either instant relief or medication ineffectiveness leading to self-discontinuation of medications.

What is the most common medication problem in the elderly?

Warfarin is one of the most common causes of medication-related hospitalizations in older adults. To reduce the risk of serious problems, one may need to apply extra care in monitoring warfarin effect (via the prothrombin blood test) and extra care in checking for interactions when a new drug is prescribed.

Why would someone stop taking their medication?

When people were asked why they stopped taking a drug without consulting with a doctor, they cited side effects (29 percent); a belief they didn’t need the drug (17 percent); that they were feeling better (16 percent); and that they felt the drug wasn’t working (15 percent).