State Agencies Encourage Older Adults to Be Safe With Medications

The Ohio Department of Aging and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services are using National Substance Abuse Awareness Month to make senior residents cognizant of the risk of complications from medication misuse and abuse, reports the Clermont Sun . "Medication misuse includes taking more or less of a medication than prescribed; taking a medication for a different reason than what it was prescribed for; or sharing or taking someone else's medication," stated Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services director Lori Criss. Ohio Department of Aging director Ursel J. McElroy urged older adults to more actively manage their healthcare, by discussing medication safety with healthcare providers, pharmacists, family members, and caregivers. Steps that senior Ohioans can follow to avoid medication misuse and abuse include maintaining an updated and complete list of their medications, along with vitamins or supplements. Seniors also are recommended to ask their pharmacist to explain specific medication instructions, while long-time medication users are advised to ask their provider if the drug is still appropriate. Ohioans are warned against taking prescription medications that were not prescribed for them by one of their healthcare providers, and from sharing their prescription drugs with others. Older adults also are urged to shield their medications from theft and misuse by storing them in areas of their home that few people access. Also recommended is disposing of unused or expired medications quickly and properly.