Some more info about medication and its safety from the 14th April “Home Care Rx” presentations at our Markham office
Lisa and Danielle’s presentation had four important points for the community: maintain a medication list, ask key safety questions, prevent medication errors and issues, and get a medication review.
Danielle and Lisa of Home Care Rx are joined by Kevin and Mala of Mosaic with some of the attendees.
In early April Mosaic Home Care Services was excited to bring Consultant Pharmacists Lisa Sever and Danielle Caron from Home Care Rx. Bringing in a wealth of experience and knowledge Lisa and Danielle spent the afternoon educating the community on medication safety, resources and maintaining safety.
Lisa and Danielle’s presentation had four important points for the community: maintain a medication list, ask key safety questions, prevent medication errors and issues, and get a medication review. The main theme that ran throughout the presentation was the responsibility that YOU have with your medication and health by working with your care providers.
It is important to manage your medication through a medication list. Keeping track of your medication is YOUR responsibility, and maintaining a proper, thorough and detailed medication list is important to your health, and to caregivers, doctors, pharmacists and other care providers. Your medication list needs to be thorough. Include as much information as you can include dates, name of the medication, dose, time of day the medication is taken and anything else. The more detail included the better. Remember to consider how YOU take the medication. If your doctor prescribes 2 pills a day, but you find you only need one pill it is important to write that information down on the list so that caregivers know how YOU are taking the medication, not what is prescribed. The more information and more accurate information that your care providers have, the better.
Make sure you ask your care providers a lot of questions and keep an open dialogue with your care providers, most importantly your pharmacist and doctor. It is important to have frank, honest conversations and be active in your medication with your care providers for them to give you the best care possible. Ask your pharmacist and/or doctor about any issues, side effects or concerns you have. Keeping an open dialogue between care-providers and care-recipient ensures that all things can be considered. Other things to ask care providers include asking about high alert medicines, safe handling of medication, and crushing or splitting medications. Keeping open conversation between care providers, especially doctors and pharmacists, and the care recipient is critical in making sure the best care is being provided.
When dealing with medications it is important to prevent any errors or issues. Small, simple things can be done to avoid any problems with medications. These include keeping medication out of the reach of children, organize medication in a pill organizer, and be careful when applying creams, ointments or sprays and dispose of medications. Taking simple steps to prevent medication problems can improve health as well as avoid accidents. Consult your care providers for other ways to keep medications safe and secure.
Home Care Rx’s presentation was insightful and helpful for anyone who is taking multiple medications or knows of someone who is. Home Care Rx also showed this video by YouTube Doc Mike Evans on Medication Safety. If you missed the presentation but would like to have the chance to hear it, Mosaic will be having Lisa and Danielle return to our Toronto Office at the CNIB Centre on May 7th. You can contact us at 905 597 7000 or email at info@mosaichomecare.com to register and learn about medication safety!
