5 tips make taking medication easier for older adults

As we age, there is often an increased need for daily medication. However, problems swallowing multiple pills or remembering which medication to take when, and how, can prove a challenge.

“It is important that older adults take their medication on schedule because this will allow the optimal control of their medical conditions,” said Dr. Angela G. Catic, assistant professor of medicine in the Huffington Center On Aging at Baylor College of Medicine.

Waiting longer than recommended between medications could create complications. And some medications work best if taken with or without food and at different times of day.

“Older adults should check with their physician and/or pharmacist regarding the optimal manner in which to take their medications, and they should be comfortable asking how their medication regimen could be simplified,” Catic said.

Catic also suggests older adults bring all of their medications (including over-the-counter medications, supplements and medications prescribed by pharmacists) to their physician visits so everything they take can be reviewed.

See more advice below.

-By Andy Phifer