Many laboratory tests, in addition, can now be done in mobile labs that drive right up to the patient's door. Avoiding Medication Hazards Usually, one of the most important parts of home care for older people is the medications they take on a regular basis. The various ailments to which senior citizens succumb often require them to take several medications simultaneously. Mixing medications can have serious consequences, and older adults may be especially prone to side effects from medications. New guidelines developed by FDA request drug companies to study drugs in older patients.
Pharmacists can also help trouble-shoot damaging combinations of drugs.
Senior citizens should be alert to any drug side effects and report them to their doctors immediately. The key to a medication's effectiveness is taking it properly. A medication schedule that indicates, in a chart-like fashion, which medications should be taken and when can help ensure that medicines are taken properly. The schedule should be posted where it can be consulted often and where the patient can easily mark off drug doses as they are taken. Many older people find the child-proof caps on drug bottles difficult, if not impossible, to open.