Medications can also cause problems when they are not taken properly. Anyone who is taking several drugs, or is having trouble with memory, may forget when or whether they took their last dose of a particular medication. If this is a problem for you, ask your doctor or pharmacist for a large print label or for clear instructions about taking a particular drug. Problems arise also when people share drugs with others, reuse old medications, or get several prescriptions from different doctors. Prescription drugs should only be taken by the person for whom they were prescribed, and taken only as long as the doctor recommends.
Old drugs can spoil, lose their effects or even become more potent.
If several doctors are prescribing for you, you may get too much of one drug, or you may end up taking two or more drugs that are dangerous when combined. Some seniors have emotional reasons for using more medications. They may have trouble getting used to retirement. They may be lonely, and they may be facing the deaths of many people who are close to them. They may come to rely on medications to help them cope with stress or loss.