Here are the things we kept our eyes on:

• Name of the medication (including over-the-counter meds, vitamins and herbs)
• Dosage and schedule of usage (how much and when should it be taken)
• Special instructions, such as take with food or don’t mix with other meds
• Name of prescribing doctor and the date of prescription
• Purpose of each medication
• Allergies to specific medications
• Pharmacy phone number and prescription numbers for refills

This list was the handiest and most valuable tool we had.  Our mom kept the list and always had a copy with her.  Every doctor and nurse dealing with our dad was given a regularly updated version.  Keeping everyone informed about the medication regimen helps prevent errors.

We found that the list needed to be updated quite often, and so we got into the habit of asking everyone involved if there had been any medication changes:  after each doctor’s visit; each day in the hospital; and then each day in the nursing home, until his routine was thoroughly stabilized.