Archive for the ‘Watch Medications’ Category

Be Mindful: Monitor Medications

Posted on October 31st, 2011 by kim


by Kim Keller

I’m reading a terrific book called Top Screwups Doctors Make And How To Avoid Them.  It was written by Joe and Dr. Teresa Graedon, a married team of pharmacology experts who’ve written numerous books on drug and health information, including the New York Times bestseller, The People’s Pharmacy.  The Graedons have also penned syndicated columns for almost 30 years for newspapers across the country.

Top Screwups is a practical guide for preventing medical errors, a subject that Karen and I became much too familiar with in the last decade when we witnessed firsthand how even well-intentioned medical professionals can make dangerous mistakes when they prescribe and administer meds.  We watched it happen to both of our parents — repeatedly.

In Top Screwups, the Graedons mention a report called, “Preventing Medication Errors,” compiled by The Institute of Medicine, which states, “There are at least 1.5 million preventable ADEs [Adverse Drug Events] that occur in the United States each year.  The true number may be much higher.”

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Medication To-Do List

Posted on September 7th, 2011 by kim

prescription bottles

by Kim Keller

One of the most critical lessons Karen and I learned was this:  Pay close attention to medications.

We have seen both of our parents suffer from endless medication issues — too much, too little, the wrong ones, etc.  Medications have often been responsible for making our parents sick, rather than making them well.

Here are the three things you need to do:  (1) Keep an updated list of medications, including over-the-counter remedies, herbs and vitamins; (2) If you see any change in your loved one’s behavior or comfort level, ask the doctor if it could be related to a recent medication change; and (3) Always make sure to ask the doctor these following important questions:

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Things That Make Life A Little Easier: An Automatic Pill Dispenser

Posted on August 8th, 2011 by kim

e-pill Automatic Pill Dispenser MD1

An In Care of Dad Series

by Kim Keller

Alice lives in Muskego, Wisconsin, near most of her family, and just celebrated her 86th birthday.  Two years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  As with many families, Alice’s eight children, who refer to themselves as “Team Alice,” worried about her taking her medications properly.

Would she remember what to take and when?  Alzheimer’s is an enormous obstacle to a medication routine.  So Team Alice was thrilled to discover the huge selection of MedTime Automatic Pill Dispensers from e-pill.com.

The medication dispenser they chose looks like a space ship.  It has 28 compartment for pills and the like, so it can handle a variety of medication routines without the need for constant refilling.  The dispenser also has a timer system that’s adjustable for each routine, and Team Alice reports that it’s very easy to program and to use.

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Pay Attention To The Medications

Posted on April 19th, 2011 by kim

By Kim Keller

“Medication errors are among the most common medical errors, harming at least 1.5 million people every year,” says a report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

You’d be amazed at the craziness we experienced with medication mistakes that happened with our dad: being taken off drugs cold turkey, being given drugs he had bad reactions to, not getting some medications because of some inexplicable snafu.  And each mistake had painful consequences for our dad.

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