Seniors and Prescription Drugs

Does your parent need to take prescription medication on a daily basis? If so, there is a genuine need for seniors to understand what drugs they are taking and how to take them. You know, more often than not, seniors rely on their doctors so much; they fail to ask questions when given prescription drugs. They trust the doctors implicitly, but in some cases, it can do them more harm than good. Seniors and prescription drugs have become synonymous as more and more seniors live longer and are prone to more diseases.

If you have a parent who has been prescribed drugs, perhaps now is a good time to research the drug to ascertain what side affects, if any, are associated with it. Some doctors offer medications without completely understanding the side affects they may have on one patient as opposed to another patient. While one individual may have no ill affects, another may feel the full brunt of the medication.

For seniors who have dementia, this is especially true. There is a case of a woman who was given medication to help her sleep. This was due to the fact that she stayed up most of the night serving dinner to people she thought were in her house. While she was constantly being monitored by her daughter-in-law, nonetheless she had days of complete clarity, whereas other days she had the aforementioned dinner parties. The doctor prescribed a medication to calm her and provide a restful nights sleep. Unfortunately, it did the opposite. She quickly became agitated and anxiety ridden. The daughter-in-law called the doctor and explained the symptoms. He immediately changed the medication.

It has become apparent today that the pharmaceutical companies push their drugs onto doctors, who in turn prescribe them to patients. While one cannot definitively say that these drugs are given without consideration to the patient, there is a definite relationship between these companies and the health care insurance companies. Case in point: Escripts is used by some union-based organizations as the company to use for all medications. Unfortunately, however, there are conditions for using this company. Escripts allows members to purchase drugs through their pharmacy for 3 months, at which time one needs their approval to continue receiving the same medication. Furthermore, if Escripts determines the drug is inappropriate, they will change the medication without the doctor’s approval and offer it to the patient. Absurd, but true.

The pharmaceutical companies are out to make money as is Escripts, but what about the patients? Who is looking out for them? Certainly not unscrupulous individuals who want to make a quick buck. Seniors and prescriptions drugs are a major conundrum in this society, and unless and until someone comes up with a reasonable and safe plan to help our seniors afford the proper medication, we all lose.

Neither Wind nor Rain…..

With so many senior citizens living alone in New York City, a new plan has been implemented to “identify signs of distress among seniors and people with disabilities and quickly connect them with social services through the City’s Department for the Aging.” This, according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg is the beginning of a new service called the Carrier’s Alert Program. The postal carriers of New York City will be the champions of this new endeavor.

How will this be implemented? According to Mayor Bloomberg, “the letter carriers, who in many cases are the first people to recognize signs of distress, will now be empowered to act at the first signs of trouble.” Letter carriers know their route and the people they service more than most. Consequently, if a letter carrier notices that an elderly person’s mail has not been picked up, he will be able to act quickly and effectively to determine if the person is incapacitated and needs medical assistance.

This is a wonderful program, and one which prefaces the importance of keeping an eye on our elderly. During times when blackouts occur in certain boroughs or neighborhoods, everyone is encouraged to check on their neighbors to ensure they are okay. In fact in some areas, the police department checks each and every home to determine if anyone is alone and needs assistance. Blackouts are especially difficult for those who are on oxygen or who have no air conditioning units in their apartments.

With this new Carriers Alert Program, seniors can now rest easy that at least one person will always be on the lookout to determine if they need help. In addition, this will empower the community to do their part to become more aware of seniors’ concerns and do their utmost to ensure they are well and safe.

If you are a senior or have an elderly parent living in New York City, encourage them to sign up by contacting the Department for the Aging to enroll in this program. An application is available online. Once the application is filled out with the name, date of birth, address, telephone number and emergency telephone number, the letter carrier will place the Carrier Alert sticker in the senior’s mailbox.

Today, more and more seniors are living longer. It is up to each and every community in New York City to do all we can to make their lives happy and free from worry. For years they have worked and given their time to make our communities safe and friendly; now it is time to give a little something back on their behalf – a moment of your time. For more information, you can go to: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dfta/html/senior/carrier_alert.shtml.