• Knowledge is the best medicine
• Medication risks
• Keeping track of your medications
• Storage of medications
• The effects of medication on driving

Knowledge is the best medicine

Learn about your medications and make sure you understand how to take them safely.  Here are some things you should know about the medications you are taking:

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Medication risks

Any of the following can put seniors at risk for experiencing problems with medication use:

• Receiving prescriptions from more than one doctor
• Getting your medications from more than one pharmacy
• Taking a number of medications at once
• Self-medicating with over-the-counter medicines or herbal remedies
• Sharing medications
• Mixing medications with alcohol use
• Stopping medications without first checking with your health care professional

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Keeping track of your medications

Taking medications regularly and keeping to specific schedules for taking them requires some planning so you don’t miss or repeat a dose.

Dosettes are plastic containers that have separate compartments for each day of the week or specific times for each day.  These can be used to keep track of your medications and will let you know at a glance if you have taken your required dose or not.  If you do not feel comfortable filling the compartments for the week, ask a family member or friend for help.

Blister packs may be available through your pharmacist.  Your required medications are combined in small plastic covered compartments which are labeled with the prescribed day and time to be taken.  All you have to do is open the blister pack and take the medications prescribed for that day and time.  Pharmacies may require an initial dispensing fee for this service.

Click here to learn more about Medication Safety from the Public Health Agency of Canada

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Storage of medications

• Medications should be stored in a cool dry place out of the reach of children.
• Keep medications in their original containers.
• Throw out after expiration date. Take unused medication to a pharmacist for disposal.
• The kitchen and bathroom are too moist and warm. The linen closet may be a good place. Some medications require special storage e.g. in dark bottles or the fridge; follow the instructions from the pharmacist.
• Clean out medicine cabinets regularly. Make it part of your spring-cleaning effort. Over time medicines, both prescribed and over-the-counter can accumulate in homes and pose a risk to the health and safety of family members. Some of these medicines may be long past their expiry dates and are no longer safe. Safe disposal of these medicines is essential.  Gather up all medications (prescription, over-the-counter and herbal remedies) and then take them to a pharmacy for review and safe disposal of out-dated and unused items. Medications should not be discarded in the garbage or flushed down the toilet as this can be harmful to the environment.

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The Effects of Medication on Driving

Older drivers need to know how prescription medicines and over-the-counter drugs can affect their driving ability. Here are some examples.

Medical Condition	Type of Medication	Potential Effects on Driving
Arthritis and rheumatism	Analgesics (pain relievers)	Drowsiness, inability to concentrate, ringing in ears
Common cold	Antihistamines, Antitussive (cough suppressants)	Drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness
Fatigue	Stimulants	Overexcitability, false sense of alertness, dizziness
Heart arrhythmia	Antiarrythmics	Blurred vision, dizziness
Hypertension	Antihypertensives (blood pressure drugs)	Drowsiness, blurred vision, dizziness

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The majority of injuries are predictable and preventable. 
Safety is no accident!