Medication mismanagement can be prevented
ADVERTORIAL
BRIGHTON EYE
February is Age-Related
Macular Degeneration
Awareness Month
Clinical Assistant Professor
of Ophthalmology NYU
Visit our state-of-the-art facility located at 2025 Kings Hwy
718-339-6868www.brightoneye.com
Most insurances accepted
TAKING CARE OF BROOKLYN’S EYES FOR OVER 27 YEARS
Caribbean L 46 ife, Feb. 15–21, 2019 BQ
Millie R. Fell, MD, FACS
Age-related Macular Degeneration
(AMD) is the leading cause
of blindness in older Americans.
Fortunately, in 2019 there are miraculous
treatments that allow
Drs. Fell and Brookner to keep
their patients with this condition
functioning independently and
able to conduct normal daily activities.
Macular degeneration can either
be wet or dry. At this time
there is no treatment for dry macular
degeneration. In patients with
wet macular degeneration abnormal
blood vessels form under the
retina.
These abnormal blood vessels
bleed and leak fl uid into the macula,
thus causing vision loss.
Drs. Fell and Brookner are both
fellowship-trained in treating retinal
diseases. They have been
treating patients with wet macular
degeneration with intravitreal injections
of Avastin, Lucentis and
Eylea since 2006. In their stateof
the-art offi ce, the latest technology
and diagnostic equipment
is used to diagnose and follow
patients with macular disease.
With these treatments patients
can continue to lead independent
lives well into their nineties.
Visit your eye MD annually for
a thorough examination. As with
most diseases, early detection is
a critical step to early treatment
and fortunately, most insurance
plans now pay for this treatment.
Wellness
Medication management is an important
issue for seniors and
their families. Failure to properly
manage medications can threaten
the lives of seniors, highlighting the
emphasis families must place on ensuring
seniors take their medications
in strict adherence to their physicians’
instructions.
Polypharmacy, or the taking of multiple
medications for different conditions,
can be a potential health hazard
for the thousands of seniors who
must manage health conditions with
prescription drugs. Harmful drug interactions
are a result of the confusion
that can arise when seniors take multiple
medications at the same time. The
American Society of Health-System
Pharmacists estimates that more than
34 percent of senior citizens are prescribed
medications by more than one
physician, and 72 percent use medications
they were prescribed more than
six months prior. Many people also
have begun “pharmacy shopping” to
save money. According to a study published
in 2010 in American Nurse Today,
44 percent of men and 57 percent
of women older than age 65 take fi ve or
more medications per week, with some
taking as many as 10.
Medication confusion is one risk,
but older adults also metabolize medications
differently than young people.
As a result, they may be more susceptible
to overdose or other ill effects. Families
looking to help seniors effectively
manage their medications should consider
the following tips:
Keep a running list of medications.
Maintain a list of all medications
being taken, noting both prescription
and over-the-counter medications and
any supplements and herbs. Provide a
copy to any new doctors you visit and
any new pharmacies you patronize.
Use pill sorters. Medication sorters
can keep medications organized
and eliminate some of the personal error
in medication management. Organizers
have daily slots and may also
differentiate between nighttime and
daytime medications.
Understand why each medication
is being prescribed. Ask your
pharmacist and doctor to explain why
each medication is prescribed. This information
should be printed on the prescription
label. Some drugs designed
for one symptom may actually be used
to treat other issues as well.
Ask for help. Some seniors may
benefi t from friendly reminders from
a loved one regarding when to take
certain medications, especially if they
need to take multiple doses throughout
the day. Cognitively impaired seniors
may require the services of a visiting
nurse or another caregiver.
Recognize that not all medications
are right for seniors. The American
Geriatrics Society maintains a list
of medications that older adults should
avoid or take with extreme caution.
Some drugs pose a high risk of side effects
or interactions, while others are
less effective. Discuss alternatives with
your physician if you are prescribed
one of these medications.
Keep a medication diary. Record
any side effects that occur and how the
medications make you feel. Always
bring up issues promptly with a doctor.
Proper medication management
can help seniors avoid drug-related accidents
or worse.
Home from the hospital
At some point in a person’s life, he
will spend time in a hospital and
have to transition home after recovery.
For seniors, this is a common
occurrence and one that can be particularly
troublesome. A little planning
can make the process easier on the patient
and the caregiver:
Plan early. Learn when the discharge
date will be and fi nd out what
will be needed at home. Talk with
hospital staff about which equipment
can make recovery at home easier. A
caregiver may get recommendations
on nearby medical-supply stores and
other vendors that can provide what’s
needed, such as visiting nurses.
Rearrange the home. Certain
things at home may need to be changed
depending on why the person was hospitalized.
Individuals with crutches or
in a wheelchair may need extra space
made in the home to travel safely. If the
patient normally sleeps upstairs, a bed
may need to be set up downstairs instead.
Ramps may need to be installed
over stairs as well.
Make a list. Keep a master list of
important phone numbers, including
the doctor and the local pharmacy, so
that it is easy to contact the person in
case of an emergency.
Expect extra costs. Some procedures
may be covered by health insurance,
while others may not. Family
Caregivers should not be embarrassed to
ask for help, even if that means hiring a
professional. Providing the best care for the
patient should be the priority.
members may have to rally together
to offset costs for medical care outside
the realm of insurance.
Get help. Many family members
want to be the sole caregiver for a parent
or spouse who has left the hospital.
But the demand of around-the-clock
care can sometimes be overwhelming.
Caregivers should not be embarrassed
to ask for help, even if that means hiring
a professional. Providing the best
care for the patient should be the priority.
Patient support. The newly discharged
patient may have mixed feelings
about being at home and fawned
over. Therefore, caregivers should
tread lightly to develop a strategy that
works well for everyone.
Though people who cannot afford to fi ll their prescriptions often feel helpless, there are a
handful of ways they can cut the costs of their medications and start feeling better.