Medicare and your Medication: Keep your Prescription Safe, Organized and On Track

If turning 65 has introduced the challenges of medication management, welcome to the club! According to recent survey data, more than 4 out of 10 adults over 65 said they take 5 or more prescription medications (called polypharmacy).

Polypharmacy has nearly doubled in the past 20 years. Gone are the days when you could take one baby aspirin a day and nothing more. But it’s not all bad news—many prescription drugs vastly improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses or pain. In fact, even people living with late-stage cancers are able to enjoy many more years thanks to modern medication advances.

Still, managing a small pharmacy from your kitchen table can be a high-pressure task—

especially if you and your partner are both on multiple medications. And missing a dose, taking the wrong pill, or running out of medication without quick access to a refill can have serious health consequences.

Here, we’ll offer 4 medication management tips and resources so you can maximize the benefits of your prescriptions and minimize the stress of polypharmacy.

4 Ways to Manage Medications Like a Pro

1. Prescription medication management starts with a list.

Yes, there are plenty of apps and digital tools to manage medications, but a good old-fashioned pen and paper list is the best place to start.

Not only does it help to see everything in one place, it also serves as a useful tool at any wellness appointments you go to—whether it’s your long-time family doctor, an alternative medicine provider like a massage therapist, or a new specialist for your joint issues.

That being said, make sure the list includes any over-the-counter drugs you might be taking (like Advil or Benadryl) as well as vitamins and supplements. Include the time of day you take the pills, plus the dosage or frequency.

Making a list is a good exercise in review and assessment too. If you honestly don’t know why you take a certain medication, what it’s for, or you can’t recall the exact dosage because it’s changed a few times, you’re not alone. Medication non-adherence (not taking prescribed medications) is very common, and it can be for any number of reasons such as cost, worry about side effects, or lack of symptoms that led to the prescription. Another reason for non-adherence? Too many medications.

Once you’ve made your first draft, keep the list in a high-traffic area or close to wherever you keep your at-home pharmacy or daily pill station. Include important phone numbers on the list, and perhaps a notepad nearby to jot down side effects (good or bad) when you notice a change in your body that could be related to a certain medication.

If it’s been a while, you may want to schedule a visit with your provider or pharmacist to talk through your list of prescriptions. We’ll talk more about this in an upcoming tip. In the meantime, download this PDF to help you track your prescriptions.

• FDA - My Medicine Record
• CDC - MyMedications List

2. Create a daily system, routine, or schedule that works for you.

If it doesn’t work for you, it will be harder to stick to it! You may have to try a few different systems or routines before you find the right one, but don’t get discouraged. Good habits can be formed through patience and persistence.

First things first, try to take your meds at the same time everyday, and connect it with another daily routine like brushing your teeth, meals, or your afternoon coffee break.

A pill organizer or medication dispenser can help you stay on track. Keep it simple: there’s no need to spend lots of money on a complicated model if the standard options at your local drugstore or dollar store do the trick.

You may want to purchase a few if you take a lot of medications at different times of the day, or if the pills take up a lot of room in the small compartments. Get creative with colors, and give yourself a visual cue to keep things straight: Use the all blue pill pack for nighttime meds and the yellow one for daytime meds, for example.

Use your smart phone or voice-activated speakers like Alexa or Siri to set alarms and reminders for the times of day you need to take certain pills.

3. Use mail order pharmacy services.

What is a mail order pharmacy, you ask? We’ll answer: it’s a convenient, reliable, and time-saving way to get your medications delivered directly to your door. Not only does this mean you skip the pharmacy lines, having to ask your adult kids for a ride, or those “what time is CVS open until?” moments, it also helps you stay on track with automatic refills and reminders.

If you think there’s some kind of financial catch, you may be surprised: you can actually save on costs with mail-order pharmacy, as many insurance plans charge lower co-pays for these prescriptions, and you don’t have to pay a delivery fee. Often, you can get a 90-day supply of your meds, so refill trips and missed doses are less likely.

Mail-order pharmacy eliminates those stressful experiences of waiting in line at the store—or waiting for the store to open. Because long waits do more than test our patience—they can be downright tricky if you can’t drive and are dependent on public transportation or a family member’s busy schedule. And if you have a hard time standing while you wait, a “quick trip to the pharmacy” becomes physically uncomfortable or unsafe if there are no places to sit.

Want to sign up for mail-order pharmacy services with us? Talk with your ArchWell Health provider or call ArchWell Health’s 24/7 care line. Once you’ve registered for delivery, your provider will send your prescriptions to the new pharmacy, and you can cross lots of things off your list at once.

4. Chat often with your pharmacist and prescribing provider.

Finally, don’t do this medication management thing alone. Professionals are willing to help you, and so is your caregiver!

Talk to them about your concerns—whether it’s about costs, timing, management, or side effects. No need to rush to WebMD at the first sign of tingling in your fingers. It might be a completely normal reaction, and if it’s not, your doctor is the best person to triage the situation and give you next steps.

Overwhelmed by your medication regimen? Think you might have some duplicate prescriptions on the list? Wondering if it’s OK to stop a pill at the first sign of swelling? Worried about dizzy spells that seem related to a new med? These are all things to bring to your provider and pharmacist—and they’re happy to answer them to keep you healthy, safe, and on track.

Medication management isn’t easy, and it can be scary to read those long lists of potential side effects and symptoms. But the more you know—and the more you reach out for help when answers aren’t clear—the better you’ll feel. And, you’ll be better equipped to manage them all.

Add Us to Your List

We’re here for you! Contact ArchWell Health today to work with our team on medication management, mail-order pharmacy, or any other wellness activities to usher in a vibrant 65 and beyond.