Many family caregivers have a lot on their plate. At any moment in time, caregivers need to have access to all information in case of any emergencies. There is a new toolkit available that can help these family members keep organized."The role of the family caregiver is to be an advocate for the senior," said Thomas Clark, RPh, MHS, CGP, director of Clinical Affairs for the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and the ASCP Foundation. "Assuming older adults want assistance, it's good to have a family member go with them to ensure the doctor's recommendations can be reinforced and followed when the senior gets home."
The main need-to-know things include being aware of which medicines the patient is allergic to, what medications they are currently taking and what is important about them for example the side effects, what illnesses the seniors have and also if they are not taking the medicine as they should be.
There are also independent living facilities, nursing homes and assisted living that can be available for loved ones who may need around-the-clock-care.
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