Advocates: Know Your Loved One's Medications--and All Possible Side Effects

Author Elder Rage www.ElderRage.com
Host Coping With Caregiving Radio Show www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving

Jacqueline's Lecture on CD; 12 Experts; 14/hrs. of Help--ASK ME!

WELCOME BACK ALL MY CAREGIVERS—Tell us your story!

People often tell me every detail of their struggles with a loved one's odd behaviors and symptoms, but when I ask what medications are being taken--I most often get a blank stare and an embarrassed stutter. "Ummm, well, I don't know them all. We just give her whatever the doctor says."

One of the biggest things you can do as an advocate for a loved one is to become very familiar with all of the prescribed medications and over-the-counter supplements and herbs. The easiest way is to look them up online at www.medlineplus.com (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html). Simply print each one out and study what they do--and become familiar with the side effects.

Then, by keeping a detailed daily record of your loved one's symptoms and behaviors, you will be able to converse with the doctor at a higher level, who will make important decisions about fine-tuning the meds and dosages.

I learned all this the hard way while I was taking care of my own parents, both with early Alzheimer's not properly diagnosed for over a year. After so many doctors' trial and error with medication, I decided to become an amateur pharmacologist on my own. What an eye-opener!

Finally, I got my parents to the right doctors (geriatric dementia specialists) and was able to discuss the medications, dosages, and report subtle symptoms I noticed. This helped the doctors balance my parents' complex brain chemistries for the beginning of the dementia, the (often-present) depression, and my father's intermittent and explosive aggression. Only then was I able to implement behavioral techniques which helped me cope better with the day-to-day struggles as a caregiver.

Author Elder Rage www.ElderRage.com
Host Coping With Caregiving Radio Show www.wsRadio.com/CopingWithCaregiving

Jacqueline's Lecture on CD; 12 Experts; 14/hrs. of Help--ASK ME!

Tell us your story!