Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a healthcare policy and patient advocacy contributor Prior authorization is the process insurance companies use to approve or deny coverage of certain medications before they will pay, and according to an AMA survey, 94 percent of physicians report that prior authorization delays necessary care. When your parent'
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a licensed pharmacist contributor Prescription discount programs like GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs can cut medication prices by 50 to 80 percent compared to cash prices, and sometimes beat insurance copays outright. They are free to use, legal, and available at most pharmacies. For any medication your parent
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a licensed clinical pharmacist contributor Most major pharmaceutical companies offer programs that provide free or deeply discounted medications to people who cannot afford them, and hundreds of thousands of Americans use these programs every year. Eligibility varies by manufacturer and medication, but many older adults on fixed incomes
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Glaucoma affects more than 3 million Americans, according to the NIH, and daily eye drops are the primary treatment to prevent irreversible vision loss. The biggest barrier is not the medication itself but the physical difficulty of administering drops correctly, which means practical
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. Maria Chen, PharmD Infections in older adults are more dangerous, antibiotics work differently in aging bodies, and the risk of complications like C. difficile is significantly higher. Adults over 65 account for roughly 60% of all hospitalizations for infections, according to the CDC. Understanding how antibiotics interact
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified endocrinology specialist Thyroid medication has one of the narrowest therapeutic windows of any common prescription. Too little leaves your parent exhausted and gaining weight. Too much triggers heart palpitations, anxiety, and dangerous arrhythmias. The American Thyroid Association estimates that hypothyroidism affects up to 20 percent of
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Diuretics remove excess fluid from the body, but they also deplete potassium, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, creating a chain of side effects that includes muscle weakness, confusion, falls, and dehydration. Regular blood work to monitor electrolytes and consistent communication with the doctor about
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Rachel Torres, LCSW Depression affects an estimated 7 million Americans over 65, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and it responds well to treatment in most cases. SSRIs are the safest first-line medication choice for older adults, but they take two to six weeks to work
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatric medicine specialist Statins are among the most prescribed medications in the United States, yet for adults over 75, the evidence for starting one is far less clear than for younger patients. The American Heart Association recommends individualizing statin decisions in adults over 75 rather than
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. Maria Chen, PharmD Benzodiazepines like lorazepam and alprazolam work fast for anxiety but dramatically increase fall risk, cause cognitive impairment, and are addictive in older adults. The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria recommends avoiding them entirely in this age group. Safer alternatives, including SSRIs, buspirone, and therapy,
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by Dr. James Hartfield, M.D. Heart failure affects approximately 6.7 million Americans, according to the American Heart Association, and your parent will likely take four or five medications that each address a different part of how the heart works. Understanding what each drug does, monitoring daily weight
Medications and Treatment
Reviewed by a board-certified geriatric pharmacist Osteoporosis medication is one of the hardest sells in your parent's medicine cabinet. There is no immediate payoff, no number dropping on a monitor, no symptom disappearing overnight. Your parent takes a pill for years hoping a fracture never happens. The FDA-approved