Medications and Treatment

Osteoporosis medications — the treatment that takes years to evaluate

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. The thing about osteoporosis medication is that you take it for years without any obvious effect. Your parent swallows a pill every morning or

Blood pressure medications — the balancing act of treatment

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Blood pressure is one of those numbers that sounds simple but is actually complicated. High blood pressure is bad. Everyone knows that. It increases

Medications and Treatment

Sleep medications and the elderly — the risks of pharmaceutical sleep

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Your parent used to sleep through the night without thinking about it. Now they're waking at 3 a.m. and can'

Medications and Treatment

Pain management for elderly patients — beyond opioids

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Pain in older adults is one of those things everyone talks around. Your parent might mention it casually, almost as if it's

Medications and Treatment

Blood thinners — the medications that require constant vigilance

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. Blood thinners are probably the medication that will change your daily life most. Not because they're complicated to take, but because they

Medications and Treatment

Dementia medications — what they do and what they can't do

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult appropriate professionals for guidance specific to your situation. When your parent gets a dementia diagnosis, the first question is almost always about medication. Can we slow this down? Can we stop it?

Medications and Treatment

The medication list — maintaining the document that every provider needs

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Every healthcare provider your parent sees will ask for a medication list. They ask because they need it.

Medications and Treatment

Medication management across multiple doctors — preventing the silo problem

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Your parent sees a cardiologist for heart disease, a nephrologist for kidney problems, a rheumatologist for arthritis, and

Medications and Treatment

When medications stop working — recognizing the need for a change

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Your parent has taken the same blood pressure medication for seven years. It worked well. Their blood pressure

Medications and Treatment

Medication adherence technology — automated dispensers and reminders

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Your parent takes five medications daily and lives alone. You've organized them perfectly in a pill

Medications and Treatment

Compounding pharmacies — when standard medications don't work

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Your parent desperately needs a medication, but they can't swallow pills. The manufacturer makes it in

Medications and Treatment

Traveling with medications — logistics for trips and visits

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or financial advice. Every family situation is different, and you should consult with appropriate professionals about your specific circumstances. Your parent is finally going to visit you for a week. You're excited. They're