What Caregivers Can Do if a Parent Refuses Medication Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.
What to Do When Loved Ones Won t Take Their Meds
Follow these 5 steps to improve medication adherence without creating conflict
Joel Sartore/National Geographic/Getty Images , for example. Many caregivers feel frustrated when a parent or other family member rearranges the pill box , forgets to take medications or just says "No!" "Nonadherence" — failure to take medications on time or in the proper dosages — can lead to serious side effects, such as confusion, dizziness or , which result in or hospitalization. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. What can you do to help? Let's start with what you shouldn't do. Don't get into an . Arguing or coaxing will end in bad feelings, often spilling over into other aspects of your relationship. And it won't alter anyone's behavior anyway. Here are some suggestions for a better approach. Consider an evaluation
Your family member may have an undiagnosed or that is affecting his or her ability to follow the prescribed regimen. Ask the doctor for an . Create an up-to-date medication list
Make sure you include everything your family member takes — not just doctor-prescribed drugs but also over-the-counter preparations like , laxatives, , and others. There are many online tools to help, such as the Next Step in Care from the United Hospital Fund. Determine which meds are truly necessary
When you have an accurate and complete list, work with the doctor to reduce it to the bare minimum. Just cutting down on the number of medications can help reduce the hassle. "Ask the doctor if each drug is necessary, whether it is appropriate for the person you are caring for, and whether it can be administered once a day instead of, say, every four hours," advises Anne Myrka, a pharmacist at IPRO, a nonprofit health care organization that works with Medicare to improve quality of care for beneficiaries. Centralize pharmacy records
. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > The list goes on and on. Recognize that they may have valid reasons for wanting to avoid certain meds — what Myrka calls "intelligent nonadherence." "This is not willful bad behavior on your parent's part," she says. "It is the person's sense that something is wrong and that a drug may be the cause." In each case, perhaps the doctor or pharmacist can offer a solution — a different formulation, a different drug, an easier-to-open bottle, a better explanation of why the drug is important, a source for financial help in paying for drugs. With a reduced and appropriate list in place, set up a simple reminder process. There are many different types of pill boxes, notifications and other . Review the medication list frequently, especially after an emergency room visit or hospitalization, or when a new doctor is consulted. In this ongoing negotiation, you should aim for compromise. Your part will be to reduce the pill burden. In exchange, it is more likely that your family member will follow the directions carefully. You will both be better off. MORE FROM AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS