Hank spent more than a year trying to provide the ideal level of elderly care that his mother needed, but when her health was seeming to get worse and his relationships and even his own work life were suffering, he knew it was time to consider outside help. Hank spent the better part of a year trying to avoid calling upon the help of an elder care provider, thinking that he could save money by doing everything himself. He found out he was wrong.
Another thing that he learned through the process of providing elderly care for his mother that the local pharmacist that she had been going to for more than twenty years was a great source of information and helped Hank understand the various medications that his mother was taking, why she was prescribed them, and whether any of them 
were, in his opinion, unnecessary. Of course, a pharmacist doesn’t act or pretend to be a doctor or that he or she knows more about a patient’s care than a doctor, but they are the front line defense to make sure that the people who come to them with their prescriptions are provided the right medication and that something one doctor prescribed won’t interact negatively with another medication.
That’s what happened to Hank’s mother one day. She had gone to her foot doctor because the pain in her leg had become more severe and he prescribed a common, well-known prescription pain medication to help her cope until they could get her in for minor surgery. The doctor didn’t realize or missed the information in her medical file about a medication that she was taking to help thin her blood, to avoid clots.
Hank’s mother’s pharmacist, while filling the prescription, checked on her other regular prescriptions because she always filled them at that pharmacy. He caught the potentially harmful problem and when Hank came in to pick it up, the pharmacist told him that he wouldn’t fill it and explained why.
Hank wouldn’t have thought twice about it and while the potential interaction may not have affected his mother, it could have been devastating. The pharmacist explained that due to the nature of so many different doctors and specialist, it can be easy to overlook potential interactions between various medications. That’s why pharmacists are highly trained, to be able to catch those mistakes and protect the people who come to them for advice, to fill prescriptions, and much more.
When Hank’s mother’s new elder care provider arrived, he made sure that she understood what happened and that the pharmacist knew his mother and would be able to answer any questions that they may have with regard to his mother’s care.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from the help of elderly care in River Oaks, TX contact the caregivers at At Your Side Home Care. We help seniors and their families with many levels of home care service. Call (832) 271-1600 for more information.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Six Practical Nutrition Tips for Seniors - November 22, 2024
- Activities Seniors and Companion Caregivers Can Try Together - November 22, 2024
- Grief and Loss in Caring for Seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease - November 15, 2024
