What to Take Next?

As people grow older, the need for maintenance drugs increases constantly. How does one keep track of dosage, intake per day and most importantly the purchase of the medication. "All of the general problems that prescription drugs present are amplified when senior citizens are involved."

Senior citizens need to take more medications than other groups. The fact that the body, mind and senses can be suffering a major wear and tear can magnify the risks of taking prescription medications. Some of those risks may be prompted by the loss of eyesight, making it hard for the person to read instructions. Also, a person suffering from hearing loss may be challenged in listening to instruction on the correct way of taking the medicine.

Financial troubles also play an important part in a person's ability to take the right prescriptions. Someone with a financial burden will often consider eliminating medication simply because they cannot afford it. Because senior citizens need to take more medications than other demographics, the combination of different drugs can also present a threat. Information on adverse reactions or dangerous combinations of certain drugs should be a topic that senior citizens and their caretakers should keep in mind. Consulting one's doctor and keeping up with medical reviews and periodicals could help in this area.

The financial gap seems to be the biggest factor in senior citizens' ability to keep the correct medication at hand at all times. One should request information on how alternative or generic drugs can benefit an individual. Generic drugs can, in some cases, help close the gap in medication expenditure, especially for those senior citizens that need a large combination of drugs.