Pharmacists play a more significant role in ensuring most of the population has access to good healthcare. They don’t just give out medicines, as some people assume, but rather act as a liaison between patients and physicians. As a pharmacist, you have probably come across elderly patients who needed assistance so they could purchase the right medicine. Some may suffer from memory loss, while others have poor eyesight, making it difficult for them to put small texts in their medicine containers. To help seniors have an easier time shopping for affordable medicine via Walgreens senior discount, you should learn how to make your pharmacy more senior-friendly.
Openly Stating the Use of Medications
As mentioned earlier, some elderly patients have trouble recollecting instructions provided by their physicians. This can be risky since certain medications can harm their health if instructions are not correctly adhered to. So, to help your senior patients who might be suffering from memory loss, it’s important to provide them with clear instructions on how to take their medicine, if through injections, inhaler patches, and so on. It should also include information on the prescribed dosage and the time they should take the medicine.
Providing Information Management
Older people tend to have more health complications compared to when they were younger. On average, patients older than 65 have health problems requiring more than 14 different prescriptions annually to manage. As a pharmacist, you should be ready to educate your senior customers on how their prescription helps manage their conditions, so they don’t quit taking their drugs prematurely.
Giving a Helping Hand
Apart from hearing and vision loss, many senior citizens also suffer back and knee problems. A simple task such as opening a prescription bottle may take lots of effort when you are older and running out of energy. As a pharmacist who cares for your senior customers, you should be ready to offer a helping hand by:
- Making medications for seniors easy to access by placing their prescriptions in easy-to-open bottles
- Printing labels with large fonts and in an easy language for understanding
- Sending their prescriptions in a weekly or monthly monitored dosage system
- Starting a household delivery service for disabled patients
- Collecting contact information of their close relatives in case of emergencies
- Place their medicine on the lower counters of the shelf, so they may easily access the medicine with little struggle
- Giving them first priority when checking out
- Offering consultation services
Show Seniors How to Keep Track of Their Medicine
Apart from providing your senior patients with essential information like drug side effects and ingredients, pharmacists should also teach seniors how to make use of pill crushers and reminders on their phone calendars to easily track when to take their medicine, thus making their lives easier.
Conclusion
The older generation did so much during their prime to ensure we had a memorable childhood and also a brighter future. Because of the contributions and sacrifices they made in their lifetime, it’s only fair we do as much as we can to ensure they have an easier time now that they are weak and vulnerable. As a pharmacist, following the tips provided in this article will ensure your senior patients feel appreciated.
