Bella Vida plans to hold an informative presentation about medication safety at the senior center on Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m.
The presentation will feature Dr. Christie Tran, from Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and will focus on the importance of staying on a medication routine, which is usually recommended by a doctor.
Tran will focus on what to expect when starting a medication, while taking medication, adding new medication, how often medication should be reviewed and what happens when medication is stopped.
Side effects of medication will also be discussed, along with the hazards of consuming certain foods with medicine.
The average senior takes about two to five pills each day, according to researchers from the Oxford University Press. As adults get older, they’re more susceptible to developing chronic health conditions that require medication.
Officials from Henry Mayo have suggestions to keep medication organized to prevent any hazards. First is to keep a list of all medications, even over-the-counter ones, along with the doctor who prescribed it.
Doctors should be informed of all over-the-counter medications taken, and a yearly medicine check up can be beneficial. A medicine check up is meant to review if medication is being taken in improper doses and eliminate others that are no longer needed.
Having prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy is another way to keep track of medication. Pharmacists will have a log of which medications were filled and can monitor if taking different medications could be harmful if taken together.
It’s also recommended to read potential side effects before starting a new medication and to tell doctors when side effects are appearing.
The presentation at Bella Vida is free and open for attendance.
For more information on the event or medication safety, contact Bella Vida at 661-259-9444. The Bella Vida senior center is located at 27180 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita.
