In general, the older we get, the more health concerns we have, the more doctors we see, and the more medicines we need. Most adults 65 years and older regularly take at least five different medicines, and most older adults taking prescription medicines are also using over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, or both.

We take all of these medicines to stay healthy. But more medicines can mean more potential risks and mistakes. Did you know that medicine mishaps like interactions and side effects cause over 700,000 emergency room visits each year? Because as we age we typically take more medicines, older adults are twice as likely as others to visit the emergency room for problems with their medicines, and nearly seven times more likely to be hospitalized after an emergency visit!

Are you taking your medicines safely?

Here are 5 reminders to help prevent harmful medicine mishaps:

WRITE IT DOWN

 Keep an up-to-date list of all of the medicines that you are taking – including prescription medicine, over-the-counter medicine, and vitamins or supplements – bring the list with you whenever you go to a healthcare professional or drugstore. This is especially important if you take a lot of different medicines.