Q. We recently had a scare when my grandfather used two different cleaning products in an enclosed area. He passed out and hit his head but fortunately we found him in time. What can be done to prevent situations like this?
A. Poison control is important for all ages and March is Poison Prevention Awareness month. One easy step to take is to put the poison control number (1-800-222-1222, U.S. only) on a whiteboard, or the refrigerator, or near the phone, and save it as an emergency number in your loved one’s phone.
Medication is the cause of nearly half of all poisonings in older adults. For this population in particular, it is important to turn on the lights, put on glasses, and read the label before taking or giving medicine. Follow instructions exactly. And don’t take someone else’s medicine or share your medications.
The National Poison Control Center offers these other tips especially for the older population, but they are valuable for all ages to remember!
-Tell each of your doctors about every medicine, vitamin, herbal or supplement you take.
– Never mix cleaning products. Poisonous gases, explosions, or burns may result.
– Store products in original containers and follow appropriate disposal instructions.
– Keep household products away from food and medicine so they aren’t mixed up.
– Install carbon monoxide alarms in the hallway near every sleeping area in your home. Keep appliances, furnaces, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves in good repair.
– Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even if the garage door is open.
Q. I recently read an article that states people should keep all their prescription drug medications locked up so that teenage grandchildren don’t get into them. Is this a widespread problem?
A: The Food and Drug Administration reports that 1 in 4 teens have misused or abused prescription drugs and most of those came from the family medicine cabinet.
Of course, everyone, not just grandparents, needs to be conscious of the danger medications can pose to children and teenagers, whether it is an accidental ingestion or purposely taken. Sometimes, however, when we are older and don’t have the daily presence of children in the home, it is common to forget the danger and place things in containers that are easier to open, or leave pills out so that we remember to take them. All medicines, both prescription and over-the-counter, should be locked up or moved to a place where they won’t be easily found. Another good idea is to keep track of your medicines on a regular basis, weekly perhaps, including dosages taken and how many pills you should have left. Locked pill boxes that can have the medicines sorted by time, day, and week are a great way of doing this.
Finally, sort through medications and get rid of those that are expired or unused. Medications should not be flushed or just thrown in the trash. Many over-the-counter medications will have instructions on the label on how to safely dispose of the drug. If you do throw any away, first mix the medication with something that tastes bad, such as coffee grounds or cat litter, and place in a sealed bag or container. A better choice is to check with your pharmacy or local police about “drug take-back” programs for safe methods of disposal. April 22nd is “National Prescription Take-Back Day” with multiple sites participating nationwide. To find locations near you, go to www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov and click on the Take Back link, or contact your County Sheriff’s office.