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Safer Medication Storage Tips for Older Adults
Adults age 65 and older make up over 15 percent of the U.S. population.1 As many as 50% of them report experiencing chronic pain,2 and almost 30% of these adults take prescription pain medication, often opioids, to manage their pain.3 Of the 30%, 19% of men and 23% of women report taking at least five prescription drugs.4
It is common to keep medications in easy-to-reach locations, like the kitchen counter, medicine cabinet or bedside table. While convenient, this can result in easy access for others in the home, such as children, grandchildren or caregivers.
Opioid misuse can lead to the misuse of other substances. It has been shown that a high number of heroin users started misusing drugs by using opioid pain killers prescribed to family members.5
Here are six ways to safeguard your medications and your loved ones:
- Lock up all medication (prescribed and over-the-counter) or move them to a place where they won’t be easily found. Consider purchasing a medication lockbox to keep your medications secure or use a cabinet or drawer in your house that locks. Store medication lockboxes or other storage containers in a cool, dry place (not in the bathroom) or in a closet or drawer (with the key or combination stored in a safe place).
- Ask your pharmacist if special packaging is available for your pain medicine to help you track and keep an accurate count of your medications.
- Check around your home for old, expired medication. Purses, coat pockets, kitchen cupboards, bureau drawers and hall closets are common places to find old medication.
- Sort through and dispose of old, expired or unused medication. Never flush it or throw it away. Ask your pharmacy or police department for safe disposal options or find the nearest public disposal location on the U.S. Department of Justice website at deadiversion.usdoj.gov. In the green box at the top of the page, click on “Search for Year Round Pharmaceutical Disposal Locations.”
- When traveling or staying in someone else’s home, ask your host to help you find a safe place where you can store your prescriptions. Suitcases and purses are not safe places to keep powerful prescriptions.
- Keep the Poison Control number (800-222-1222) handy in case of emergencies.6
For more information about medication management and other resources for older Texans, contact your Area Agency on Aging by calling 800.252.9240 or visiting apps.hhs.texas.gov/contact/aaa.cfm.
Sources:
- U.S. Census Bureau, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Sullivan MA. Prescription Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain in Older Adults [webinar]. Providers’ Clinic Support System for Opioid Therapies website. pcssnow.org/education-training/training-courses/prescription-opioid-addiction-chronic-pain-older-adults/.
- Scheiber et al., 2018-American Society of Aging, Generations Journal, Winter 2020–2021.
- Kaufman DW, Kelly JP, Rosenberg L, Anderson TE, Mitchell AA. Recent patterns of medication use in the ambulatory adult population of the United States: the Slone survey. JAMA. 2002;287(3):337–344. doi:10.1001/jama.287.3.337 1.
- Prescription for a healthy holiday: Tips to safeguard your medicines (Dec. 2017).
- acl.gov/news-and-events/news/prescription-healthy-holiday-tips-safeguard-your-medicines, Dec. 2017.