Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010 - 4

COMMUNIT Y SERVICE

Helping	seniors manage	their	meds
Like many senior citizens, Jeanne Winder stocks her pill box once a week. Every Saturday night – like clockwork – Winder lines up her medications alphabetically and pops her pills into their respective compartments; readying herself for the coming week.
With	the	help	of	the	School	of	Pharmacy	faculty	who	 staff	the	University	of	Colorado	Hospital’s	Seniors’	 Clinic,	Winder	has	developed	a	common	sense	and	 useful	way	to	manage	her	growing	supply	of	pills.	Not	 content	with	one	pill	box,	this	savvy	84-year-old	keeps	 two	on	hand	–	a	white	one	for	her	morning	pills	and		 a	yellow	box	for	her	evening	doses.	“It	helps	keep	me	 on	track,”	says	Winder.	 In	addition	to	the	color	 coded	pill	boxes,	she	keeps	 a	current	list	of	everything	 she	takes	–	including	 vitamins,	over-the-counter	 medications,	herbal	supplements,	and	prescription	 medications	–	in	her	purse,	 so	she	has	it	with	her	when	 she	visits	her	pharmacy		 or	physician.	 “It’s	my	responsibility	to	 keep	myself	healthy,”	says	 Winder,	a	former	teacher.	 Since	1992,	Winder	has	 been	keeping	herself	on	 track	by	attending	the	 Seniors’	Clinic.	“It’s	been	 extremely	helpful,	especially	 the	free	prescription		 consultation.”	 During	the	prescription	consultation,	patients		 bring	both	their	medication	list	and	the	products		 themselves	to	show	pharmacists	Drs.	Sunny	Linnebur	 and	Joseph	Vande	Griend.	These	faculty	members		 then	check	them	against	the	list	of	prescriptions	their	 doctors	show	in	the	system.	Then,	they	explain	to		 the	patient	in	detail	what	the	medications	are	and		 why	they	are	taking	them.	It’s	at	this	time	that	they	 discuss	safety,	ways	to	save	money,	possible	adverse	 reactions,	or	even	suggest	changes	to	their	medications	 and	consult	with	the	physician	regarding	these	possible	 changes.	This	way,	the	patient	and	doctor	know	that	 every	drug	is	working	properly	and	safely.	For	Winder,	 “It’s	reassuring	to	know	that	you’re	getting	what	you’re	 supposed	to	be	getting.”	For	Vande	Griend,	“This	is	 critical	to	patient	safety.” Between	the	expertise	provided	at	the	clinic	and	 Winder’s	common	sense	system	of	organizing	her		 medications,	Winder	says,	“I’m	living	a	pretty	good	 life.”	For	Jeanne	it’s	a	system	that	works.	

Advice	from	both	 Winder	and	the		 Seniors’	Clinic:
♦ Take	charge	of	your	

medical	routine
♦ Keep	an	active	

medication	list
♦ Use	only	one	pharmacy	

and	get	all	your	medications	from	one	place
♦ Get	to	know	your	

pharmacist	on	a	first		 name	basis
♦ Tell	the	pharmacist	

about	all	the	meds	you		 take,	even	if	you		 purchase	elsewhere
♦ Have	a	support	system	
Assistant Professor Joseph Vande Griend consults with patient Jeanne Winder about her medications

to	help	organize	the		 medications	and	keep	 track	of	them.

“It’s my responsibility to keep myself healthy...” Winder has been keeping herself on track by attending the Seniors’ Clinic.

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UC School of Pharmacy
Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pharmacy Perspectives - Spring 2010
