Wellness Wednesday

Medication errors—mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, taking or giving medications—impact hundreds of thousands of people a year. Some occur in a hospital or healthcare setting, others occur at home. Preventable medication errors can send patients to the emergency room, to the hospital, or worse, result in death.

Examples of medication errors that commonly happen at home include:

• Taking multiple medicines that contain the same “active ingredient.” For example, taking an over-the-counter (OTC) product that contains acetaminophen when you’re already taking a prescription pain medicine that contains acetaminophen.
• Taking or giving an incorrect dosage of a medicine, oftentimes the result of using a kitchen spoon rather than a metric measuring device
• Taking an incorrect medicine dispensed by a pharmacy due to sound-alike names or confusing medical abbreviations.
• Taking someone else’s medication instead of your own, which can result from multiple medicines for multiple users stored on the same location.
• Taking a medication on an empty stomach when it is supposed to be taken with food

While medical errors are generally accidental, medication misuse can sometimes be intentional. For example.

• Over use: taking more than prescribed or recommended dose by the healthcare provider or label. This can happen by accident—maybe you forgot you took your medicine, so you take it again. Or it can be intentional, like taking an extra dose of a prescription or OTC pain relievers.
• Under use: taking less than prescribed or recommended, missing or skipping doses either accidentally or intentionally, not filling an initial prescription or failing to get a refill.
• Not following instructions on the label.
• Taking medicines that are not prescribed for you.

Prevent Medical Errors With the Following Tips:

1. When your healthcare provider writes you a prescription, make sure you can read it. If you can’t read the handwriting on the prescription, your pharmacist might not be able to either. Ask your healthcare provider about e-prescribing, in which your prescription is electronically entered and sent to the pharmacy of your choice.
2. Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand—both when your medicines are prescribed and when you receive them at the pharmacy—so that you can take your medicine safely and avoid errors. (Check out this brief article: 10 questions to ask about the medicines you take)
3. When you are being given a medicine at the hospital or picking up a medicine from the pharmacy, confirm it is medicine that your doctor prescribed. Studies show that the vast majority of medicine errors involved the wrong drug or the wrong dose.
4. Ask your pharmacist for the best device to measure your liquid medicine. Special devices, like marked cups or oral plastic syringes, are available at most pharmacies and help to measure the precise dose.
5. Make sure your doctor knows about any allergies and adverse reactions you have had to medicines. This can help you avoid getting a medicine that can harm you.
6. Read about the side effects listed on the written information that comes with your prescription medicine. If you are familiar with the possible side effects that could occur, you can more quickly recognize if you are experiencing one and alert to your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
7. Make sure that all of your doctors know all the medicines you are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Lack of prescription adherence can be considered America’s “other drug problem.” This can lead to unnecessary disease progression, disease complications, a lower quality of life, and even the possibility of premature death. Not taking your medicine as prescribed may lead you to experience longer or more serious illnesses. It may also lead to you not getting the full relief that the medicine is intended to provide.

Medication “non-adherence” or “non-compliance,” either intentionally or inadvertently, can include:

• Failing to initially fill a prescription
• Failing to refill a prescription
• Stopping a medication before the course of therapy is complete
• Taking more or less of a medication than prescribed
• Taking a dose at the wrong time
• Missing a dose completely

About 125,000 people die each year in the United States because of not taking medicine as directed. About one third of medicine-related hospital admissions in the United States are linked to non-adherence. Additionally, it costs the country nearly $300 billion each year in added costs for doctor visits, emergency room visits, hospital admissions and more medicine.

Explore ways to reduce medicine costs. Due to high prescription prices, people don’t fill their prescriptions. Or, they skip doses so the medicine lasts longer. Yet, there are programs that help you afford your meds. For example, prescription assistance programs provide free or low cost prescription medications.

• Keep things simple: Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to simplify your medication schedule. If possible, take your medicines at the same time each day.
• Work with one pharmacy:  Use one pharmacy for all prescriptions and refills. This way the pharmacy can help you manage your refills and check for drug interactions.
• Coordinate prescription refills: Talk with your doctor and pharmacist to see if you can align refill dates. Then you can pick up all medications at the same time.
• Use a reminder tool: Use a printed pill reminder sheet or write down your medication schedule. This will help you keep track of what to take, when to take it, and special instructions like “take with food.” There are alerts on phones or computers. Some people use adherence packaging or “blister packs.” Some rely on weekly pillboxes to sort medicines by day or time of day. If you do this, keep the packaging to reference dosing information and other instructions. Also, pillboxes are generally not child-resistant so keep them up and away and out of sight of young children.
• Establish a routine: Try to tie your medication schedule to your daily activities.

Why do we need to talk about the medicines and supplements we are taking? As we get older, we may face more health problems, and we may take more and more medications to treat these conditions. If we are not careful, we may end up with adverse reactions to our prescription drugs or harmful interactions between the drugs and/or other over the counter drugs we are taking.

Most older Americans take at least one prescription, and many take three or more, a medication check-up can reduce your risk of side effects and interactions, and stop you from taking unnecessary pills. Changes in our bodies can change the way prescription drugs work. It’s wise to occasionally review the list of medicines with a healthcare provider to make sure things are working as they should and become aware of any associated side effects. It’s possible that if we are still taking a drug we were initially prescribed several years ago, we may not remember all the information we got from our pharmacist or doctor at the start of the prescription.

Ask for a medication review. The session makes sure the patient has the proper medications for the right time. Pharmacists can help you look for duplicates and drug interactions, and discuss with you less expensive, safer drugs, or even non-drug alternatives. Be sure to ask your local pharmacy whether it offers this service. Some pharmacies and doctors might charge for full reviews, but usually the cost will only be your regular insurance co-payment. Medicare allows free yearly reviews with a doctor, and for many Medicare Part D patients taking multiple meds, a pharmacist, too.

Why do we need a medication review?

The medical world is not static. There are constant changes, reviews, additions and recalls. Patients also change. Medication reviews are beneficial for elderly persons who take significantly more medication than anyone else. A medication review helps identify harmful medicine combinations, remove outdated medicine and add new ones. The assessment can reveal other helpful information, like if the patient is not taking the medication due to uncomfortable side effects.

What happens during your medication review?

During a medication review, the patient will provide their detailed medical information. The patient reveals all present illnesses and any supporting prescription drugs. Patients should also include non-prescription medicines, supplements, and homeopathic treatments. Missing one of these could impact the effectiveness of the review. You may be asked questions about symptoms, side effects and efficacy. This is a good time for patients to ask questions about medications too. Reviews should happen once a year and usually take about 30 minutes.

Our elders often lose both physical and/or cognitive function as they succumb to the natural process of aging. This renders them in need of guidance and assistance and may need their families and caregivers to completely take over decisions or activities that they can no longer perform. It can be very difficult for the elder to accept from their children the help they need.

It can also be very difficult for adult children to know how to help their parents navigate these life changes and know when and how to support them. Here are a few tips to consider when “parenting your parents.”

1. Give them space to grieve their independence.

Elders mourn the loss of independence, just as they would the loss of a loved one or the loss of a limb. Give the elders in your life space to grieve the loss of their former independent selves. Know that grief is messy and understand that in their denial and bargaining, they may not be open to accepting the help you are trying to give. It’s not personal and it’s not about you.

Be patient. Just like a teenager will fight to gain independence, your aging parent will fight to keep it.

2. Pay attention to driving clues.

Self-limitation of driving is sometimes the first clue to driving impairment in older adults. Statistically, most accidents happen within a 10-mile radius of home, so an elder who says “I don’t drive far” is not necessarily cutting their risk of an accident.

Driving is a complex task that requires all of the following: selective and divided attention, working and long-term memory, gross and fine motor skills, cognitive and physical function, and visual and kinesthetic awareness.

An astute driver needs to be able to react quickly and appropriately to unpredictable occurrences in high-risk situations. Cognitive overload occurs when the complexities of the task overwhelm the older driver and can lead to accidents.

As you would worry about putting an inexperienced teen driver in control of a vehicle, you should consider whether your older parents are truly safe to operate a vehicle. Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you feel safe in the passenger seat with them behind the wheel?
• Do they often need a “co-pilot” when driving?
• Have they had a few minor fender-benders?

3. Offer decision support only when needed.

While a teen needs support and encouragement in making decisions about their own lives, they also come to expect the “space” to do so. Your elderly parents are no different. Just like a teenager, they may not always want or feel the need to have your input.

Offer assistance where needed, especially for big decisions and if you are concerned about cognitive impairment—but do so with respect. Pick your battles and prioritize your involvement in decisions that have the biggest impact, such as major healthcare or financial decisions.

4. Give them grace around the big move.

They say, “home is where the heart is,” which is why it is so devastating for seniors who, because of functional or cognitive decline, can no longer safely live in their homes.

Understand that if your parents are in this situation, you need to expect resistance to any suggestion that they need to move out of their home and into another environment. Aging is fraught with changes that sometimes mean the loss of what is comfortable and familiar; and there is grief in that loss.

Support your parents’ aging in place by being proactive about home safety, fall prevention and additional caregiving when needed. Share with them that the willingness to accept help may be the price they pay for being able to continue to live in their home.

Likewise, accepting the need to move from home to a senior living community may be the price they pay for being able to hold on to some of their independence… which brings us full circle and back to where our discussion began!

Here are 3 sources of information that can help as you navigate providing support for elderly parents and other family members:

• Does The Older Adult in Your Life Need Help? (from the National Institute of Aging)
• Resources for Adult Children Caring for Parents (from Senior Lifestyle)
• Wellness Wednesday 1/15/2025 which lists resources in our area for caregivers

As parents age, a growing number of family caregivers are struggling in an unfamiliar role as parental figure to their own elderly parents. Suddenly, the tables have turned and determining to how accept and settle into this new dynamic can be challenging. There are a few steps that family caregivers can take to help ease the rigors of “parenting” your own elderly parents.

Allow yourself to mourn the “loss” of your parent.
Although they have not passed away, the person that you knew as your mother or father may be changing rapidly. It is okay to feel sad or angry about your relationship changing, and to allow yourself to mourn the loss of your previous relationship.

Maintain respect in your communications.
Elderly parents may be stubborn as well as embarrassed that they require assistance from their children for what was once a simple task, like bathing or getting to the grocery store. While caregiving in and of itself can be stressful, it is imperative to talk to your parents respectfully and ask them to do the same.

Set boundaries in your caregiving duties.
Regardless of how much you love your mother or father, neither of you may be comfortable with having to assist him or her with bathing or toileting. However, taking the time to establish boundaries of what you are capable of, and comfortable doing, will allow you to create a care plan for your parents with which all parties are confident. Remember, outside help, like that of a home care provider, can assist with tasks that are outside of your comfort zone.

Plan ahead to ensure security.
Long-term care can drain a family’s financial resources. However, by taking time to plan ahead, children may still be able to talk with their parents about available resources in the estate to pay for care, as well as their desires for long-term care. A realistic plan may help you feel as though there is some roadmap for your parents’ future, as well as yours as a caregiver, and provide relative peace of mind in an otherwise unnerving situation.

Get support.
Finding support as you transition into the role of caregiver is imperative to avoid harming your own mental and physical well-being. An overload of stress can quickly lead to medical conditions such as high blood pressure and depression, as well as overall feelings of anxiousness and fear. Support from siblings and friends and turning to online forums and local support groups are some healthy ways to cope. Transitioning from the role of child to parent is a major change in the parent-child relationship. Regardless of your previous relationship with your parents, it’s important to recognize your emotions about the transition and allow yourself to grieve in the process.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s Asthma Capitals™ report ranks the largest 100 cities in the contiguous U.S. by how challenging they are to live in when you have asthma. Yes, Detroit is number one (source AAFA Capitals Report)

Why Is Asthma Worse in September?

People with asthma and allergies are exposed to several triggers in September. Weed pollen, especially ragweed, the most common fall pollen allergy, is highest in September in the United States.  Mold counts go up as leaves collect outside. Children return to school and may catch respiratory infections. Extreme weather and wildfires are also a contributing factor. Flu and cold season is starting too.

How Can I Manage Asthma During September (and all year long)?

The best way to deal with asthma attacks is to prevent them before they begin. If your asthma is not under control, talk with your doctor as soon as possible.

• Follow your Asthma Action Plan to keep your asthma under control. If you do not have one, click here to get started: Asthma Action Plan.
• Schedule an appointment with your doctor or asthma specialist. Be ready to talk about current symptoms, medicines, and triggers.
• Take your asthma medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
• Get your vaccines. They take about 2 weeks to take effect in your body, so get them as soon as they are available. Yearly vaccines are usually available in September.
• Take steps to avoid getting sick. Wash your hands often and for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose, especially during cold and flu season. Stay away from people who are sick as much as possible.
• Wear a mask. When respiratory illnesses are spreading, wear a good-fitting N95 mask in crowded indoor spaces. Also wear N95 masks if wildfire smoke is in your area or if you are cleaning up after a natural disaster or flood. Masks can also help if you have pollen or mold allergy.
• Good ventilation and air filters can improve your indoor air quality (IAQ). HEPA-certified air cleaners, HEPA filters on your HVAC system, exhaust fans, and open doors/windows can improve the air in your indoor spaces.  
• If you are allergic to ragweed or mold, try to limit your exposure to those allergens.
• Take care of your health. Adequate sleep and water, a healthy diet, and exercise are important. Keep your stress levels down.

How can I make my home asthma-friendly?

• Keep windows and doors shut during high-pollen times of the year, including Peak Week.
• Ask everyone to take their shoes off before coming inside.
• Keep your hair covered outside.
• Shower and wash your hair before bed.
• Use a HEPA filter in your HVAC system.
• Pay attention to air quality reports if pollution or smoke triggers your attacks.
• Avoid asthma triggers such

Tobacco: Declare your home smoke- and vape-free. Do your best to ensure no one smokes near you or in any place you spend a lot of time.
Dust mites: Dust mites thrive in humid environments, so keep humidity low. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly on floors, rugs, and carpets, and wash and dry your bedding thoroughly.
Pests: Store food and trash in sealed containers. Clean dishes and food messes right away. Use pesticides as directed, but avoid foggers, as they can trigger attacks.
Mold: Dry wet items promptly and properly and consider using a dehumidifier. Fix water leaks, which can allow mold to grow in hidden places. Avoid harsh cleaners as they can trigger an attack.

Guns are the number one killer of children and teens in the United States. Almost every other day, a child gets their hands on a gun and unintentionally kills or wounds themselves or someone else in the United States. Research shows that the most effective way to prevent children from accessing firearms is by making sure all guns are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

More than half of gun owners don’t lock all of their guns securely, and an estimated 4.6 million children live in a home with at least one unlocked and loaded gun in the US. When guns are not securely stored, tragedy can strike ― whether it’s a child finding a firearm and wounding or killing themselves or someone else, or someone accessing it and using it to commit a crime.
 

There are steps we can all take, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, to make sure kids cannot access guns and put themselves and others in danger. State lawmakers passed the Secure Storage Law for Firearms in Michigan. This legislation requires firearm owners to safely store their firearms when someone younger than 18 years old is, or is likely to be, present. That means keeping unattended firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container.

All families need to have a conversation with children about firearm safety. Also, if your child is going to someone else's home, don’t hesitate to ask if firearms are present and how they’re stored.

Be SMART about gun storage and safety:

• S: secure all guns in your home and vehicle
• M: model responsible behavior around guns
• A: ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes
• R: recognize the role of guns in suicide
• T: tell your peers to be SMART

Additional Resources:

Project ChildSafe

Information on how to obtain a FREE gun safety kit and where to obtain a FREE gun trigger lock in 230 cities in Michigan.

Gun Safety and Children - C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital | University of Michigan Health

• Gun Storage
• Guns at homes of others
• Teaching children about what to do in the presence of a gun
• Adolescents, teens, and guns
• Non-powder guns, BB guns, and toy guns

Parents' Guide to Home Firearm Safety (umich.edu)

Information regarding firearms safety among children and teens. Great resource for families.

https://mifrp.org/prevention-tools/firearms/

The Michigan Fatality Review and Prevention, provides information regarding Prevention Resources, and Firearm Storage resources.

Holding onto Life Toolkit (michigan.gov)

The holding onto life toolkit is discusses firearms and focuses on suicide prevention

Michigan - American Firearms Training (concealedcarryonline.com)

This course reviews the fundamentals of safety and gun handling, including transportation, storage, and firing in defensive situations. The course includes easy-to-understand safety instructions and is filmed in a professional production, with a state-certified instructor. The course takes 90 minutes to complete and is free of charge.

Online Learning | Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention (umich.edu)

• The University of Michigan has provided free online courses about the Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens, Injury Prevention for Children and Teens, and Preventing Gun Violence.

From the State of Michigan Proclamation:

Michigan has established the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline coverage statewide to provide an easy-to-remember way for people experiencing behavioral health-related distress to access a strengthened and expanded network of crisis call centers, which has answered 242,486 calls since July of 2022.

• In 2023, the national suicide rate was 14.1 per 100,000 and the Michigan suicide rate was 14.9 per 100,000, with 1,530 Michigan residents dying by suicide
• In 2023, Michigan firearm suicides accounted for 54.8% of suicide deaths
• In 2022, 170 Michigan veterans died by suicide, a rate of 31.9 per 100,000
• Resources are available in Michigan. Please go to the state's Health and Human Services for information: MDHHS Suicide Prevention Resources

The Center for Disease Control has on its website many resources that can be used. Be sure to check it out: CDC Suicide Prevention. It addresses suicide prevention, risk factors, health disparities, and resources.
 

This is a day of remembrance and action to raise awareness, reduce stigma and empower people with the knowledge and tools they need to respond to opioid overdoses effectively. Overdose rates continue to rise throughout the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than 100,000 people died from drug overdoses in a recent 12-month period, with opioids involved in nearly 75% of those deaths. (For more information about Fatal Drug Overdose go to CDC SUDORS Data).

Behind each statistic is a person — a loved one, a neighbor, a friend, a student. Overdose can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, income or background.

An overdose happens when the body is overwhelmed by a toxic amount of substance or combination of substances. It’s possible to overdose on many substances if they are abused, including alcohol, illicit drugs, and even prescribed medication. The physical and psychological signs of a drug overdose can vary depending on the type of drug taken and whether the drug was taken in combination with other substances.

Resources: Find Help in Michigan and State of Michigan Proclamation: Overdose Awareness Day in Michigan

You need a day to relax. Let us help you with some ideas and reasons why it's important to take time to  slow down and unwind. It's a day to focus on taking care of ourselves and take a moment to relax. We all need a break from the fast-paced and often hectic lifestyles we live. Taking time to recuperate and rejuvenate our tired minds and bodies may help prevent many health risks, too.  Doctors agree that finding ways to relax and thus reducing stress will improve overall health.

This video offers 8 tips for relaxation.

Other ideas are:

Taking time away from the screens

While social media and the internet have many benefits in this modern age, you can also quickly feel overwhelmed and stressed by constantly being bombarded with news and posts about other people's lives. Put your phone or computer away, and do something that relaxes you, such as reading, painting, or cooking. Make sure to especially avoid any screen time before bed, as it can mess with your sleep patterns.

Treat yourself to a spa day

What better way to relax than by having a massage, or sitting in a nice sauna? You can go one step further and book yourself into some beauty treatments, such as a haircut, a facial, or a manicure.

Green Tea

Green Tea is an excellent remedy to lower your stress. It contains L-Theanine which helps to reduce stress and improve your mood and sleep.

Stare and Do Nothing

Sometimes, you can enjoy and relax by simply sitting near your window and staring outside at the trees, people, parks, and just nature. While staring at your phone screens all day has a negative impact, looking outside at nature helps to make you calmer and more relaxed.

It’s important to pay attention to your sun exposure when you spend any amount of time outdoors. You can minimize your risk of sunburn by taking steps to protect your skin every day.

Sunburn is red, painful, damaged skin from being out in the sun for too long. Sunburn is inflamed, painful skin that feels hot to the touch. It often appears within a few hours of being in the sun too long. When you get a sunburn, ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun or a tanning bed burn your skin. You don’t have to spend the day at the beach or pool to get a sunburn. Some people get sunburns doing everyday things without using sunscreen, like taking a lunch break outside, gardening or walking the dog. Preventing sunburn year-round by wearing sunscreen or using other skin-protection habits is important for everyone. It is especially important when you're outdoors, even on cool or cloudy days. Any exposed part of the body — including the earlobes, scalp and lips — can burn. Even covered areas can burn if, for example, clothing has a loose weave that allows ultraviolet (UV) light through. The eyes, which are extremely sensitive to the sun's UV light, also can burn.

You can get sunburn relief with simple self-care measures such as taking pain relievers and cooling the skin. But it may take days for the sunburn to fade.

How to Treat a Sunburn (short video)

See your provider if you have any concerns about your sunburn or how it’s healing. Seek medical treatment immediately if you have:

• Blisters over more than 20% of your body (such as a whole leg, your entire back or both arms) or severe swelling.
• Develop blisters on the face, hands or genitals.
• Show signs of infection, such as blisters with pus or streaks.
• Experience worsening pain, headache, confusion, nausea, fever or chills.
• Get worse despite at-home care.
• Have eye pain or vision changes.
• A fever over 103 F (39.4 C) with vomiting.
• Sunburn in a baby younger than 1 year old.
   

Stop On Red Week in August is to educate the public about the number and severity of intersection crashes. This awareness provides a great opportunity to promote safe driving and remind drivers of the dangers of running stop signs, amber and red lights.

Every day, millions of Americans head out on the road—driving to work, taking children to school and activities, or simply running errands. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, few consider the possibility of being involved in a motor vehicle crash.

Why Stop on Red Week Matters

Red-light running is one of the most dangerous — and preventable — traffic violations. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

• On average, 116 lives are lost and more than 6,500 individuals are injured in traffic accidents every single day in the United States.
• More than 1,000 people are killed every year in crashes involving red-light runners.
• Over 100,000 are injured annually.
• Nearly half of those killed are innocent — pedestrians, cyclists, or other drivers.

These aren’t just numbers — they represent real people, families, and futures. Help stop the heartbreak before it happens by making a commitment to STOP ON RED.

Download the 2025 Automated Enforcement PDF