Millions of people age 60 and older are accustomed to making routine trips to the pharmacy to fill medications prescribed by their doctors in an effort to make their daily lives more comfortable and manageable. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that roughly 84 percent of adults between the ages of 60 and 79 use at least one prescription medication, many of which are taken long term.

But managing multiple medications at once can be difficult, as it can be easy to lose track of which drugs have been taken and when. With that in mind, the National Institutes of Health offers the following tips to help individuals safely manage multiple medications.

·          Maintain an updated list of all medications you take. This list should include both prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, supplements and herbal products.

·          Share your medication list with family members or close friends. Keep your list easily accessible so that it can be used to inform medical professionals like EMTs, nurses and emergency room doctors about the medicines you are taking in case of an emergency situation, when you may be unable to answer their questions.

·          Routinely review your medications with health care providers and pharmacists. During each appointment, discuss with your physician whether all medicines still need to be taken and if dosages should be changed. Your pharmacist can explain the small print — what the medicine is for, how best to use it, what side effects you may experience, and what to do if they occur.

·          Ask questions about newly prescribed medications. Drug interactions can be dangerous, so it's important to ask if and how any newly prescribed medications may interact with drugs, vitamins or supplements you are already taking, and immediately alert health care providers to any new side effects that present. Your pharmacist can give you important advice on which over-the-counter medicines, such as pain medicines and dietary supplements, are safe to use in combination with your prescription medicines.

·          Use a pill organizer. A pill organizer makes it easy to manage multiple medications and can help individuals remember which pills they have taken each day.

The pharmacists at McCook’s Pharmacy are always available to answer your questions, offer guidance, listen to concerns and give over-the-counter recommendations to help you safely manage your prescription medications. They take pride in building long-lasting, trusting relationships with their customers, often greeting them by name, and provide personalized service by familiarizing themselves with patients’ individual needs and medical histories.

Established in 2005, McCook’s is a locally owned and operated full-service pharmacy offering double drive-through windows and convenient city-wide delivery. New customers are always welcome!

If you’re ready to make the switch, contact McCook’s by phone at (912) 764-2223 or find more online at www.mccookspharmacy.com.