Medication Mistakes

• Up to 15% of hospitalizations for seniors are due to medication problems
• 40% of all adverse medication reactions happen to seniors
• Up to 60% of seniors have no routine for remembering to take their medications
• 20% of all poisonings involve toddlers taking grandparents medication
• 40% of poisonings include all age categories and involve medications
• Over 70,000 seniors in the USA are poisoned annually--enough to fill up a football stadium
• Only 3% of poisonings involve seniors, yet 10% of poisonings deaths involve seniors

Poison Prevention Tips for Seniors

• Always turn on the light and put on your glasses before taking or giving medication
• Dispose of old medicines properly flush them down the toilet - do not discard them in the trash
• Never mix cleaning products or chemicals (bleach and ammonia for example)
• Do not put medicines, cleaning products and chemicals in the same cabinets as food
• Keep cigarettes and alcohol out of the reach of children

Grandparent's checklist

If you have any questions on side effects or proper use of your medication, you should consult your physician or pharmacist

For Poisoning Emergencies Call
1-800-222-1222 V/TTY