Introduction

Help with medication is considered one of many assisted living services offered to assisted living residents. Keep in mind that senior living communities and assisted living communities may have different medication requirements based on their state licensing department for assisted living facilities.

Defining medication requirements

Personal care services are what define assisted living. You will no longer be considered an independent living resident if you require medication or personal care assistance. Instead, you would be in assisted living. This change in the care category will drive up your monthly living cost.

Questions to ask yourself: If you or your aging senior answers "yes" to any of the following, the senior living community or assisted living facility may require that they manage your medications.

• I forget to take my medication often.
• I have forgotten to take my medication a few times.
• I need help or oversight when taking medications.
• I have medications that have to be administered by someone or a nurse.
• A family member or friend calls and reminds me to take my medications.
• I forget to refill my prescriptions in time.
• I have family or friends make an in-person visit to organize my daily pill organizer.
• I have other family members or friends who manage my prescription refill requests.
• I have difficulty reading or seeing the label of the bottle.
• I've had medical emergencies and had to go to the emergency room or seek medical care in a doctor's office because I mismanaged my medications.
• I've been hospitalized because I didn't manage my medications correctly.
• My hands shake, and I spill my pillbox.
• I take multiple medications and have difficulty keeping track
• I don’t know the names of some or all of my medications.
• I can’t tell you the dosage of some or all of my medications.
• I can’t tell you why I take some or all of my medications.

If you answered yes to any of the daily living questions above, salad or bubble packaging might be a good option for you to consider.

This packaging can help you keep track of your medications, avoid emergency room visits, and lower your assisted living costs. Talk to your doctor or pharmacy about this option if it may help.

SOLUTION: Talk to your doctor or pharmacy about putting your prescriptions into weekly or monthly salad prescription packaging, also known as bubble prescription packaging. Look for a compounding pharmacy in your area. There are many benefits to using salad or bubble prescription packaging. Here are ten advantages to switching to a salad or bubble packaging.

1. Lower costs associated with assisted living and medication management
2. Helping your senior to remain as independent as possible
3. Simplifying your daily or weekly routines
4. Your pharmacist will update and reorder medications as prescribed by your doctor.
5. Many insurances, including Medicare & Medicaid programs, will cover most of the expense of this unique packaging.
6. You will no longer need to organize your pills, saving valuable time.
7. It’s easy to see if a dose of any medication has been missed, which protects your health.
8. You can be confident in knowing the pharmacist correctly did the dosing.
9. Over-the-counter medication and supplements can be included in the packaging.
10. Some insurance companies will even ship to your address.

Salad or bubble packaging may not be suitable for you. Still, seeking a way to avoid assisted living costs, keep your independence, or even simplify your daily or weekly routines can be beneficial. Talk to your doctor or pharmacy about this option if it may help.

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How to find a pharmacy that offers salad or bubble prescription packaging

You will find that most of the local compounding pharmacies provide this service. Here is a compounding pharmacy in the state of Washington that includes bubble or salad packaging: Peninsula Pharmacies Inc

Here is another good way to locate a compounding pharmacy in your area:
Compounding Pharmacy

Who regulates compounding pharmacies?

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) regulates wholesalers and manufacturers of compounded medications. This independent, not-for-profit organization sets standards for the pharmaceutical industry. The USP's "Compounding" chapter describes quality standards that all compounding pharmacies must follow.

How can I be sure my compounding pharmacy is reputable?

The best way to find a reputable compounding pharmacy is to ask your doctor or another healthcare professional for a recommendation. You can also check the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy's (NABP) website to see if a pharmacy is accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB).

What is the difference between a compounding pharmacy and a traditional pharmacy?

All pharmacies—whether they compound medications or not—are licensed by state boards of pharmacy. Regardless of whether pharmacists compound medications, they must graduate from an accredited pharmacy school and pass two national exams administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

The critical difference between compounding pharmacies and traditional pharmacies is that compounding pharmacies specialize in preparing custom-made medications, while conventional pharmacies dispense commercially available medication products. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved because they are created for individual patients based on specific prescriptions. Commercial drugs are mass-produced and require FDA approval before they can be marketed and sold.

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What about prescription refills? Here is another way to help your senior stay independent in an assisted living community.

It's easy for older adults to forget to reorder prescriptions on time. Ask your pharmacy or compounding pharmacy if they can mail your drugs on an automatic renewal basis—no more worries.

Some insurance companies will even allow shipping the medications to your address, which can be a great way to avoid going to the pharmacy every time you need a refill. Plus, having the drugs delivered right to your door can help ensure that you always have them on hand and that you're taking them as prescribed.