Do you have questions about caring for an elderly parent’s health? Ask PillTime’s pharmacist

[CeriMumsnet]

Many of us find ourselves taking on a caring role for our parents as they age, an added responsibility that can certainly come with its challenges, especially when trying to balance raising your own children or working full time.

We’ve invited PillTime Pharmacist Peter Thnoia to answer any questions you might have about caring for an elderly parent. Perhaps you’re struggling to help your parent manage their medication, or maybe you’re looking for practical advice and support about how best to support your parents’ health alongside your other priorities.

Everyone who posts on this thread with a question for Peter by10 October will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher. T&Cs apply. Peter will be back online in the next few weeks to answer some of your questions.

About the Expert
Peter Thnoia is the Superintendent Pharmacist at PillTime, an NHS-registered online pharmacy that makes medication management easier for carers and the elderly. With over 25 years of experience as a registered pharmacist, Peter is a seasoned Prescribing Pharmacist and has dedicated his career to enhancing patient safety and access to medication through technology. Peter is particularly experienced providing pharmaceutical dadvice to people who are aged 50+ and who are often on 7+ daily medications on average, and can be taking as many seventeen medications a day, for common conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and chronic pain.

Should my elderly Uncle be taking any vitamins? He is 70.

So many people think a dossette box will solve all their elderly parents problems with medicines. Do you have a risk assessment tool for deciding if one is appropriate and assessing the stability of medicines in these?

Is there anything my 86 year old mum could be doing to reduce the risk of developing of dementia as she gets older?

I suspect that my elderly father has the early signs of dementia. He is already aware that his memory is declining. I have suggested that he might want to talk to the GP about this, but he wasn't keen and didn't pursue the idea.

I don't want to upset him unnecessarily by pushing it, but I am wondering whether there would be benefits in encouraging him to pursue a diagnosis.

He is in his late 80s if it makes any difference, with a pretty strong history of dementia in the family.

Thank you.

How do you manage it if the dr and the pharmacist seem to be suggesting different things? We’ve also found this with the dementia falls clinic

My mum is in her 80s now and is well except for her balance, she had a bad bout of shingles a few years ago - could this be connected with a significant decline in balance.

What's the most important vitamin an elderly person should be trying to get either through diet or supplements ?

Best advice for a pensioner who cannot exercise much and has stiff joints - which oils are good and bad please ?

My mum has just come back from the doctor, and the flarin she is taking for her arthritis has aggravated her diviticulitis, the colours on the pills (red and yellow) are the main cause. What are your thoughts on the harm having coloured and plastic coatings on pills please ?

My question is about blood pressure tablets, and the strength - my mum has had prescriptions changed due to side effects - it seems to me to be a bit trial and error with different companies different does - my pharmacist has explained that 7.5 mg of one is the equivalent of 10 mg from another provider - why is this and how can I check the dose ?

My dad is 75 and reluctant to look after himself health wise, what are some simple things he can do especially in winter to keep his immune system strong? thank you

My mother has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and is in her 80s. She has had steroid injections in her knee but they don't help. She is in pain all the time. What could you suggest?

How do you help your parent in making a decision to continue to drive as their health declined and encouraging them to reflect honestly?

My mother in law takes a lot of medication for serious conditions, I worry that some of these drugs might not work well with others anyway and she has regular stomach problems so is taking a lot of over the counter cures for those. Is there someone who can do a medication review for her factoring in the over the counter medicines she self prescribes?

Any tips to keep joints less painful which do not require excessive pain killers which have affected my mums stomach and caused a bout of flare up of diverticulosis ? Also any medication which will help with the bloating please ?

My mum is really shrinking, she's well under 5 foot now, she eats well, and does not really exercise due to arthritis and is waiting a knee replacement.
Any thing which can help with joints and bone strength, or should a diet be enough ? The knee pain can be distressing to see, even though paracetamol and volterol is being used.

My parents are both heading towards 80. Between them they have numerous health conditions and I worry about them, especially as I live 90 minutes drive away. Is there any way I could be named as the main contact for GPs / hospitals etc in case of emergency? At the moment they are relying on each other but realise this is not ideal. Thank you.

Any tips for swallowing larger tablets, or filled capsules for swallowing, I can help cutting the larger tablets, but there is often some left in the cutter, is it worth asking for smaller tablets - if they are available, I don't understand why some tablets and vitamins come in such large sizes.

Thanks for all your questions for Peter so far! Please do keep them coming - you have until Fri 10th to ask your questions about caring for a parent or elderly relative.

Are you concerned about their general health, or do want to know how best you can support them with medication or day to day self-care?

Share your question by this Friday for the chance to win a £100 voucher, and stay tuned for Peter's answers.

I want my MIL and FIL to love as independently at home, they are both on blood pressure tablets, and have high cholesterol, my question is are the spreads and drinks which they have to lower cholesterol, would this affect the tablets they take to lower cholesterol and blood pressure ?

What are your thoughts on herbal and complimentary medicine ? I want to look into this in addition to my fathers arthritis and joint pain so we can possibly reduce the pain relief he is on - which has side effects which he needs more medication to improve - especially constipation which he really struggles with.

My mum is on Fosamax weekly doses, but will forget to take at the same time so she does not eat before - if she eats a light breakfast they takes the medicine 15 minutes later does this decrease it being effective ?

Another question - after a long stay in hospital my mum has become extremely weak and can no longer walk for more than a few metres. Before going to hospital she could walk for miles, so it's a massive change. Is there anything we can do?

I worry about the coatings on tablets and capsules - how safe is long term use of 'plastic' coated oil capsules and highly coloured tablets ? My mum and dad take a variety of supplements and tablets for conditions- on prescription.

This is positioned as women caring for their elderly parents, but do any local authorities or health trusts commission / fund your service to support administering medication for those with no relatives to support them in old age?