48 THE QUEENS COURIER • SENIOR LIVING • FEBRUARY 21, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com senior living Wondering if you took your pills? SIMPLIFIED PRESCRIPTION PACKAGING CAN HELP “Drugs do not work in patients who do not take them,” said former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. This simple statement points to one of largest s and most serious health problems in the United States. Data suggests that roughly half of the 3 billion prescriptions fi lled each year in America are not taken correctly resulting in increased hospitalizations and admissions to nursing homes, and billions of dollars in avoidable health care costs. According to experts, the causes of poor medication adherence vary. Some blame it on high out-of-pocket costs for medications; others blame it on concerns over potential side effects. However, all experts agree that confusion and general forgetfulness are primary contributors to medications being taken incorrectly. Ian Salditch, CEO of Medicine-On-Time thinks the solution to adherence comes down to something quite simple - better packaging. “In my view, dispensing multiple different medications in a series of very similar little containers is a recipe for mistakes,” he says. “Then we wrap each little container with its own unique set of little printed directions, each with varying dosages and times. It’s no wonder we so often get it wrong.” There are a variety of solutions aimed at improving adherence from hi-tech monitoring systems to consumer fi nancial incentives. Some offer promise. But, Salditch has focused on customized packaging of multiple medications. His company developed a lower-tech common sense approach that offers a smarter way for people to take multiple medications. Using Medicine-On-Time, pharmacists sort and organize medications into personalized pill cups labeled with the day, date and time to take them. Pharmacists provide all the pill cups to the patient organized into colorful 3elements healing arts center calendar cards. It’s convenient, easyto use and, most importantly, proven effective to help people maintain independence and enjoy better health. In addition to free trials and background information, the company’s website, sortmymeds.com, offers consumers the ability to fi nd the closest pharmacy offering the Medicine-On- Time service. There are 250 pharmacies around the country participating in the program which has been used to fi ll more than 50 million prescriptions. Additional pharmacies will be added as the program grows in popularity. “This website is part of our broader efforts aimed at helping people maintain their independence and enjoy better health,” Salditch says. “We encourage consumers to ask their pharmacists if they offer Medicine-On-Time, as it will answer the age old question of, ‘Did I take my pills?’” Courtesy BPT Best Massage Best Acupuncture 2013 MASSAGE THERAPY • ACUPUNCTURE NATUROPATHY • YOGA • MEDITATION Let us heLp you: Manage your stress. Relieve your aches and pains. Soothe your depression. Quiet your anxiety. Sharpen your focus. Enhance your performance. Increase your range of motion. Ease your pregnancy. Improve your sleep. Energize your life. hours: Monday-Friday: 10am-8pm Saturday: 11am-7pm•Sunday: by appt. only Call for Donation Based Love Yoga classes. 34-34 Bell Boulevard • Bayside 718-428-6678 www.3EHAC.com of the THE QUEENS QueensCourier.com TROUBLE SLEEPING? • Does your spouse keep you awake with snoring? • Do you wake up tired or suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness? • Do you have gasping or choking episodes during sleep? Then you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea - A condition of the positioning of the lower jaw which prevents you from breathing during sleep. You can be tested for Sleep Apnea in the comfort of your own bed. No need to feel awkward in a sleep testing clinic. Treatment, in many cases, can be provided through a custom dental appliance made for you. With over 30 years of excellence in cosmetic dentistry and the treatment of stress related dental pain is now screening and treating patients in Dental Sleep Medicine. Make an appointment today for an evaluation to see if better sleep is in your future. Many medical insurance plans cover part or all of the cost of this treatment. DR. MITCHELL ADLER, D.D.S. 144-02 76 Road, Flushing, N.Y. 11367 • theadlerwellnesscenter.com 718-261-3500
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