A complicated sandwich: How middle generations respond when aging loved one struggles

DETROIT - Aug. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- More and more Americans are finding themselves sandwiched between two generations, caring for children and parents. The pressures of being in the middle are stressful.  One of the most dangerous of these stresses is not taking medication as prescribed.

Each year not taking pills as prescribed leads to 125,000 premature deaths, costs the US more than $300 billion annually and leads to 25% of all hospital readmissions.

“Three out of four Americans don’t take their medication as prescribed while one-third doesn’t even pick up their medication,” says Rebecca Burkholder, vice president of Health Policy at the National Consumers League.

Kathi Sitek and her mother Stella experienced this stress first hand.  Stella was rushed to the emergency room several times in a row because of her medication.  “It was like a heavy weight around my neck and our relationship.  I felt like I was in a daze and I didn’t know which way was up” Sitek said about her and Stella trying to get control of her medication.  Stella’s confidence in her medication and her health were quickly eroding.

Kathi did not want Stella to be another statistic. Additionally, she wanted to respect her mother’s wishes for independence. And yet, the challenge remained: How could Kathi help her mother Stella manage her pills independently, confidently, and correctly. Kathi needed a way to reduce both of their stress and ensure Stella stayed healthy.

Kathi Sitek has four tips to restoring confidence, reducing the stress of medication and getting control of one’s health:

1. Keep an updated list of medication handy for doctor visits or an emergency.  This helps give medical professionals quick access to critical medication information--at a glance.

2. Know what your pill looks like and what condition it treats.  Being familiar with one’s medications helps build confidence and accuracy when taking medications. It also helps identity pills if they get mixed up in a pill box, dumped on the counter, or dropped on the floor.

3. Ask questions.  It is important to ask questions of medical professionals. Ask until you understand what you are taking, why you take it, and how you are to take it.

4. Share this information with your loved ones, medical professionals and even friends so everyone is on the same page. This is helpful in an emergency.

Kathi Sitek is the inventor and founder of the Pill Pouch (www.pillpouch.net) a Detroit, Michigan-based company.  The Pill Pouch invented by Kathi restored Stella’s confidence in her medication and reduced her sandwich situation stress.  

For mor information contact Jessica @ (313) 241-2559, jessica@pillpouch.net