24 - Sunday, April 26, 1998 — North Shore News

SUNDAYS

Sunday social 1:30 p.m.
at Silver = Harbour
Centre, 144 East 22nd
St., North Vancouver.
Everyone welcome, For
information, call 980-
2474.

"M.S. Society self-help
groups’ for varying
needs. Info: call 689-
3144.

MONDAYS.

Carpet Bowling. Daily
except: Tuesdays, Call for
~ times. . Silver - Harbour
Contre, West Van. For
more information cail
980-2474,

is West - Vancouver Sen- -

iors’ Activity Centre

“offers” a..variety. of, pro-
» grams. For more infor-

‘mation call 925- 7280

Meals: on: "Wheels: ‘Hot

meals: -delivered between -

nd: 1 p.m.

“on: Mondays, Wednes-".
days'and: Fridays for the’.

led or those.

» Planning

--informed:
“both pres.ciption and over-
2 the-counter. products.

| Senie

Medications
the topic of
public session

Mary Sega!
Contributing Writer

LAST month, more
than 100 people,
mostly seniors, attend-
ed a public meeting
about medications.

The event was co-spon-
sored by Lionsview Seniors’
Society and
Therapeutics Initiative of
UBC.

Dr. Robert Ragno, pro-

’ fessor with UBC’s depart-

ments of medicine and phar-
macology, and Dr. James
McCormack of the UBC fac-
ulty “of pharmaceutical sci-
ences, spoke about decision-
making regarding drugs that
are prescribed to help

cope with high blood pres-
sure. and/or high choles-

. terol. .

“Under: the heading “Just

. say know co drugs,”. they

gave us information about
seniors?.dive use, advertising

misleading, and-.
ay-hecome better

rut medications,

~ Did you know that:

* M-Most: Canadian seniors: fill -
2°33 prescriptions per year and
“take / five different medica-

tions.

‘|... Ml Fifty’ five per cent” of |

- doctor -may
dosage. -

SENIORS

rs say ‘know’ to

women and 41% of men take
some form of medication.

@ Women have significantly
more adverse drug reactions
than men.

B On the North Shore, one
in three senior women is pre-
scribed a tranquilizer to help
her get through the day or
the night.

All this raises the question
of what we seniors can do to
be more effective in looking
after our own health.

We all know the benefits
of a healthy dict, exercise,
and non-smoking in helping
to prevent heart disease and
other illnesses.

The doctors encourage us
to take more control over
our lifestyle, and to ask ques-
tions,

If our doctor advises us to
use a certain drug, here are
some tips that will help us to
manage our medications
wiscly.

Don’r assume that health
problems, such as forgerful-
ness or confusion, are just a
sign of aging — they may. in
fact, be caused by the medi-

.cine or combination of med-

icines you are taking.

If you are reacting to. a
medication or are experienc-
ing side effects, tell your
doctor or pharmacist —-your
adjust. the

Do not drink alcohol: if

“you are taking. drugs: that

contain codeine or ASA.

If you are taking four or
more prescription. medica-
tions and/or over-the-
counter. drugs, make sure ‘to

have a doctor review your
medication cach month.

Talk to your health-care
professional about alterna-
tives to medication use.
Medications may not always
be the best solution to a
health problem.

Take medications exactly
as directed by your doctor
and pharmacist.

Try to go to the same
pharmacy for all your med-
ication needs and visiv only
one family doctor.

Tell your doctor about
any other health-care profes-

sionals you visit:

Talk to your pharmacist...

before taking any ‘over-the-
counter medication. These
are complex medicines that
can cause the same problems
as prescription medicine —
they should be treated with
care and respect.

Ask your — pharmacist

about possible drug interac-
tions if you are taking more
than one medication. —_as
the number of . medicines
taken increases, so docs the
possibiliry of medication
problems. | : ot

Your Mother was always 4 there for you,
what if you can’t be there for her? ‘

Medic Aid.

‘Seniors’
Anformation: Line: fat: $22-

Megic Aid Response Systems will

take over the moment an emergency
occurs whether medical or a break-in. At
the push of a button, Medic Aid Response :

Systems will do all the talking for you
In a matter of seconds, our 24-hour®

monitoring station will contact:
proper authorities, relaying vital
information such as name.
address, medical history, '.
doctor's name, etc. Enjoy the
peace of mind knowing we'll. *
be there 24 hours a day. . |

_ Wake-up Call.

It’s ‘a fast paced world and you: want to keep up.
~ But for you, luxury cars have had all the appeal of.
a big’ yawn. Until n now.

f

“Audi's back on the North Shore with three of the
hottest luxury models. Touring Sedans, Quattro;
Tiptronic, Adrenaline.

And they're here at your North Shore Audi Dealer.

Been there and done that just don't apply anymore. ~

Check with: your health-
care professional to see if
alcohol or any .foods ‘might.
cause a negative interaction |
with your medication... 2.

In a nutshell: we need to:
look after ourselves as mich .
as possible, to become better
informed about medications,
and to ask questions. ,

If we vare still concerned;
after talking to our doctor,
and our pharmacist, we ‘can’,
call the British Columbia
Medication ©

1330. Co
Mary Segal is co-ordinator
of. Lionsview’. Se

Planning Society, a non-profit >

society th that
Shore’.

“Support & f
‘Do:you:have’pr
‘cancer?, Would you:

moms are expecting
‘aby. p-For information:
-HN-a

; Mamm nograph

If you ar

40 or over,

‘ourself to this program.
‘or an app

984-571

Ntondays at. 59M:
‘ia the Chemotherap: Uni
Designed: for al alla

P SOtIE es +
“|. women with breast cancer.

If you.wish'a visit, please;
call 253-6470

For information cane
; SW: at 984-371

mere at TAS se pages a,