Senior Solutions Protect the family with safe storage and disposal of medications

By ALICE ABRAHAM
Projects Assistant at The Collaborative
How do you store your prescription medicines? Remember, your prescription medicines are valuable. Protect them just like your money, jewelry and passports. If you live alone or with relatives you still need to be aware, your meds could be in easy reach of family members, visitors and others that come to your home.

Storage options prescription medications for vary from ordinary fire boxes to special MedLock boxes. But if you’re traveling or visiting family, you aren’t going to lug a heavy box. Travel options range from using a locked zipper pouch to a TimerCap, which fits on your medicine bottle and shows when the bottle was last opened. This is just one product that is available at pharmacy stores such as Walgreens, CVS, and RiteAid. In other words, your kitchen table or medicine cabinet is not a safe place for storing your prescription meds.

It’s easy to dispose of unused medications. Just collect all of your expired or unwanted medications and go to the closest Take Back box to deposit your meds. Most take back boxes are located inside police stations but don’t worry, no one will ask you questions.

Prescription Drug Take Back Box locations are as follows:

BENNINGTON COUNTY: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, Bennington Police, Bennington County Sheriff, Manchester Police, Winhall Police.

WINDHAM COUNTY: Bellows Falls Police, Brattleboro Police, Wilmington Police, Windham County Sheriff.

WINDSOR COUNTY: Chester Police, Hartford Police, Ludlow Police, Royalton Police, Springfield Police, Windsor Police, Woodstock Police.

Some law enforcement agencies will coordinate pick-up of prescriptions if you don’t drive.

For the Vermont Department of Health’s map of permanent prescription drug disposal sites, go towww.healthvermont.gov/alcohol-drugs/services/prescription-drug-disposal

Extra pain medications should be disposed of after surgery, dental work or even for your pet.

Proper storage and disposal of any unused prescriptions prevents misuse or abuse. Prescription drug drop boxes are easy and environmentally safe places to dispose of unwanted medications. Don’t flush medications down the toilet or toss them in the trash going to the landfill. Drop your unused medications in the box for our communities’ safety and water quality.

We all need to be aware. Combining medications with alcohol or other drugs can cause serious harm. Being safe with medications means using them as directed, not sharing with others, and being open with your health care providers about all medications, alcohol and drug use. Securing your medications can keep them out of the wrong hands.

Did you know that nationally 42-71 percent of prescribed medications dispensed go unused? According to an August 2017 Johns Hopkins report athttps://hub.jhu.edu/2017/08/02/most-prescription-opioids-unused/, that’s a lot of extra unwanted meds.

Protect your family with safe use, safe storage and safe disposal of all medications.

For more information call 2-1-1 Directory or the Senior Helpline at (800) 642-5119 or go to The Collaborative’s website,http://thecollaborative.us/or on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/windsorcountypreventionpartners/.

Senior Solutions is the federally-designated Area Agency on Aging serving Southeastern

Vermont since 1973. Senior Solutions provides information and assistance and administers a

variety of programs for older adults and people with disabilities. Call 802-885- 2655 or visit

www.SeniorSolutionsVT.org.

Alice Abraham works at The Collaborative, a substance abuse prevention coalition serving the Springfield Health District and Bennington County. She is producing a series of “Safe Handling of Prescriptions” video public service announcements with the Windsor County Prevention Partnership and community partners including Senior Solutions.