By Teresa Carr

Adams County Senior Council

Administrative Assistant

Six ways to safeguard your prescription drugs – and your loved ones:

1. Keep all medicines and over-the-counter items—especially cough syrup, sleep aids, and motion sickness medicine—locked up, or move them to a place where they won’t be easily found.

2. Sort through all your medicines and get rid of old or unused ones. The label will tell you how to dispose of them. Before you put them in the trash, mix them with something that tastes bad, like cat litter or old coffee grounds, and then put them in a sealed bag or old container and place it in the trash. (Most medicine should not be flushed because it gets into creeks and rivers.) Ask the pharmacy or police department about “drug take-back” programs for an even safer method of disposal.

3. Keep track of your medicines on a regular basis (weekly), especially opioids or other pain killers, including how many pills you should have.

4. Check around your home for old medicines. Purses, coat pockets, kitchen cupboards, bureau drawers, and hall closets are common places to find old medicines.

5. If you take prescriptions with you when staying in someone else’s home, quietly ask your host or another trusted adult to lock them up or find a secure place to store them. Suitcases and purses are not safe places to keep powerful prescriptions.

6. Keep the Poison Help number handy in case of emergencies: (800) 222-1222.

The beautiful colors and temperate weather of summer are a welcome break from the cold grey of winter. But warm weather can lead to serious health risks. Start planning now to avoid some of the health risks summer can bring by following these tips:

• Keep cool. Make sure your home’s air conditioner or climate control system is working properly. If you do not have climate control, think about public places where you can go to comfortably spend time on hot days. Some examples include local senior centers, libraries, shopping malls and movie theaters.

• Stay indoors. Plan your summer activities so that you are indoors during the hottest part of the day. Run your errands early in the morning or at dusk when the temperatures drop slightly.

• Cover up. When you do need to go outside, protect yourself from the sun by wearing plenty of sunscreen, and invest now in a comfortable, wide-brimmed hat.

• Stay hydrated. Make sure you have a supply of water and plenty of ice in your home. And if you are going out, take a bottle of water with you.

• Breathe easy. Spend less time outdoors on humid days, especially if you are allergic to pollen or live in an area where there is a lot of air pollution.

• Stay informed. Throughout the summer, follow your local weather reports to find out when your community is experiencing severe heat and humidity.

Just A Thought: “Woods are filled with the music of birds, and all nature is laughing under the glorious influence of Summer.” ~Charles Lanman, “The Dying Year,” 1840