Are you safely storing your medications and vitamins?

It is important for people of all ages to be safely storing their medications. A recent poll found that many grandparents (age 50-80) are not storing their medications safely. More than 80% said they store their medicine in the same place when their grandchildren visit and 72% keep medicine in their purse or bag while visiting their grandchildren. In order to reduce the risk of children getting ahold of medications that can be very harmful for them, it is important we all take steps to ensure that our medications are being safely stored. Here are some helpful tips for secure storage of medications:

· Store in a location that is out of sight and out of reach of children

· Never leave medicine out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside

· Always re-apply safety caps after taking/giving medicine

· Teach your children about medicine and try not to use language that compares medicine to candy

· Be prepared in case your child gets ahold of a medication or vitamin. Call poison control center at 800-222-1222

References:

https://www.healthyagingpoll.org/report/safely-storing-medication-around-grandchildren

https://www.cdc.gov/features/medicationstorage/index.html