10 Tips to Avoid Resident Opioid Overdose in Senior Living Communities

Angie Szumlinski
|
January 15, 2025
Text with the word opioids highlighted

Are you confident your community has strategies in place to prevent an opioid overdose? PharMerica has released an insightful guide outlining 10 essential tips to avoid resident opioid overdose, offering practical solutions tailored to senior living communities. 

The guide emphasizes a proactive approach, starting with thorough medication reviews to identify potential risks. Regularly assessing residents for signs of opioid misuse or side effects, enabling timely interventions when needed. These reviews are especially vital for residents managing chronic pain, as they often rely on opioid medications as part of their treatment plan. 

Education plays a pivotal role, too. Staff members should receive training on recognizing overdose symptoms, understanding proper naloxone use, and effectively communicating with residents and families about opioid risks. By fostering open conversation, communities can build trust and awareness around safe medication practices. 

Another key takeaway is the importance of collaborating with healthcare providers to establish resident centered care plans. This assists in ensuring residents’ pain management needs are met while alerting staff to the risk of an overdose. Regular audits of medication storage and administration protocols further strengthen a community’s safety measures. 

To explore the full list of tips and implement them in your community, check out PharMerica’s 10 Tips to Avoid Resident Opioid Overdose. These actionable strategies empower senior living communities to balance effective pain management with the utmost care and caution. 

Stay well and stay informed! 


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