Medication list for an elderly parent
Should the list include medicines my parent stopped taking?
Yes. The CDC suggests listing what was stopped because of an allergic reaction or for other reasons, like side effects, cost, or because it didn't work.
The CDC’s form says: “Also list things you have stopped taking because of allergic reactions or for other reasons (like side effects, cost, or if it did not work).”
For each, write the name, when it was stopped, and why, in the words the doctor or your parent used. the printable medication list has a separate section for medicines that were stopped, so they don’t get mixed up with the current ones.
More questions caregivers ask
- What should go on a parent's medication list?
- How often should I update a parent's medication list?
- Who should see my parent's medication list?
- All the questions
From Centis, a free care notebook you talk to. A way to keep the list, not medical advice: questions about the medicines are for the doctor or pharmacist.
Further reading
- My Medications List (opens in a new tab), from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention