It doesn’t matter how old—or young—you are, medical ID jewelry is important to wear if you have a chronic medical condition or allergy. As we get older, though, sometimes that list of medical “stuff” gets longer and more difficult to keep track of. The average elderly person takes five or more medications—those in nursing homes take more than seven. [1]

Sometimes, remembering details from doctors appointments can be tough, even for seniors who are typically very mentally agile—it can be an overwhelming experience, with a lot of information coming at a patient in a short period of time. Especially for independent older adults, they do not want to take a family member to their appointments—and even if they asked their doctor to write down what they had told them, what are the chances they’d be able to read their doctor’s writing, anyways?

Between medication interactions [1], seeing multiple physicians, and taking multiple medicines, it can be a lot to remember—and that is not even when in the context of an emergency. Medication errors can require a senior to seek emergency medical care, and in these cases, it is important for medical staff to know what medical conditions the patient has, and have access to a list of the medicines they are taking so that they can help to identify the incorrectly-taken medicine and determine how severe the reaction might be—and this is in the situation of the patient realizing their dosing error!

Wallet cards are included with all of our medical ID products! These cards are a great place to list medicines and other details that may change over time. Extra medical ID wallet cards cards can be ordered from us if needed. Physician contact information can also be included on these cards.

For older adults with dementia or Alzheimer disease, it is even more important for medical ID to be worn, especially if they are prone to wandering. In this case, some police services have an Elder Alert program, much like an AMBER Alert for older adults, to assist in locating older adults and bringing them home safely. Contact your local police service to determine if such a program is available for your loved one with dementia.

While it may be a difficult adjustment for older adults to consider the value of wearing medical ID, we hope our products provide the peace-of-mind to help them continue to live an active life! Our black, bold engraving is easy to read, and our many styles available mean that everyone who needs medical ID should be able to find something that suits their style. Bracelets, necklaces and even key chains (which can also be attached to mobility aids) are available in different styles so that your loved one can make the best choice for their lifestyle.