The cold is slowly leaving, and spring seems to be heading our way. For many Canadian families, it’s getting to be time to consider a deep spring cleaning for their house. Spring cleaning is always a great idea. It offers an excuse to scrub and sanitize the little nooks and crannies that usually get forgotten. But unfortunately, there are still a few place that often get neglected. This spring, the experts at Health Risk have a couple extra chores to add to your spring cleaning checklist!
Old Medical Supplies.
When was the last time you took a look in your home’s first aid kit? Often, these kits slowly run out of important supplies and aren’t kept properly stocked. It’s a good idea to evaluate your first aid kit once a year. Are you low on bandaids? Is your polysporin expired? A well stocked first aid kit can save lives when accidents happen.
Out of Date Drugs.
Just like food, both prescriptions and over the counter medications have an expiry date. Medicines, and even supplements, should not be used after they’ve expired. This is because, the medical ingredients will degrade with time and no longer perform adequately. While you don’t need to worry about these out-of-date drugs becoming toxic, we still suggest disposing of them safely and replacing them. Medicines and supplements should not be disposed of in the garbage, nor should they be flushed down the toilet. Instead, bring your expired medicines to your local pharmacy who should dispose of them free of charge.
It’s particularly important not to allow life-saving medicines (such as epipens or insulin) to become expired. An expired tylenol that doesn’t fully cure a headache is annoying, but an epipen that isn’t full strength may not be able to deliver vital medicine to someone experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction. Oral contraceptives also degrade quickly, and they should not be trusted to prevent pregnancy after they’ve expired. Remember that if you’re travelling for an extended period of time this summer, your oral contraceptives and other medicines shouldn’t expire half way through your trip.
Health Risk is proud to offer Canadians advice on how to stay healthy and feel great. We want to make sure everyone is feeling their best whether they’re at home or travelling the world. Which is why we offer comprehensive health insurance that fits your life. Whether you need drug coverage so you can make sure your medicines are in date when you need them most or want travel insurance so you can explore the world this summer, give Health Risk a call at 1-877-236-9430.
