Q: Mom gets confused as to what day it is and which pills she should take. It’s leading to many disagreements between us. How can I make sure mom takes her medication as prescribed, and also ease the tension between us?
A: This is an all too-frequent problem among elders that must be very carefully addressed in steps.
First consider organization. There are various planners to assist in the timing of doses. Some planners are simple 4 weeks of the 7 days with each day divided into 1, 2, 3, or 4 slots or areas. Medications can easily set into each of the small compartments to assure when it is taken. Some of the down sides are:
- All planners are not secure, seniors can "rearrange some doses" unknown to family and we are back to were we are started.
- Some planners allow each day to be removed and carried in pocket or purse.
- The morning or evening doses can get reversed.
- Some seniors have complicated doses schedules and these medications should be in a separate planner.
Next, the senior needs to be a self ‘doser'. If a senior does not take their medications on their own, then investigate a prompting system. It can be simple a phone call from you, another family member or volunteer. Some planners are very sophisticated and incorporate dosage prompts.
The planner needs to be set-up properly and timely. If more that one person sets up the planner, then everyone needs to agree on what each label means and when it is to be given.
Medications need to be reordered in time to completely set up each planner
Finally, and what I consider the most important. I usually find that the medications being used contribute a great deal to confusion in today's seniors.
There is an under appreciation of the accumulation of similar side effects from multiple medications. This ‘build-up' of similar side effects is often believed to be normal aging or even a medical condition. Many, many times it is the medications.
I always encourage a comprehensive review of the medications that are being used and how they may be contributing to confusion. There are Senior Care Pharmacists that specialize in such reviews.
Organizing and prompting medication use is highly desirable but only if the dose is correct and the medication is taken the correct way.
Readers are welcome to visit my web site to learn more about medication related problems. Taking the medication on schedule often only addresses part of the problem.
Lynn Harrelson is a pharmacist who specializes in medication and prescription management for seniors.
Read her full biography