How do you handle getting pill organizer filled for a LO when you won't have enough of certain meds on hand for the period you’re away?
Mom takes her meds when organized but can’t fill it on her own. Family won’t be available to help while I’m away during the times the refills will need to be added?
You need to find someone who can do this while you are away.
You can hire an aide to check in on her, and pick up medications and fill the pill organizer. Some pharmacies may provide this service - deliver medications and organize them.
It is time to start thinking of outside help. As you are finding, you will not always be available to help her.
I'm a little confused the way your question is stated. Will she run out of certain meds and need them refilled? How will that happen? Or, there are only 7 days of slots in the pill organizer, and you will be away longer than that. If that's the case, buy another 7 day pill organizer.
dawnatella: In conjunction with the pharmacy, inform the prescribing physician that you need a vacation override for the rx's for said patient. Then YOU will be able to add those medications to the cassette(s).
I have done something similar to @Rumbletown when medicine was damaged… such as eye drops being left in the car too long and concern they got too hot or cold. I offered to pay out of pocket and was told they could replace something once a year I believe. Definitely talk to your pharmacist to see what they can offer. Pharmacies may have different policies or it may depend on your insurance and/or even local laws. Of course if they are controlled substances, it can be even harder to get an advance.
Buy more than one pill organizer. Pre-fill it before you leave so the extra days are covered. Get refills before you leave - your primary should be able to authorize short emergency supplies to cover the days in question.
you might want to check with different pharmacies as they provide "bingo cards", blister packs with all medications in 1 blister or packs. Just search pharmacy pillpack on the web and you will have a few choices such as pharmascript or amazon. Hope this helps you. I am not sure if walgreens and CVS still offers such a service.
One local pharmacy will synchronize refills so one trip to town gets all of them. If something new is added, they adjust it so next fill of all accommodates the change. This isn't the answer to your immediate question but may be worth looking into for the future.
Your mom would hit within the sweet spot of elders who qualify for Home Health Care. I saw on one of your posts that she is early 90s and is living “independently” at home.
Needing her meds set up and being basically homebound would qualify her for this service through Medicare Pt B.
The problem would be that she would need her pills on hand for the nurse to set up. Perhaps if her pharmacy delivers you could arrange that. If they don’t deliver you could switch that prescription to one that does. They are pretty easy to switch from one to the other. I’ve had to do this when I’ve gone out of town. Usually you can pick up a prescription a little early. I try to do that on occasion so I can have a few extra pills on hand for situations like this. Ask the pharmacist what the earliest is that you can pick them up. I have also had pharmacist advance me a few pills.
Her doctor might have samples of the med.
One last thought is to ask the dr how long she can safely go w/o the pill.
My first MIL kept all her scripts at the local pharmacy, they made up her pill packs (I think once a fortnight) and delivered them. They did the refills on time as a matter of course.
The local pharmacy here that I use has a special room out the back where all the refills are done in off times, and delivered to local care homes and individual houses. It is a major part of their business. I'm surprised this isn't the case locally for you - but perhaps it's that you've never asked.
My SIL, a retired RN, used to fill pill containers for elderly patients who couldn't do it themselves. She visited them at their houses. I think they paid her privately. They might have been members of her church.
I’ve never done this myself, but I understand there’s something called a “vacation override “where an insurance company will allow an early refill of a medication. It’s designed for the situation where you are going to be away/traveling at the time of a refill. In your case, it’s you who is going to be away, not your LO, but the idea is the same.
Again, no personal experience, but I’ve known people who have done this before going on trips. Consider talking to the pharmacy about it. It’s really an insurance thing (insurance has to allow the early refill).
Edit: For some reason my post was delayed by a couple of hours, funkygrandma already essentially said the same thing!.
Just explain the situation to your moms pharmacy and they will give you enough pills to cover when you're away. They will just deduct the number of those pills from the whole total when you have the prescriptions filled next.
Most sizable pharmacies have a service where they will fill pill dispensers and deliver the filled product. It’s quite a big business for some of them. You leave them the scripts before you go. Ask around.
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You can hire an aide to check in on her, and pick up medications and fill the pill organizer. Some pharmacies may provide this service - deliver medications and organize them.
It is time to start thinking of outside help. As you are finding, you will not always be available to help her.
I'm a little confused the way your question is stated. Will she run out of certain meds and need them refilled? How will that happen?
Or, there are only 7 days of slots in the pill organizer, and you will be away longer than that. If that's the case, buy another 7 day pill organizer.
Mom fought outside help for the longest time but it is no longer sustainable for me. Better late than never? I am so grateful for this forum!
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Your mom would hit within the sweet spot of elders who qualify for Home Health Care. I saw on one of your posts that she is early 90s and is living “independently” at home.
Needing her meds set up and being basically homebound would qualify her for this service through Medicare Pt B.
The problem would be that she would need her pills on hand for the nurse to set up. Perhaps if her pharmacy delivers you could arrange that. If they don’t deliver you could switch that prescription to one that does. They are pretty easy to switch from one to the other. I’ve had to do this when I’ve gone out of town.
Usually you can pick up a prescription a little early. I try to do that on occasion so I can have a few extra pills on hand for situations like this. Ask the pharmacist what the earliest is that you can pick them up. I have also had pharmacist advance me a few pills.
Her doctor might have samples of the med.
One last thought is to ask the dr how long she can safely go w/o the pill.
Good luck and enjoy your trip.
The local pharmacy here that I use has a special room out the back where all the refills are done in off times, and delivered to local care homes and individual houses. It is a major part of their business. I'm surprised this isn't the case locally for you - but perhaps it's that you've never asked.
https://www.safemedication.com/pharmacist-insights/2023/02/03/how-to-get-medication-refills-before-traveling#:~:text=How%20to%20obtain%20refills%20for,to%20contact%20your%20insurance%20company.
Again, no personal experience, but I’ve known people who have done this before going on trips. Consider talking to the pharmacy about it. It’s really an insurance thing (insurance has to allow the early refill).
Edit: For some reason my post was delayed by a couple of hours, funkygrandma already essentially said the same thing!.