It’s pretty likely that your elderly parent needs to take a number of medications. It’s also pretty likely that, if they still live on their own, not every dosage will be taken as directed – they may take the wrong pill, too many or too few, or forget them all together.
You’ve got to make it as easy as possible for your parent to take their meds correctly.
An obvious first step is a simple pill dispenser. Available in any drug store, many markets, or on Amazon, you can load these up with seven days’ worth of medication so your parent just has to open the right compartment and pop their meds. There are models designed for folks who need to take pills in the morning and at night, and even some that cover four different dosage periods per day.
So that should work fine, if you (or another trusted caregiver) can fill up the compartments every week, and your parent can remember to take their pills. And, sadly, knows what day it is.
If your parent is not able to do all that, the best choice may be an electronic pill dispenser which sounds an alarm at a pre-set time as a reminder to take their pills. These higher-end models also have more compartments, allowing you to fill up to four weeks’ worth of meds for a parent on a once-a-day schedule. For someone who requires morning and evening dosages, you can set two separate alarms, though of course it’ll have to refilled every two weeks. And so on, up to four alarms a day and refilled weekly.
A product like this is more expensive than the simple dispensers, but not outrageous, and should make it more likely your parent’s meds get taken, while requiring less frequent refilling.
Another appealing option is to get your parent’s meds delivered in pre-sorted dosage packages. Each package is labeled with the day and time it’s to be taken. There are several companies that provide this service; here’s a thorough article ranking the contenders.
The winner of their survey was Amazon’s PillPack, which explains its program in this short video. They work with your parent’s insurance, and also supply any needed over-the-counter products, but you’re not paying extra for the delivery or the convenience. If your parent can remember to take their meds, or there’s someone available to remind them, this can be a fabulous solution.
