I received a call at work. My husband, at home on disability with cardiac myopathy (severe heart disease) had told the visiting nurse to leave. She saw his swollen ankles and his general frail state and was concerned he was moving quickly toward cardiac failure.
I worked hours away, but rushed home as fast as I could. When I entered, I saw him sitting in his recliner chair in the basement, his ankles swollen to double their normal size and pills scattered everywhere.
The pills shocked me. As his heart disease progressed, I wondered how he kept track of the masses of pills he needed to take, but he always did. Meticulous, he approached it with his scientist’s brain, and didn’t even use one of those “days of the week” pill organizers.
Until today. I swallowed as I saw pills of every sort scattered on the floor and into the folds of the chair. In the next few seconds, it struck me that I would have to take over the management of his medications, he would deeply resent it, and I had no idea how to do this.
As it turned out, he was admitted to hospital for the rest of his life, and I was spared that strain on our relationship.
In my position as an advocate, I saw the drug usage of all my residents. It wasn’t uncommon for the list of drugs to go to two or even three pages. These were, or course, dispensed by nurses and meticulous records kept. But what of those elders who live independently? 
Almost 90% of older adults regularly take at least 1 prescription drug, almost 80% regularly take at least 2 prescription drugs, and 36% regularly take at least 5 different prescription drugs. 1
The risks are many. Pharmacies send alerts to doctors if there is a risk of interaction between a drug someone is taking and a new prescription. However, if drugs are taken incorrectly, havoc can occur. Seniors’ bodies are already not as efficient at removing toxins, and a double dose of something can be serious. Or, if medications are skipped even a few times, they may seem ineffective, and the doctor may consider upping the dose. The implications are scary!
Here’s the good news. There are so many wonderful tools out there to help.
- There’s your basic pill holder, which can be filled for each day of the week, and for every dosage. A care partner could fill this for someone who only needs the cue of a filled slot to remind them it’s time to take their pills.
- If more reminder is needed, many more devices are available. I’m not endorsing or selling anything, so I won’t be giving names. But ask Google, go on Amazon and look at options.
This one greets you with a cheerful voice, announces the time and tells you it’s time to take your pills. It locks, only dispensing the ones for a specific time.
This one holds a 90-day supply of any sized pill and can be connected to an app for either the user and/or the care partner.
This one prompts you to touch the screen. A drawer pops open with your dose in it. Take out the drawer and tip the pills into your hand.
All are expensive, but Christmas is coming. Some may only be sold in the U.S. but they may ship.
Helping with medication can be seen as taking away independence, or a use of technology to solve a potentially life threatening problem. The key is approach, and care partners, that key is in your hands.
- https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/older-people’s-health-issues/aging-and-medications/aging-and medications#:~:text=Other%20drugs%20may%20be%20taken,least%205%20different%20prescription%20drugs.
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