Forget Pills? You Need A Automatic Pill Dispenser

by AgingandDisability

Managing medication is one of the most difficult responsibilities of a caregiver. One tool that can make this task a little easier is an automatic pill dispenser organizer.

It seems everyone these days is taking some sort of medication, but if you're trying to manage multiple medications or multiple health conditions, it can become tricky to remember when to take what.

To add more stress to the situation, what if you're a caregiver responsible for the care of more than one person such as an adult child caring for both parents?

Senior Medication Challenges

Medication Adherence

Taking medications correctly is often difficult to achieve. It means that the patient has to fill the prescription, understand the directions, and remember to take the medication. Doesn't sound difficult on the surface, but there are complicating factors.

What if you are taking medication for multiple health conditions? What if some drugs need to be taken on an empty stomach and others with food. What if you're dealing with Alzheimers? You can see how person's medical condition can interfere with their ability to comply with the prescription. It's easy to see how medication adherence can quickly become a nightmare.

Often there are multiple pharmacies and multiple doctors involved which only complicates things. The responsibility of giving medication falls on caregivers such as adult children who, of course, have to juggle multiple priorities. Usually a caregiver is not a medical professional and finds the task of dispensing pills daunting to say the least. It's easy to see how you can forget pills in the midst of doctors appointments, meals, and all the other daily tasks that need to be done.

Automated Pill Dispensers

The modern pill dispenser is much more than a little plastic box labeled Monday through Friday. Thanks to technology, automatic pill dispensers are sophisticated tools that can email caregivers and page patients with reminders to take medication at prescribed times.

There are different kinds of systems. Some are wristwatches that sound an alarm or vibrate at various times throughout the day. The software in the device can be programmed with the patient's name, the doctor's name, and other information.

The pager-type devices are great for seniors who want to stay in their home and just need a little help remembering to take medication. They're also great for children who take medication. The vibration feature is discrete and will remind them to see the nurse at designated times for meds.

If you want a solution that actually dispenses medication, there is an option for that as well.  Some pill dispensers allow for remote monitoring by caregivers. The system has to be set up in advance, but it will give a monthly report that can be reviewed by the physician. There are enough options available to make sure you never forget pills again.

 

Updated: 10/16/2022, AgingandDisability
 
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AgingandDisability on 10/07/2022

Nothing is fail safe, but it's a decent substitute for caregivers that can't always be there.

DerdriuMarriner on 10/07/2022

Your subheading Automated pill dispensers intrigues me in the array of pill-remembering devices available nowadays.

Is the remote monitoring of pill dispensers independent of the other means or would it be possible to combine it as a fail-safe if the reminders malfunction?

AgingandDisability on 10/11/2014

@Jenn Yes, technology can solve a few problems for us:)

Jenn on 10/11/2014

This is great! My mom has issues keeping track of the pills my brothers take each day - something like this would definitely be helpful. Yay for technology. :)

lee on 06/25/2013

I bought my Mom a MED-Q Pill box. IT has programmable alarms and lights up ONLY the individual compartment holding that times pills. It has worked great for us

AgingandDisability on 05/06/2012

@BrendaReeves Sounds like a nightmare. Hope the pill dispenser helps.

BrendaReeves on 05/05/2012

You can't believe what I'm going through with my 89 year old mother right now. Due to Macular Degeneration, she can't see what pills are what anymore. I sort them all out for her, but she doesn't trust me to give her the right medication. I'm going to check into that pill dispenser some more.

AgingandDisability on 05/04/2012

Dustytoes - Yeah, they've come a long way. Thanks for commenting.

dustytoes on 05/04/2012

What a wonderful machine to dispense pills. I imagine this can be very beneficial and I had never heard of it.

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