Administering meds help

[mushypeas]

Hi. This is my first post. My Mum has MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) although I think she may now have some type of Dementia, so we are waiting for a referral back to memory clinic for more tests.
She has a blister pack box for her meds but frequently either forgets to take them or takes the wrong day and then it gets difficult to keep track of where she is up to. In most other ways, she can care for herself eg can wash, dress, get something to eat.
She lives in sheltered accommodation and we currently have carers from the housing trust attending three times a week, just to check she has taken her meds on at least three days. As I said, she doesn't need any more help and we are paying £10+ per visit for, literally a thirty second task. She really needs this support 7 days a week. She does have some savings so has to pay for this out of her finances and Mum is very frugal! I live too far away to do this every day.
Can anyone think of any other way or services or a way of finding a responsible individual who could ensure she has taken her meds? I've tried to do it by phoning her every morning but this doesn't deal with the issue of her sometimes taking them from the wrong day on the pack plus, I work and it's not always possible for me to make the call. I am an only child and there are no other family members or friends to help.
We are happy to pay someone just to bob in every morning, for a bit of pocket money. Or should we just accept paying carers for a half hour visit but which need only be there for a few minutes? I appreciate that she will need more care in future if she does have Dementia, but for now it feels a bit like overkill plus there's the financial aspect.
Ideally, a student or similar would be the answer but not sure if it's related to prompting meds that there are safety/risk issues surrounding this?
Many thanks, any views appreciated.

 

[canary]

You can get automatic pill dispensers like this one (available from other places too) that will only allow you to remove the pills to be taken at that time. It has an alarm to remind you to take them. You would have to fill it up every week, but it will be easier to dispense the right pills at the right time.
https://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/p...ic-pill-dispenser-0040079-756-information.htm

Eventually you will find that she will ignore the alarm and still forget to take the pills. At that point you will need a real person actually in front of her giving her the pills and making sure she takes them, but this may work for a while.

 

[Beate]

First of all, care payments should go from the cared for's money - it's not your responsibility. Second of all, £70 a week really isn't a lot of money to make sure someone takes their vital medication. If money is a problem then Social Services can do both a needs and financial assessment and arrange the appropriate care package. I wouldn't leave this to a random student with no dementia experience.

 

[Rosettastone57]

Hi. This is my first post. My Mum has MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) although I think she may now have some type of Dementia, so we are waiting for a referral back to memory clinic for more tests.
She has a blister pack box for her meds but frequently either forgets to take them or takes the wrong day and then it gets difficult to keep track of where she is up to. In most other ways, she can care for herself eg can wash, dress, get something to eat.
She lives in sheltered accommodation and we currently have carers from the housing trust attending three times a week, just to check she has taken her meds on at least three days. As I said, she doesn't need any more help and we are paying £10+ per visit for, literally a thirty second task. She really needs this support 7 days a week. She does have some savings so has to pay for this out of her finances and Mum is very frugal! I live too far away to do this every day.
Can anyone think of any other way or services or a way of finding a responsible individual who could ensure she has taken her meds? I've tried to do it by phoning her every morning but this doesn't deal with the issue of her sometimes taking them from the wrong day on the pack plus, I work and it's not always possible for me to make the call. I am an only child and there are no other family members or friends to help.
We are happy to pay someone just to bob in every morning, for a bit of pocket money. Or should we just accept paying carers for a half hour visit but which need only be there for a few minutes? I appreciate that she will need more care in future if she does have Dementia, but for now it feels a bit like overkill plus there's the financial aspect.
Ideally, a student or similar would be the answer but not sure if it's related to prompting meds that there are safety/risk issues surrounding this?
Many thanks, any views appreciated.

I wouldn't leave this to a student. In fact I would keep the carers coming. You will find that she may eventually need much more help so the sooner she gets used to carers being there regularly the better. My mother in law got to the point where she needed prompting all the time with medication ,which was only achieved by the physical presence of a carer.

 

[Sirena]

It could be worth trying the system Canary mentions, although as she says these things don't tend to work for very long.

I don't think it's overkill to pay a carer £10 a day to check. I wouldn't trust it to a random stranger who may or may not turn up - when someone has memory problems it is vital to have someone you can trust.

 

[Bunpoots]

We used a dispenser like the one @canary mentioned for my dad. It worked very well in the early stages but I used to see dad several times a week as he lived close by. In fact it worked so well that all his meds had to be reduced as his blood pressure dropped like a stone once he watered to take them regularly!!

Later it became very hit and miss as dad used to take the pills out of the machine and put them down somewhere...randomly. At this point we had to get someone round every morning to make sure he was taking his pills. But we probably managed for about a year before he needed this human prompting.

 

[Sirena]

Hi. Is your mum claiming attendance allowance? It would help pay for carers.

I'm not sure she would yet qualify for AA? It isn't clear that she yet needs help with anything other than taking her meds.

 

[Susan11]

I'm not sure she would yet qualify for AA? It isn't clear that she yet needs help with anything other than taking her meds.

Well it's worth checking . Ask Age Concern or CAB for help. Have you checked with the Dr if the medication is absolutely necessary . I do think not "taking her meds" is a major concern . Best wishes Susan

 

[mushypeas]

Thanks for telling me about the dispenser. Really helpful.

 

[Bod]

The only sure way is for the Carers to be visiting twice/three times a day, and watching the medication being taken.
You may need to keep the medication in a locked box, that the carers have to open.
We had to do this for my father.

Bod

 

[mushypeas]

I'm not sure she would yet qualify for AA? It isn't clear that she yet needs help with anything other than taking her meds.

Hi. Yes, needing help taking meds apparently doesn't meet the AA criteria. Crazy!

 

[Susan11]

Hi. Yes, needing help taking meds apparently doesn't meet the AA criteria. Crazy!

Doesn't this come under the heading " supervision to keep you safe during the day or night " see Age UK notes. This is why it's good to get help as its important how things are framed.

 

[mushypeas]

Doesn't this come under the heading " supervision to keep you safe during the day or night " see Age UK notes. This is why it's good to get help as its important how things are framed.

Ok thanks, I didn't know that. I did apply before and it was refused. I'll look into it again.