Life with Dementia and Routines

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
I have heard of many people discussing patients, who forget their medication and it made me think about it seriously.

After getting the diagnosis of dementia and being put on medication, we are all told that we must remember to take our medication, and one way of doing that is to try to have a routine and stick to it.

That's all well and good when you have a good memory, but when you have a memory that does what it wants to, it causes problems to the owner.

I have a routine that I try to stick to on my own, but when things change this causes many problems especially when it comes to taking tablets.

I always take my tablets after straight breakfast, straight after lunch and then straight after tea. I say "straight" after for a good reason, because if anything disrupts me, I am in a mess, because I completely forget the tablets and carry on as if nothing had changed.

There have been times when this has happened at breakfast and then lunch, and then by tea time I realise that I have not had any tablets that day.

My wife used to get very upset with me, but then she realised that it was just the way things work, and she now checks to see if I have taken them. But like all carers, she has a hectic life and she can also forget when she is tired.

I also find it hard when using my inhalers, because I tend to forget at times which ones I have use, and no matter which way I do it, it still causes me grief.

Going on holiday can also cause problems to routines, because at home I always find it easier to shave after breakfast when I feel more awake. Where, when we are at a hotel I always feel that I should get a shave before showing my face outside the room.
The problem is that this then throws my routine out of line completely.

We can never win but we keep trying

Best Wishes

Ken
 

lesmisralbles

Account Closed
Nov 23, 2007
5,543
0
Hello Ken

Talking about tablet's.
Every blooming month Ron's pill's are a different colour.
Now, that is OK, I dispense them, and there are none that are that important.
But, Mum, has warfarin etc. She has no sight in one eye. Her tablet's are a different colour each month, depending on where the chemist can buy them (cheaper):(

She just get's use to one tablet, and, hey presto, change the colour.

Older people who live on their own, how can they cope ?

Brought up a good point Ken.

Barb X & Ron ZZZZ
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
I always take my tablets after straight breakfast, straight after lunch and then straight after tea. I say "straight" after for a good reason, because if anything disrupts me, I am in a mess, because I completely forget the tablets and carry on as if nothing had changed.

There have been times when this has happened at breakfast and then lunch, and then by tea time I realise that I have not had any tablets that day.

I am in a mess, because I completely forget the tablets and carry on as if nothing had changed.


I was wondering if you could get 3 cheap mobiles, setting the alarm in each mobile to go off at different time of the day that you need to take you medication.

Each mobile is place with the medication next to it. In different places on a side table, or around the Kitchen.

Mobile don’t stop ringing when you set the alarm, you have to press stop.

So when first mobile ring prompt your memory you go looking for were the ringing is coming from you see your medication next to it or on top of mobile lay flat .

Then as the other mobile have been pre set same think happen later on, if you get what I mean?

Your wife could pre set them all for you, make sure they are all charge up every day .

Unless they something on the market out there already like that ?
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
Hi Margarita

Although that sounds a good idea, it may well cause extra problems, with having to carry them around all the time and ensure that they are charged up.

As we all know on this web site, our memory is a strange thing, and although I never had any problem with mine when I was an engineer, it causes all sorts of problems now.

We all try to remember things like medication, but sometimes it just does not stick in the memory. I sometimes have sticky notes all around the house when my wife goes out, but still fail to remember. I usually end up somewhere, where there are no notes to tell me.
This gets very frustrating as our Sunday lunch has been over cooked on quite a few occasions, because I forgot it was in the oven, so much so that Janice now leaves the preparations for lunch till she comes back from church on Sunday morning.
The annoying thing about this is that I used to love cooking but not any more.

Its just one of life's little trials that we have to put up with, and I always tell people that there are many people in a lot worse condition than myself. If I was a computer I would get a new memory or hard drive fitted, and that would solve all the problems.

Best Wishes

Ken
 

jules3

Registered User
Apr 12, 2009
9
0
london
time release med boxes

HI guys,you need to do a search on internet,but there are.pill dispensing containers ,which have an alarm which goes off,and opens at set times.i bought one for a patient a year ago,cant remember the company.it was about £30
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,455
0
Kent
Dear Ken

Would it be possible to change taking your tablets to with meals, rather than after. This way you are less likely to be distracted.
As your food is on the table, take your tablets.
Most tablets are to be taken with food, so before or after rarely makes a difference.
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
I take my tablets after as meals prescribed every day, which are all in a dispensing box, and a section of this can be carried around if I go out. But I would not carry a box with an alarm on as it would attract attention when I am out, and there are many out there who would remove our medication no matter what it is for.

I usually have my tablets on the table in front of me unless we have children in the house, then they have to be moved for safety reasons.
There may be a better way of dealing with all of this but distractions are something which we all have to put up with in daily life, but when dementia comes into the equation we have problems which are not normal.

Best Wishes

Ken
 

connie

Registered User
Mar 7, 2004
9,519
0
Frinton-on-Sea
Ken, I take my hat off to you for managing your medication anyway.

I am the worlds worst when it comes to myself , I even now have a marked pills dispenser.(I never forgot Lionels).

I do agree though, distractions or anything out of the ordinary, can cause such havoc.
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
Although that sounds a good idea, it may well cause extra problems, with having to carry them around all the time and ensure that they are charged up.

Of course never thought of that " When you have to go out " .

I was thinking along the lines of when your in the house all day, then that dispensing containers which has an alarm which goes off, that jules posted about would be better .

but then the only issue is, when you go out .

How do you take your medication now if you have to go out
if you don't mind me asking ?
 
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KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
Hi Margarita,

If I am going out for a day my medication goes with me, and is carried in a dispenser which is in my top pocket, with my help cards and mobile phone.

Otherwise Janice Carries it in her handbag, but it is easier for me, if I carry it otherwise myself, as I would not know where to look in her hand bag as it contains everything but the kitchen sink, and there are times when I think that she has that in there as well. Only joking??

Seriously though I like to be in control as much as I possibly can, and allowing me to carry my own medication when I go out, is one way of doing it on a daily basis.

It either works or fails but I have to try.
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
I would not know where to look in her hand bag as it contains everything but the kitchen sink, and there are times when I think that she has that in there as well. Only joking??

lol that did make me Laugh :D as it sound like my bag also.

Seriously though I like to be in control as much as I possibly can

Now that is understandable.

Thanks for sharing.
 

lesmisralbles

Account Closed
Nov 23, 2007
5,543
0
Hello Ken

It was reading your thread that made me think.

I did not listen to Ron as much as I should have.

Thank you.
I am listening now.
Barb & Ron XX
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
Hi Barb and Ron,

It is easy to say that, but in reality we are all different and there are times, when we will not admit that we should let others help more.

Sometimes people who have this illness will not allow others to help, as they want total control over their lives, and they will not listen to what their carers say.

( We hear this quite a lot when a person with dementia is a driver, and will not listen to their carers and families who say they should stop driving. I was allowed my license back on a yearly basis, but I will not drive if I don't feel up to it, or if my wife wants to go somewhere I am not sure of, I then let her drive, as it would be unfair to put her through the added stress, of seeing me make a serious mistake.)

I have learnt that on a good day I allow myself to carry on as normal, but on a bad day I allow my wife to help as much as possible without being a nuisance.

You said that you did not listen to Ron enough, but it is possible that Ron needed more help with his condition than I do, but then we all have different problems, and we all go through this illness at a different rate, so please don't worry as you may well have done the right thing. I am sure that all carers do what they think is right in their situation, and who can say otherwise, these are the people who know the real situation.


Best Wishes

Ken
 

Goldfinch

Registered User
Mar 22, 2009
24
0
Bedfordshire
Not sure if I can be of any help but as an ex secretary I am used to making up forms etc. on the PC and have made a chart for Mum who has Dementia listing her medication (bp & Aricept) and 3 boxes(am, lunch & pm) for each day so that she can tick when she has taken her tablet/s. Mum doesn't go out so I have put on a clipboard and she keeps it in her bedroom where she keeps her tablets. It does seem to have worked for a few days but I do realise that this may be short lived. If anyone thinks this would help them I would gladly put a customized one together, just let me know.
 

KenC

Registered User
Mar 24, 2006
913
0
Co Durham
Last week I came down stairs a bit later than normal as it had been a really bad night, to find my wife hoovering the carpet in the living room.

I did not think anything about it until she can up stairs shortly after to say that I had forgotten to take my tablets. It was only later that it was suggested that the noise of the vacuum cleaner, had thrown me out of gear completely and my routine was none existent.

It just goes to show that when this illness strikes, the slightest thing such as noise causes utter havoc.

Ken