Hi all. I'm looking for any suggestions to help Mum remember her evening tablets. At the moment myself or carers go in during the day and are there to prompt morning tablets. I do visit some evenings and can prompt her to have tablets then but I find other nights I phone her up but she still doesn't always take them. If knew it for her to do it she puts phone down then can't find it and talks to remote control! . I've tried leaving notes too but not always successful. Also it's a lot of money to add evening carers just to see shes taking tablets. Any ideas gratefully received.
Suggestions to remember tablets
- Thread starter Azay28
- Start date
Hi, I had this with my mum, but was lucky because her gp said that I could give her them all in one go. She doesn’t take many so it was possible. Good luck x
Yes I asked gp could I do this but she ssid no they need to be taken at night. Maybe I'll ask again.
I know there are some automated pillboxes that beep or flash a light to indicate pills need to be taken, and some models where the appropriate slot will only unlock when programmed to do so. Of course, this still doesn't mean the person actually takes the medication at that moment, but it could be better than nothing.
I'm afraid I have no practical experience of these devices as by the time I began to investigate them, my mother needed more supervision, had a crisis, and moved into her care home.
I would say that direct supervision for meds is my best suggestion, but we can all only do, the best we can do.
I would advise that all non prescription medications be located and removed or locked up. My mother not only didn't take her prescription drugs correctly, but also took a horrifying range of over the counter medication as well, to her detriment. I wouldn't like that to happen to anyone else. Even seemingly benign items such as vitamins can cause problems and also interact with prescribed medications.
Hope you find a solution and best wishes.
I'm afraid I have no practical experience of these devices as by the time I began to investigate them, my mother needed more supervision, had a crisis, and moved into her care home.
I would say that direct supervision for meds is my best suggestion, but we can all only do, the best we can do.
I would advise that all non prescription medications be located and removed or locked up. My mother not only didn't take her prescription drugs correctly, but also took a horrifying range of over the counter medication as well, to her detriment. I wouldn't like that to happen to anyone else. Even seemingly benign items such as vitamins can cause problems and also interact with prescribed medications.
Hope you find a solution and best wishes.
I had this problem and now dad takes all of his tablets in the morning even his donepezil which he was supposed to take at night. I just could not be there every night to give them to him.
I did check with the memory clinic and they said it was fine as long as dad felt ok throughout the day and did not suffer any nausea. All of his other tablets can be taken in the morning and that one night time tablet caused so much confusion that it became impossible.
I did check with the memory clinic and they said it was fine as long as dad felt ok throughout the day and did not suffer any nausea. All of his other tablets can be taken in the morning and that one night time tablet caused so much confusion that it became impossible.
Amazon Alexa has reminders! I use them to set various reminders throughout the day. It’s really great. The lists remind me what to buy at the store. Awesome considering an echo costs around $40 USD.
My dad used to have an automatic pill dispenser set for morning and evening. It was like an automatic cat feeder and sold on Amazon. It worked well for a while but then dad just started ingnoring the alarm even though it beeped for 30 minutes and was quite loud!
The best solution, and the one I finally used, is to ask the doctor if your mum's pills can all be taken at a time when you will be there. My dad's were all taken in the morning eventually.
The best solution, and the one I finally used, is to ask the doctor if your mum's pills can all be taken at a time when you will be there. My dad's were all taken in the morning eventually.
There are companies where a person or an automated message will call your mom to remind her to take her pills. Do an Internet search for "medication reminder". It ranges from $5-$15/month and a lot of them have free trials.
If she puts the phone down, then you'll probably need to find a company with a real person on the phone, so they can confirm she's taken the pill.
If she puts the phone down, then you'll probably need to find a company with a real person on the phone, so they can confirm she's taken the pill.
The trouble with reminders (alarms, phone calls etc)is that they often do not understand what the reminder means, or if its a call, by the time they have got away from the phone they have forgotten what to do. These things can work well to start with, but eventually they will need a real person actually there with them to give them the pills and ensure that they take them
Yes, please ask the gp how one get a person with memory issues to take the tablets consistently.
Easy for her to say that but really, I find that glib answer a bit annoying.Ditto to all that. My mother would forget whatever anyone had said almost the instant she'd put the phone down. Past a certain stage of dementia, which may be relatively early, these things are sadly unlikely to be any use.
I agree I'm afraid. With MIL she eventually needed someone to prompt her all the time with tablets . A carer could remind her to do something later but it would never happen.
What are the tablets that need to be taken at night? Mum takes statins. They should be taken at night but the GP says it's better she has them in the morning when she can be prompted, than not have them! Have you been completely upfront with the GP about the prompting issue?
