Managing Your Medications: How You Can Do This Through Various Stages Of Dementia

Any type of dementia (e.g., organic, age-related, Alzheimer's) brings with it a progressively debilitating problem; the problem of remembering your medication. Medication management services help people who are diagnosed with different memory loss issues, from the early stages to the late stages of their disease or disorder. If you have recently been diagnosed with the very earliest stages of dementia, there are solutions to help you remember your daily medications and medication times. 

Bar/Box Tabs and Alarms

In the very early stages of memory loss, you can still use a bar tab or box tab for your medications. Someone will have to sit down with you at the beginning of every month and sort your pills into tab bars or a tab box. Then an alarm is set for each time of day to remind you to take the medication in the next tab. When you turn the alarm off, a note on top of the alarm will tell you to take your medication. A calendar posted near the alarm will tell you what day it is, in case your pill bar or box does not have all of its lids open, and you forget the day/date.

Meds in Bubble Cards

As memory loss progresses, you can request that the pharmacy package your medications in bubbles on a med card. Each date and time for the meds are on the bubbles so that you cannot forget when to take them. Some pharmacies even color code the plastic card frames to help you remember (e.g., yellow for morning pills, blue for evening pills, etc.).

Auto Dispensaries with Alarms

In the mid- to late stages of memory loss, you can still maintain some independence with your medications. Auto dispensaries with alarm systems are quite effective. These are trays of meds loaded into a machine. As the day progresses, the machine dispenses the next set of pills for the next date and time that you are supposed to take them. An alarm will sound and beep incessantly until the pills are taken. If the pills are not taken, the alarm continues until someone removes the pill cup and gives the medications to you. 

Daily Deliveries

In the final stages of memory loss, you may not be able to remember much. There is a good chance you may have a caretaker. There is also the danger of taking too many pills when you realize that you forgot to take pills. As such, some insurance companies will approve daily deliveries of your medications such that you get and take only the pills you are supposed to take for that one day. 

For more information, contact a company like Front Street Clinic.

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