One of the initial issues that always crops up when we do an assessment for a client and their family is the issue of medication management. Sometimes there is just no substitute for having a caregiver on site to monitor medication intake (especially in dementia patients) to ensure medication reminders occur. However, for some clients a great first step is the use of a remote medication management system.
Medication reminder technologies fall into three basic categories: (1) telephone-based reminders, (2) reminders integrated as part of home monitoring or safety devices and (3) electronic pill-dispensing systems. How do you know which of these product types is appropriate for the situation? Base your determination on the degree of intervention necessary to manage the drug regimen. For example, if the senior is capable of purchasing and storing all of his or her medication and simply needs a reminder to take them, then a phone-based solution may be enough. On the other hand, if a large quantity of pills must be preloaded into categories and taken scheduled times, then a pill box solution may be just the thing. And it’s worth considering a personal emergency response system (PERS) that incorporates medication reminders if other safety factors are involved.
Additional information on each of these solutions can be found at http://www.ageinplacetech.com/content/look-medication-reminders.
