Managing Meds

Managing Meds is a tough assignment for a caregiver. I seen all kinds of ways and think our way is the best for us. We have these miniature ziplock baggies that fit into my shirt pocket nicely. The drugstore here sells them.They are labeled with a felt tip pen - breakfast, lunch, supper, bed and one thru seven.

I took the doctors orders which have the med name and dosage and gave each med a number. I wrote that same corresponding number on each bottle of medicine. Then I created a plan on a piece of paper for the breakfast, lunch,supper, bed meds. So, I can look at the plan, see that Deb gets a number five for three days breakfast and bed, and put the pills in their bags. Then I lay the baggies out in order.

Note: every med seems to have two or three different names. I use the internet to look up unknown names when I need to.

Since we end up all over the apartment, hospital and clinic, I can always have today's pills with me in a compact organized fashion. If she misses a time, the bags indicate what she missed. There are some pills that are 'take as needed.' I have those in a separate bag so when she wants one, I have it. The main point for me it to never leave home without them; especially pain pills.