Medication Tips For Seniors

Most of the time, the medication you have been prescribed is helpful for maintaining your health or getting better after an illness. 

However, even if you understand how important the medication is, it can still be very difficult to remember to take it all of the time. 

Why Do I Keep Forgetting To Take My Medication? 

Forgetting to take your medication can happen for a number of reasons and it depends on the person. 

One of the first ways you can make a change is by determining why you can’t seem to remember to take them. For some people it is simply just harder to form a habit and any disruption in their routine can throw off their progress. It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit, but on average it takes about 2 months. 

People’s routine can be disrupted by anything, and it doesn’t have to be a major disruption to cause you to forget that you were supposed to take your medication that morning. Even something as simple as sleeping in an extra hour can throw your whole day off. 

For some people the time of day has a lot to do with how easy it is for them to remember. If you take your medicine in the morning, but you never eat breakfast at the same time and that is when you try to remember to do it, you might have more trouble forming the habit. However, if you go to bed around the same time every night, and take it right before you shut your lights off you might have less trouble remembering. 

Sometimes remembering to take your medication is as simple as prioritizing it more. When we are busy some things get pushed to the back burner, and for you this could be taking your medication. However, taking it consistently is very important especially if it is time sensitive. 

You may be forgetting to take your medication because you haven’t put enough priority on it yet. If you can identify why you are forgetting it will be much easier to correct it. 

Here are some tips for remembering to take your medication so that you don’t have to worry about missing a dose anymore. 

Make a Medication List 

Lists are a really great tool if you are the kind of person who enjoys referencing something throughout the day to stay on task. If you aren’t sure how well a list would work for you, it never hurts to give it a try. Whether you are using the notes app on your phone, or a pad and pencil that you keep by your bedside, making a list of everything you need to do the next day can also be a relaxing way to go to bed each night. Once you have created the list, you’ll want to reference it a few times a day to make sure that you are staying on task, and to remind yourself to take your medication when it is time. 

Medical Care Alert offers a free EMS Emergency Information Form you can download that lists your doctors, ailments, medications and more.  Keep a copy on the refrigerator where it's easy to find when you need it.  

Take All Pills At The Same Time 

If you take other medications or vitamins, it can make it a lot easier to remember if you take them all at once. For example, if you take your vitamins with breakfast but your one other medication at night, you might want to switch to taking that pill in the morning too. This will make it much easier to remember and you won’t have to worry about forgetting. Check with your pharmacist that it's OK to take your pills together.

Leave Reminder Notes 

Sometimes you just can’t remember something until you physically see a reminder, which is why leaving notes can be really helpful. Put some notes around the house that you’ll see for sure so that it is much harder for you to forget about the medication completely. For example, if you always use a coffee machine in the morning, put the note right on top or next to that so you are sure to see it. 

Get An Automatic Medication Pill Dispenser

With an automatic medication pill dispenser, you eliminate the guesswork of taking the right pills at the right time.

An automatic pill dispenser is easy to use and set up.  Just set the time of day you want to take your pills, and the number of times a day (i.e. 9:00 AM dosage, 4:00 PM dosage), and fill the dispenser.  When it's time to take your medicine, the device will sound an alarm and dispense your pills.

A great example is the MedReady pill dispenser from Medical Care Alert.  It can dispense up to 9 pills at a time, up to four times a day.  It can even notify family or caregivers if you miss a dosage so you'll never forget to take your pills.

About The Author: Jenn Walker is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast, and avid beach goer operating out of Southern New Jersey. She writes for a retirement community in New Jersey.