Many people forget to take medicines when there is interruption to their daily routine, such as holidays, running last-minute errands or going out for a meal. Oversleeping can also be an issue with medicines that need to be taken first thing in the morning. Busy days that make people feel unwell, tired or lose sleep mean that they may forget to take their evening medicines. Our team at One Life Medical outline strategies to help patients remember to take their medicines.

Carry medication with you always

Some people carry emergency supplies so that they don’t risk missing a dose. Keep a spare strip of medicines in your purse, carry bag, briefcase or cosmetic bag.

Alarms

Alarms are helpful, particularly for medicines that are more likely to be forgotten such as those that are taken at midday. Some people set an alarm on their mobile phone, so that they are reminded to take their medicine wherever they are. Smartphone apps specifically to help with remembering medicines can be helpful. The MedicineWise app is a free app that helps you keep track of medicines and access important health information anytime and anywhere, especially in emergencies.

Calendar alerts

Maybe you prefer not to use a mobile device and just prefer the simple method of a calendar. Mark your daily doses on a paper calendar at home, on your computer or in a journal. Just be sure to update it frequently and mark through each dose as you take it.

Learn about your medicines

Learning more about what your medications are used for will reinforce your ability to take your medicines correctly and on time. Learning about your medical conditions can be a strong motivator, too. This is especially important for conditions that have few, if any, symptoms to remind you it’s time to take your medicine – like high blood pressure. Learning about side effects is important so you can recognise them if they occur. Many side effects with drug treatment are temporary, so be sure to speak to your doctor about short-lived and more long-term side effects with any medication.

Associate your medication doses with a daily activity

You can tie your medicine doses with a daily routine like breakfast time, after a shower, brushing your teeth or when you get ready for bed. Keep your medications in an easy-to-see but secure spot as a visual clue.

Tips to help seniors remember to take their medicines

Seniors often need help to remember their medications. If you have a loved one that takes several meds, consider helping them create a pill box, printing out pictures of their pills  and then writing in large print what each medicine is used for, along with its name and dose. Place the pictures in a conspicuous but safe place so that they can refer to the printouts when needed.

Consider a Webster-pak

A Webster-pak Community Multi Dose pack is the perfect solution for individuals who take multiple medications, to ensure they take the right dose at the right time. Webster-paks are great for those managing complex regimes or for individuals who simply want to save time, stress and have peace of mind when it comes to medication. Pills are safely and securely sealed within each blister compartment of the medication pack, based on the prescribed dosage time. For more information on Webster-paks, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Look after your health with One Life Medical in Alexandra Hills

One Life Medical is a bulk-billing practice in Alexandra Hills. As holistic doctors, we focus on preventative care, looking at a patient’s mind, body and spirit to get to the root cause of an issue. Services include immunisations, general surgery, antenatal care, health assessments, ECG’s, cryotherapy, travel medicine, employment medicals, driver’s medicals and more. Allied health practitioners regularly visit our practice. These include a physiotherapist, podiatrist, hearing specialist and dietitian.

To book an appointment at One Life Medical, please call 07 3824 8144. Alternatively, you can book online or download the app for iPhone or Android devices and make bookings directly from your phone. For further information, please call reception on 07 3824 8144.