Many seniors find themselves in a position where they take a multitude of medication on a regular basis. In addition to having to remember to take them right medications at the right times and in the right order, seniors have to remember things like which medications need to be taken with food, which can’t mix, etc. It can be a lot to keep track of, and is not only a burden for the senior, but the caregivers. Having a tool that provides medication reminders can help ease the burden, and insure the better health of seniors.
Why medication reminders are useful- Although many seniors are retired, they still live full and busy lives. This often means being involved in various activities that may interfere with being totally conscious of what time it is, and that they need to take their medication. A medication reminder can take that worry off their mind, and let them enjoy their life and still take their medications when needed. In addition, medication reminders help ease the burden of the caregiver.
How medication reminders can ease the burden of the Caregiver- Caregivers often feel a great responsibility for their senior loved ones, and find themselves nagging them frequently about taking care of themselves, and whether or not they have taken their medications. Having a medication reminder can take this burden off the shoulders of the caregiver, and allow them to do more than just nag.
Medication reminder tools- There are a number of medication reminder devices out there, and they all have pros and cons associated with them, however, one great tool for medication reminders that can also do much more is the My Health Phone.
My Health Phone is a fully functional cell phone that acts as an emergency response system, but that can also be set up to make regular medication reminders by text, email, or phone call. The beauty of this tool is that you can specify which drug or drugs to be taken, with directives such as “with food”, or have more generic reminders like "Have you taken your morning medication". Additionally, the system is set up so that the senior then will choose answer the question, which can be done in a number of ways, and their answer can be transmitted back to caregivers, updating them. The software is designed to automatically send messages to caregivers updating them if the response is negative, or if there was no response.
In addition to a great tool for medication reminders, the My Health Phone offers several other features:
| My Health Phone |
- Portable emergency response system- My Health Phone is a fully functional cell phone that is set up to make calling for emergency help very simple. It is designed to work almost anywhere (as long as there is service, and the battery is charged, it works). This means that seniors are not tied to their homes, and caregivers can feel confident that their senior loved ones are safe.
- Check-in calls and texts- My Health Phone can provide further peace of mind to caregivers and seniors as it can be set up to make regular check-in contact. You can choose to receive the check-in through phone calls, text messages, or e-mails, and designate the frequency and timing. You can also set up the response and who you want notified of your well-being or need for assistance.
- Access to important information- My Health Phone’s software was designed so that the phone could store electronic copies of living wills, HIPAA releases and medical directives and other important information for ready access in emergencies, when traveling, etc. This means that medical personnel can be certain of what you are on, what your wishes are, etc.
- Caregiver assistance and confirmation- This is a system that allows seniors to assure their caregivers of things like their well-being, their vital statistics, that they took their medication etc. so that caregivers do not worry, and time spent together can be enjoyable, rather than a series of questions like, “Have you taken your medications today?”
About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.
1 comments:
The assistance and confirmation program is wonderful so as you say one doesn't have to question their loved one constantly about meds taken. Seniors do not like being treated like children; this lets the caregiver have a more meaningful or lighthearted conversation. ~Marlene
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