Medications

Maru · August 7

If your LO has cognitive issues, it is time to look at how they are taking their medications. They could easily be taking too many or not taking them at all. One of the people in the ALZ support group that I attend told us about his wife. One day, he came in and she was asleep and he had a difficult time waking her up. He looked at one of her pill containers and it was half full, way less than expected.

Two things: one is lock up all meds, even things like cough syrup and Tylenol, etc., and esp. prescription meds. Two, the caretaker needs to dispense the daily meds. Every morning I set out DH's morning meds in a small medicine cup and every evening I do the same. The day will come when I will have to watch him take them. Both those with dementia and the aged are often taking a lot of meds and/or some pretty powerful meds.

I count out my DH's meds every week for each day and time. After I heard the horror story about the accidental overdosing, I ran up to Office Supply and bought two boxes that I could lock…one for the dailies and once for all the over the counter things. Yes, it is extra work but at least in this I know that I have done all I could do.

Damiross · August 7

I placed my wife's medicine in a kitchen cabinet. It was on a shelf she could not reach.

I had a difficult time giving my wife her medicine. Sometimes she would take it with no problems, other times there's a real hassle. If she took it, she would just let it sit on the tongue. She would also appear to take it but not really take it.

If the medicine can be crushed, put it in her food. Cathy likes scrambled eggs. I would always put the medicine into her eggs. I could also put into a hot chocolate. Whole corn is also another good food to put the medicine in. Whatever you do, do not put your pills into a carbonated drink. I learned the hard way that what happens is the drink bubbles up.

I've noticed the person giving out the medicine at Cathy's memory care center does in a way I had not thought of. For many patients, she puts the pills onto a spoon and feeds it to them.

Medications

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