tips for working with the elderly?

Question

I am a nursing student and am currently working in a community health rotation, going into the homes of the elderly and assisting them with their medical needs. I am working with a patient who is taking medication for diabetes, but is having a hard time remembering to take his medication. He is prescribed to take the pills once in the AM and once in the PM with meals. He says he wakes up and eats at all different times of the day and can't remember to always take the pills. He is not taking them regularly and may be going days without taking any, and then having some days where he's taking them more than twice. I am trying to think of some way to remind him to take his pills, regardless of what time he wakes up or if he's out for dinner or whatever his particular circumstance is for that day. He does have a pill box, but does not remember to fill it for the week, so that method does not appear to be effective for this patient. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

See if your clients pharmacist offers a service were they will put all the medication he needs into a blister pack, known as a Webster-pak, or something similar.

The pack is divided into 28 separate blister wells in four rows of seven, being the doses to be taken at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime on each day of the week. Each well is loaded the medications prescribed for that time.

The client can quickly identify which dose is next, remove the tablets by pushing them through the foil on the reverse side of the blister pack, and take them without worrying about quantities or mistakes.

This pack has been very beneficial to the elderly who have poor site or memory, taking the stress from the doctors, carers and family trying to remember which medication to give and what time.

I have some clients who feel that it makes life much more simpler, as they don't have to fiddle with medication bottles and trying to read labels and remember and which tablet to take next.

Hope this helps, I have included a link with a picture and information about the Webster pack. I believe this pack is available in the UK, USA etc.

Good luck

Answer 2

This is a common problem which is why adults who appear to be able to take care of themselves are often removed from their homes by PSA (protective services for adults) after a trip to the emergency room, and put into SNF's (skilled nursing facilities) against their will.

Do not tell our patient this as it will only scare him and will not help him remember to take his pills, but you do need to make your supervising teacher aware of this, in writing.

Seniors often eat at different times of the day, but they almost always wake up and go to sleep at the same time.

A watch with a multiple alarm set for example 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. or 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. can correct this problem; or you can enlist the assistance of a responsible caring family member to telephone him at 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. daily to remind him; or if there is no responsible caring family member to telephone him you can assist him with this medical need and save him from being put in a nursing home or death with a 10 second telephone call twice a day, as I have.

Calendars do not work because if they can't remember to take their pills they also can't remember to mark they forget to mark the calendar and it actually increases the risk of overdosing because if they do look at it and it is blank they will take another pill!

Answer 3

My grandmother was the same way when she lived with me for 4 years. She was living on her own for awhile but it got to be dangerous. She has dementia and she would forget pills one day then over dose another day because she couldn't remember if she took them. Eventually we just had to give it to her and control her pill bottles but before that we came up with this method......whats the first thing he does each morning?...is it go to the bathroom.....get his robe out of the closet......get a class of water...? Whatever and wherever it is put a reminder a brightly colored note. On the wall in front of the toilet in the fridge on his door. Then make a calender for him to put a check each time he takes his meds, make the marking the priority. Good luck...you have a difficult job

Answer 4

What if you made a large chart and he had to put a star up each time he took his pill. It would tell the times of the day that he needed them and then he wouldn't forget if he had already had them. I don't know, something colorful to help trigger him to remember and maybe because it is a new way of doing things he would remember easier for awhile. I'm surprised that there is no one there to help moniter his medication regularly. You would think that would be a top priority for the facility or family of the gentleman. Good Luck and Thank you for all you do!

Answer 5

I don't know what state or country for that matter, your living in but in New Mexico the Department of Health had a wonderful program for Disabled, Elderly, and individuals who have AIDS.

"The Disabled and Elderly Waiver Program (D&E Waiver) at TACIL is a community-based Medicaid waiver program. D&E Waiver is designed to facilitate the integration of disabled and/or elderly individuals from dependent living in residential facilities to independent living in their own homes."

However it is based on income, so if this elderly gentleman is very well to do, he would not be accepted...Either way you might want to look in your local DoH and see what kind of therapies or programs he can be offered. Such as home-based living, a family member or anyone he choses can live with him to take care of his needs, and the person living with him gets paid as well. Or Substitue care providers, who get paid hourly to take care, hang out, or make sure the individual is getting all the attention they deserve.

I work for a local agency here and we provide supports to over 200 mentally challened individuals, and 100 elderly individuals.

So I would suggest arriving when he has to take, meds if not you another person in the rotation. = )

Answer 6

I know several senior citizens that have the same problem. Have some patience for now but if it gets to the stress point go to the supervisor for advice they should know about this problem by now and should give some advice how to handle he or she.I know i would take so much then it's come up with an ans time.

Answer 7

You are fighting a losing battle. He either has dimentia and really doesn't remember, or he doesn't
care if he takes them or not. This man needs to be
in a care home where someone can monitor and
insist he take his medications as prescribed. Is anyone monitoring his blood glucose levels. If noone is watching him closely--you will visit him one day and
find him in diabetic coma or dead--which I suspect is
what he wants anyway.

Answer 8

Have him put the bottle of pills on the kitchen counter with a written reminder where he can see it while getting something to eat or have someone call him on the phone to remind him or assign a Home Health Aide to his home.

Answer 9

dont work with them...theyll just drain your youthful energy, those little rascals...they know what they are doing...just kidding i dont know thats a huge task

Answer 10

you should report this to your instructor. he/she will be more experienced to deal with this problem.