Top ten questions about medication answered for carers

Medication often plays an important role in older people’s health and ensuring that the people you care for take it at the right time, in the right way and with the right frequency and dosage is essential.  So we’ve compiled 10 key questions and answers about medication to  help you manage your own or your older relative’s medication

1. When should medication be taken?

Medication should be taken as directed by a doctor or pharmacist, or according to the instructions on the packet. This ensures you achieve the full benefit of the medication and lessen any possible side effects.

• Try to make sure medications are taken at the same time every day
• Some medicines need to be taken at specific times, such as before, with or after food
• The management of certain medical conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, can only be controlled with very precise, set dosage timings, so it may help to set reminders on a calendar, phone or in a special app on your smartphone or tablet
• Medication that is out of date should never be taken

2. What should you do if you miss a dose?

• In the event a dose is missed, do not take or give a double dose to make up for the missed dose.
• Check the patient information leaflet in the medication packaging, which you should always keep until the medication is finished, as there is usually a section which relates to missed doses, though we recommend speaking to a pharmacist to get the best advice.
• It’s a good idea to keep the phone number of the pharmacy and doctor’s surgery in your phone or diary
• When a new medication is prescribed, always ask the doctor for the appropriate course of action if a dose is missed
• If doses are missed regularly, start to keep a medication diary of what was taken and not taken (and why, if known) and discuss it with your loved one’s doctor as soon as possible

3. How do I get a new supply of medication?

• The doctor only ever prescribes a limited course of medication, so it’s a good idea to make a note in your diary, or set a reminder on your phone, to order a repeat prescription a week before it is due to run out.
• Check with your GP surgery to find out how many days the practice needs to process repeat prescription requests
• Most GPs now offer a dedicated telephone line for repeat prescription ordering, or an online web service and some pharmacies offer a convenient repeat prescription service where you let them know what medicines you need and they will arrange the repeat prescription with the GP Practice for you and in some cases deliver the medication to you directly

4. Where and how should medication be stored?

• Medication can deteriorate and not work as intended if exposed to heat, light or moisture
• It is best not to keep medicines in a damp or steamy place, such as a kitchen or bathroom, or on windowsills
• Medication is best stored in a cool, dark place. However, always check the label for special storage instructions, such as ‘store in the fridge or away from sunlight’
• Try and keep all medication together in one place for ease of access, unless there are specific instructions for storage
• Medicines which should be stored in the fridge are best placed in a separate container (e.g. plastic box or re-sealable bag) and kept away from food and other consumables. If the person you care for does not live alone, make sure that the medication for each person is stored separately, so that they do not get mixed up
• Always keep medication out of the reach of children. If you are a young carer and have younger brothers and sisters, make sure medication is located out of their reach
• It’s important to keep medicines in their original containers and packaging, along with their instructions for use. Do not decant medication into other containers

5. Is there any help with medication for people with sight difficulties?

• Many people need help with medication from carers due to poor sight, or if they are registered blind. If the person you care for is unable to read the directions on their medication packaging, ask the pharmacist to provide them in large print and to talk through the instructions as well
• If the person you care for is registered blind, it is important that new supplies of medication are checked for any brand changes, which may be in different sized outer packaging or have different shaped tablets. Speak to the pharmacist, who may be able to ensure generic brands are always provided, so that the tablet shape remains familiar and consistent and this will help to prevent medication errors
• There are some specialised apps available which will connect blind people with sighted volunteers who can help with medication labelling amongst other things via video link
• Talking Labels provides audible guidance in identifying and taking medications. Talking Labels attach to standard medication packaging and allow the patient, carer or pharmacist to record and store a voice message, which can then be played back at any time with the push of a button

6. Is there any help with medication for people with swallowing difficulties?

If you care for someone with swallowing difficulties, or someone who is having to chew tablets before swallowing, speak to your pharmacist about suitable soluble and liquid alternatives. The Swallowing Difficulties website may also have details of possible alternatives.

The following tips may help your loved one to swallow their tablets more effectively,

1. A dry mouth makes it harder to swallow, so moisten your mouth with saliva or water first
2. Place the tablet in the centre of the tongue and lengthways along the tongue if the pill is oval-shaped.
3. Immediately take a sip of water and wash the pill directly into your throat, throwing your head back.
4. Hold water in your mouth before inserting the pill, suspending the pill in water may help to flush it down
5. Try using a straw to drink the water as the suction may help

7. Is there any help with medication for people with dexterity difficulties?

• Depending on the medication type, there are options available for people who dexterity difficulties
• A Blisterpack pen device is easy to hold and grip and helps you get into a medication blister pack more easily.
• A Haleraid or other inhaler aids are available for people who are arthritic, or have difficulty depressing an inhaler
• If an eyedrop bottle is too small to squeeze a drop from, there are eye drop dispensers designed for arthritic hands. Winged caps are a simple device that is placed onto the top of a medication bottle to help open it

8. Is there any help with medication for people with memory difficulties?

• Having a medication record with pictures of the medication and an explanation of all the medicines to be taken, including when they should be taken, how many and what they are for can help and is a useful prompt. These can be in paper or electronic form
• People who have difficulty remembering if they have taken tablets or not may benefit from a medication diary or tick chart . If ticked when tablets are taken, these charts can be a good way of reminding people that tablets have been taken,  but they are obviously inappropriate if a patient is unaware of the day and time
• For people with more pronounced memory issues, electronic medicines dispensers audibly and visibly remind patients to take their medicines. These are locked within the device, so people are only able to take medicines at the times at which the alarm has been set

9. How can Pharmacists help?

• Pharmacists are medicine experts and will be happy to help you with any medication queries you have
• In England & Wales, pharmacists provide a free Medicines Use Review (MUR) service. This may benefit you and the people you care for by providing:
  • A review of all medicines to see if there is any overlapping or interactions
  • Extra information on what medicines are for
  • Side effects of medicines
  • Problems associated with medicines

• Your local pharmacy can often provide a medication delivery service/collection of unwanted medicines and provide advice on compliance aids to assist with taking medicines
• It will make it easier for your pharmacist to talk to you about the medicines the person you care for is taking if they know you are a carer and have written consent from the person for whom you care

9. How do I dispose of medication?

• Don’t throw unwanted or expired medication out with your normal rubbish, or wash them down the sink or toilet
• Take any medicines that the person you care for no longer needs, or is out of date, back to your local pharmacy. Don’t keep them ‘just in case’
• After a medication is changed or discontinued, the remaining supplies should be returned to your pharmacy to be disposed of safely
• In the event a person dies, keep the medication for at least seven days in case the Coroner’s Office, Procurator Fiscal or Courts ask for them.
• Always dispose of medication which has reached its expiry date. Remember that some medication expires sooner once it has been opened, such as eye drops.  Write the date you opened eye drops on the package so you can keep track of when it is due to expire

Evergreen Life is a health, wellbeing and fitness app, which brings information together in one place and allows the sharing of data between trusted family members, carers and healthcare professionals. Evergreen Life strives to support carers and improve their ability to act in the capacity of carer, by ensuring they can access critical information, ultimately benefiting their health and wellbeing, too. The Evergreen Life app is available on Apple and Android devices.