Caregiving Help Library

Your Money, Your Medicine

Continued

Sometimes they won't or they charge you to do it. Buy a pill splitter (available in the medicine aisle). Scored pills are easier to cut and break more evenly.

Ask for a generic. With new medications, there are no generics available. New meds are protected by patent.

Ask if there is an over-the-counter drug that could be substituted. Several prescription drugs are available in a lower dose as over-the-counter meds.

Medicine related tips

If you have trouble swallowing, ask if the medication is available in liquid. Some liquid meds need refrigeration - make sure you read all the info and store the meds properly.

If you have trouble swallowing, ask if the medication can be crushed and mixed with a spoonful of applesauce, yogurt, honey or jelly. It is not a good idea to crush time-released meds. Again, it is very important to discuss this with your doctor. If you forget, ask the pharmacist.

If there are no children in the house, ask for easy open caps, rather than childproof caps.

When giving liquid meds, rather than a spoon, use a plastic syringe (available in the medicine aisle). All of the medication goes into the patient, not on them (well, sometimes on them). This is a better delivery system than the medicine cup or spoon-tube - there's always some medicine left in these.

Use a pillbox (available in the medicine aisle) - I have a 7-day unit, each day comes out separately. Each day is divided into 4 sections - Morn, Noon, Eve, Bed - these are also written in Braille. It's much easier to pop this into my purse than a bunch of pill bottles.

Read all the patient information sheets that come with prescriptions - make notes (hi-light) when to take it, how much to take, what to take it with, what foods, vitamins to avoid. Don't be surprised to see "stay out of the sun" while taking this medication. File these patient information forms in your notebook for future reference.

I'm running out of room so next week I'll look at prescription cards, ordering prescriptions on-line and some sites you may want to explore.

Linda J. Austin writes from experience as a nursing assistance and a family caregiver. "When I was assigned my first hospice case, I found my place in life." Retired from several careers, Linda is studying creative art therapy.

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