Medication Managing medicines for someone can be a challenge for Carers. To help this, the pharmacy may be able to provide medication in dosette boxes. These are plastic boxes with small compartments that clearly show which pills need to be taken at what time of day. Dosette boxes are not always available for free on the NHS and they’re
• Arrange for any care workers to visit at the same time that they’re meant to take their medicines • Get them an automatic pill dispenser – this beeps when it’s time to take the medicine and a small opening allows access to the correct pills at the right time
Ask the pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember medicines.
If the person you care for is unwilling to take their medicines, talk to their GP or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest a form of the medicine that’s easier to take such as a soluble or liquid form. Please check with their doctor or pharmacist before you crush tablets or open capsules and mix the powder with food or drink as it is not always safe to do this. Although the person you care for may appreciate your support with their medicines, they have a right to confidentiality and can decide how much of their health and medicines information is available to you as their Carer. Never give medicine to someone without their consent or try to force them to take it. People have the right to refuse medicine.
not suitable for every type of medicine. Other types of medicine reminders, such as automated dispensers, specially labelled packets and smart-phone apps, are also available. Carers can ask the pharmacist for more information about medicine reminders, such as dosette boxes, if they think they could be helpful. Carers can ask the GP for a free Structured Medication Review with a pharmacist or other healthcare professional. This is a review of the person’s medicines and health, to make sure the medicines they’re taking are right for them. It’s a chance to ask questions and talk to the pharmacist in confidence about any problems they’re having with their medicines. Carers can attend the review with the person they look after. It can help them make sure the cared- for takes the correct medicines in the right doses and at the right times. Carers can spend a lot of time fetching prescriptions from the GP and picking up medicines from the pharmacy. GP surgeries can send prescriptions directly to the pharmacy – Carers can ask the GP to do this. Some pharmacies also offer home delivery services for people who find it difficult to get out of the house. There are also apps and websites Carers and people with long term health conditions can use to have prescriptions delivered directly to your home. Please contact your pharmacy for more information. It may be useful to make sure medicines are all kept in one place in the home, preferably in a locked cupboard or drawer, particularly if children live in or visit the house. If the person you care for keeps forgetting to take their medicine, there are several ways you can help:
Section 8 - Planning Ahead Difficult decisions & Difficult conversations At times you may be faced with and having to make difficult decisions. These can often be emotional and difficult to deal with. Sometimes it’s a decision you
may have planned for, or at least thought about. Sometimes though this can be completely unexpected and leaves us feeling out of control. To ease the pressures of a difficult decision often comes from having what we feel might be a difficult conversation in advance. Where possible, finding the right time to have the right conversation with the person you care for in advance. Often, the person you are supporting may be worried about having these conversations with you as well. Knowing wishes, understanding a person’s thoughts and feelings could ease this.
• Telephone them when they need to take their medicine to remind them
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