Medication Management: Caring and Medicine

If you are caring for a Loved One (LO) either part time or full time it is very likely that you will be involved in managing their medications.  The level of care you provide and the reasons your LO needs care will determine how involved you are with medications. The lists below will help you work out what level of support you are providing in this area and then read the tips for each level. 

Minimal Support

On the most part your LO is managing their medications independently while you support them with other daily tasks such as housework, transport, meal preparation etc.  You might be:

• getting prescriptions filled at the pharmacy.
• aware of which medications your LO is taking.
• aware of the medical conditions that your LO has that are being managed with medication.
• aware of major changes to medications (new medications or ceased medications).
• gently reminding your LO to take their medication on some occasions.
  

Tips for this level of care

• Get to know the pharmacist and ensure they understand your relationship to LO- this will be helpful if and when the level of support you are providing increases.
• Encourage LO to have an easily accessible list of their medications, what each medication is used for and the daily dose of each.  Keep a copy of this for your own reference.
• Make sure you are aware of the potential side effects of new medications and how you should respond if these side effects arise. 
• Look out for signs that LO is struggling to manage their own medications as you might need to increase your level of assistance. Signs may include: skipping doses, losing track of prescriptions needing to be filled, mixing up different medications, you find medications in unlabelled containers or not contained at all. 

Assisting Support

You are assisting your LO with medications while trying to promote their independence in their daily life.  You are probably:

• using a weekly sorting system that lays out dosage by time each day (or a Webster pack) so LO can independently retrieve each dose at appropriate times.
• maintaining a list of the medications your LO is using, what the medications are used to treat and recommended doses.
• assisting your LO with storing medications appropriately.
• ensuring ceased medications are disposed of correctly.
• checking that doses are not missed.
• helping your LO manage the use of "as needed" medications.
• knowledgeable about side effects of medications and changes made by doctors. 

Webster Packs (available through most pharmacies)

allow you to receive your prescribed medications

already set out showing when to take them. 

Tips for this level of care

• I know I'm repeating myself, I'm doing it on purpose!  Get to know your pharmacist.  Make sure they know you and your relationship to LO as well as your role in caring.
• If you don't already, get to know your LO's GP and other professionals who are involved in treatments for medical conditions. This will certainly come in handy in the future. 
• Be gentle! Your LO needs as much independence as possible and letting go of any independence will be difficult for them. 

  

  This pill sorter allows you to organise medications yourself,

  like a Webster pack, but you have more control.

Care and Management

You have taken control of all medications for your LO.  You administer all medications and keep track of maximum doses.  Medical professionals consider you the advocate for LO and while LO is included in conversations about medication (and health treatments) you are the decision maker.  You are probably:

• Administering any and all medications at all hours of the day.
• Organising medications into regular doses- such as a Webster Pack.
• Recording what medications LO is taking and when they are taking them.
• Knowledgeable about medical conditions and which of these each medication is treating. 
• Speaking regularly with LO's GP, pharmacist and other members of the medical team. 
  

Tips for this level of care

• Use Webster Packs or a sorting system.
• Keep a record of medications being taken and the time taken everyday.  This helps you keep track of 'as needed' medications and stick to daily limits. Record side effects, pain levels, vital signs and other observations you make.  This is especially helpful if/ when you are discussing LO's wellness with medical professionals.  Having this system also makes it easier to leave LO with a different carer, as you know all relevant information will be recorded in your absence and substitute carer can refer back to previous days for guidance. 
• Tell LO what they are taking when you administer medications.
• Remind LO what each medication is used for... this is helpful when LO questions why they are taking so many tablets! 
• Be gentle and patient.  If LO refuses a medication, assess their mood before trying to explain why it is important to take the tablet.  If they are agitated, worried or anxious, no amount of reasoning will help. Let LO miss the one dose.  Ensure it is included in the next round of medications.    Discuss it calmly with LO when they are in a better mood.  If refusal continues, record this and discuss it with a health professional at your next appointment. 

At all levels...

Remember that managing one's own medication is, for some, equal to brushing your teeth or combing your hair.  It is a personal aspect of health care and often it is the only thing that any patient is able to control themselves.  Sharing this responsibility and eventually handing it over to someone else is a huge step for anyone to take, so be mindful of this.  You have a huge responsibility now, but you can do this. 

Organised Carer...

When you care for someone, there is a lot to do. It's a fact that life is easier when you are organised (at least a little bit).  You will find that now (as carer) you not only have to live your life but help another person live theirs and this means twice (or ten times) more medical appointments, social events, budgets, incoming mail, phone calls, hygiene products, grocery shopping, housework and MEDICATIONS! It will be important to know what medications your Loved One (LO) has been prescribed.  Medication is so important that it deserves a whole post of it's own, so stay tuned for that. 

All of this 'extra stuff' means that you will need to have some way of recording and keeping track of all of it.  I have a calendar that hangs on my door as well as a day to a page diary.  We write down all the appointments (not just LO's but appointments that the carers need to keep). My mum and I share the caring, so we need to make sure we don't book our appointments at the same time.  If we have to do that, we need to arrange for someone to be at home with Dad while we are doing other things. 

This works for me, but I am not going to tell you that this is the best way.  Find what works for you.  If you are tech savvy you might prefer to use a calendar app with a sharing function (so everyone involved can see where appointments/ events are booked and make necessary changes).  If you don't know what I'm talking about, I would suggest you go with a paper diary.  Don't take on any unwanted stress of having to learn how to use technology when a book will work just fine for you. 

There are lots of organising resources online.  Don't limit yourself to "health" or "nursing" resources.  Search for: Bullet Journals, Calendars, Diaries, FREE printables, teacher organisation and family organisation resources.  It doesn't matter what you use, just remember your goals are to:

• know who is responsible for your LO at any moment of the day. 
• ensure all the carers are able to contact each other at all times (phone list).
• keep a list of all support services, what they do, when to call them and how to contact them (day or night).
• have all paperwork in the same safe place while still easily found if needed. 

A routine is also helpful for staying organised and managing medications/ medical supplies, but that also deserves it's own post. 

I hope this has been helpful for you. Check out these links (by clicking on each) for more information. 

16 Free Organisation Printables - cleaning checklist, grocery list, routines, schedules,

Organised Home's Printable Library - everything from calendars, checklists and planners.

Yes, You can do this!!

How to be a Carer...

So you have chosen to be the carer for a loved one.  If you are a paid carer for strangers, there are probably other places you can go to learn how to be the best you can be... good luck with that. If you have found yourself in an inevitable situation of having a parent, partner, child or friend who needs 'care', this is for you.

I am sharing the responsibility, with my mother, of caring for my terminally ill father.  He has advanced liver disease and liver cancer.  The cancer causes pain.  Other than that, it is not what is killing him.  The advanced liver disease is killing him.  A symptom of liver disease can be psychosis.  There are milder symptoms that affect mood and brain function.  He is very tired!  He becomes more tired everyday.

Regardless of the illness your loved one (LO) has, they will get tired.  This will be less obvious at first, but it will progress.  At first your friend will get tired after a big day out.  Then a short outing, like going out for dinner will be more tiring.  Eventually, getting out of bed, having breakfast, getting dressed and leaving the house will feel like a hard day's work.  Then, eating a meal will be exhausting.  Simple everyday tasks such as going to the toilet (once), will be exhausting.  Getting in and out of bed will be no mean feat. 

The tiredness will be difficult to understand and difficult to watch.  Be ready for that.  All the things that go along with exhaustion will be there too.  LO will be sleepy, a little fuzzy in the head (the way you are when you haven't had much sleep), moody and emotional.  Be prepared for that.  You will be tired too.

There is much more I need to tell you about being a carer.  I won't be able to cover all of it in one blog post.  Not in a way that will be helpful to you! So, here is the plan.  I will post regularly about being a carer: tips, tricks, encouragement, ideas and some of my own experiences.  I will tag all of these "how to be a carer"  and will create a home page for all you carers out there.  I hope this helps.   It will help me, anyway.  

So for today, be prepared for your LO to be tired and be prepared for you to be tired.  Plan for time alone and time to rest.  Don't be afraid to ask for help so you can rest.  Don't plan lots of visitors, outings or activities in the one day.  Take it slowly!  Give yourself permission to say no.  Rest when you can!

Remember you are doing your best and there is absolutely nothing better than that!

Going to the Nail Salon

I find that sitting at the nail salon watching my manicurist is a zen like experience at times.  I enjoy watching them at their work.  They create miniature works of art and while working quickly they have amazing attention for detail.  I'm almost jealous of their skill. 

It's lovely to watch. 

Some Examples of Pretty Nail Art...

I told my manicurist that, as I am going back to school this week and I can't wear my tiara at work, it is very important that my nails sparkle!  She didn't respond.  I chose a glittered nail polish and got on with it. 

I'm taking joy in the little things!

Writing Prompt: Today I am Thankful For...

Therefore, I'm saying that there are more things I'm thankful for, but these are the ones I'm focusing on right now. 

Pain relieving medication
Ice packs
Mum and  Dad
My very comfy bed
Shelly, and how even when she is just being herself, she makes me smile. 
My nieces and nephews!
My Sister!!
I'm thankful for everything that I have because I know that it is all due to God's provision and abundant blessings. 
My friends.