!9# Automatic Medication Dispensers Are a Relief to Elderly Patients and Their Loved Ones

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In many cases, remembering to take one's medication is indeed a matter of life and death. This is a subject of perpetual concern among friends and loved ones of the elderly, especially if that person desires to live their life at home for as long as they can.

Memory gradually decreases with age. For the elderly, one of the best ways to deal with forgetfulness - especially when it involves taking vital medications - is to try to establish a routine; a rhythm where tasks are performed at the same time every day.

Sometimes when an elderly person spends time in a hospital, at the home of a friend or family member or when something unexpected happens, they become somewhat disoriented and need time and guidance to readjust to their accustomed schedule.

Reasons seniors do not always adhere to their medication schedules include:

• Misunderstanding instructions
• Confusion when exactly to take meds
• Thinking they already have taken meds
• Not sure what time to take meds
• Afraid to take meds due to uncertainty about correct dosage

Assistance is Now Available

Some medical alert system companies have added medication management to their senior alarm systems. The "Sunday-through-Saturday" compartment pill containers have been around for a long time, but they don't offer much in the way of actually alerting someone to take their medications. However, automatic drug dispensers have been developed to do just that.

The new automated drug dispensers have many features that help "cover the bases" if a senior fails to take their meds. It also adds assurance and comfort not only to the patient, but to their family members, as most of these systems are tied not only directly into medical response systems, but into the medical alert company's overall personal emergency response system.

There are multiple features that come along with these systems. Many of these features can be purchased on a stand-alone basis, or in conjunction with the whole medical alert system, all for a monthly fee which includes round-the-clock monitoring.

There are alarms and alerts that can be set up for multiple times during the day. The alarm will make an alert sound until the compartment housing the medication is opened. Safety controls ensure the doors to all of the medication compartments stay locked except for the current medication. In addition to the sound alert, a bright light - optional on most units - will flash for those who may be hard of hearing. There are also units that allow actual medication dosages to be assigned.

The most important feature of a personal emergency response system is the 24/7 monitoring. If a door doesn't open on the medication dispensing unit within a certain amount of time, a company representative will attempt to contact the patient. If there is no response, the company rep will alert local responders.

Anyone with an elderly friend or relative who is concerned with that person's inconsistency in taking prescribed medications can be comforted that a service like automated medication management is now available.