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(HealthNewsDigest.com)-We forget things every day-names, keys or whether we locked the front door. When it comes to taking your medicines, don’t let your memory fail you. Taking medicines the right way could mean the difference between life and death. Fortunately, you can take simple steps to remember what medicines to take and when to take them.
“Keeping track of different medications can be a problem for everybody, whether you’re young or old,” says Dr. Marie Bernard, deputy director of NIH’s National Institute on Aging. “But as you get older, you tend to have more illnesses, so it’s likely you’ll need to take more medications.” Many people gradually lose their memory with age, making it even harder.
Experts recommend keeping a checklist of all the medications you need to take each day. The list should include how much medicine you need to take, the time of day you should take it and what it’s for. Post the checklist in an obvious location in your home. Keep another copy in your wallet or purse.
It’s easier to remember to take your medicines if you add them to your daily routine. For instance, take one medication every morning after you brush your teeth. Take a different one at night before you climb into bed.
Try using pillboxes that have compartments for each day of the week and different times of day.
“You can also ask your physician to try to give you the simplest medication regimen possible-maybe once-a-day dosing or perhaps combination medications-so you won’t have as many different medications to remember,” Dr. Bernard suggests.
Technology can be helpful, too. Cell phones, programmable wristwatches and other types of timers can remind you when it’s time to take your pills. You could also try a phone service or a computer scheduling program if you’re usually near a phone or on the computer when it’s time to take your medicine. Some new technologies even have timers on the medicine bottles to remind you when it’s time to take your medication.
“We live in a wonderful age where there are a lot of good medications that can help a lot of conditions,” Dr. Bernard says. “But medications must be taken as prescribed, and always in careful coordination with your health care provider.”
-Adapted from NIH News in Health, a publication of the National Institutes of Health (newsinhealth.nih.gov).
There are many simple steps you can take to help jog your memory about what pills to take and when.
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