Medication Dispensation

As a caregiver for a disabled veteran, I have learned the importance of properly dispensing medication. Veterans, especially those suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI’s), are prone to forget their medication unless they have someone there to remind them. With that being said, even having someone there to remind you to take your medication is not without its challenges. I am sure that I am not the only caregiver who has had their counter looking like the picture here:

I know that my husband has been on so many different medications over the years, without a comprehensive list, it is nearly impossible to keep up with them all. Ensuring that he is taking all of the correct pills at the correct times is essential for his well-being, as well as my own. This jumble of pill bottles is enough to drive any caregiver crazy. I knew that I had to get organized if I was going to clear this mess up.

I tried a variety of pill dispensers to hold my husband’s pills. There are a lot of dispensers out there that just do not have enough slots for someone who must take medication more than twice a day. Oh sure, an AM / PM pill dispenser is fine for most people, but typically not our veterans. Pills to help with anxiety, anger, diabetes, memory issues, PTSD, depression, pain, sleep, etc… start to add up fast. I needed something that had at least four slots per day and could hold a decent amount of pills.

After finding a pill dispenser that actually had enough slots for my husband’s medication regiment, I quickly realized that it was not going to be enough. Having to go through all of the bottles, and making sure that the dispenser was filled before I went to bed each night got old quick. I needed something bigger and better… and that’s when the VA provided an answer! 

I just happened to mention, to my husband’s primary care provider at the VA clinic, that I was trying to find a pill dispenser that was well suited for my husband’s medication. To my surprise, the VA issued my husband this:

This pill caddy has been such a blessing to me. I am able to sit down and fill a month’s worth of 4-slot containers at one time. This makes it so easy to track all of my husband’s medication. There is even a built-in clock, with four separate alarms, that you can set for the different medications. This is one tool that has definitely made my job as a caregiver so much easier. If you do not have one of these, or something like it, I highly recommend talking to your veteran’s primary care provider to get one.

There are a few other things regarding medication that I would like to add for those of you reading this that may not know. You can go to My HealtheVet, and your veteran can create an account. This will allow the veteran and the caregiver to track which medications the veteran is on, and it also allows for online reordering of all of their meds. With just a few mouse clicks, the medication will be on its way to your mailbox. The website is https://www.myhealth.va.gov. I hope that this helps some caregivers and veterans out there.

There is also a good phone number that you can call that gives you another way to get your prescriptions refilled quickly. You simply enter the prescription number from the bottle into the phone’s number pad, and the medication will automatically be refilled and sent to your home. The phone number for this service is:1(866)786-9367.

I hope that this has been somewhat informative for someone out there. If this just helps one caregiver with managing their veteran’s medication, it is all worth it. God bless!

~ Kristine C.~ Veteran Caregiver

What's your favorite tip for managing medication?