Best Pill Dispensers for The Elderly

Introduction

As you get older, you may find that you have to take several different medications every day, each with their own dosage to remember.

On top of that, you could also be taking supplements such as multivitamins and fish oil. All of this can get quite confusing. So, it’s easy to forget which dosage you’ve taken and which you haven’t.

A pillbox is one of the best ways to solve this problem. With the box, all of your daily pills are organized, and it’s straightforward to see which medicines you have taken and which you still have left to take. This makes it impossible to miss a dose or take more than you are supposed to.

The significance of Proper Medication Management

Proper medication dosage is critical. This is because the wrong dosage can lead to your condition, not being appropriately treated. There could also be serious side effects if you take too much.

Some studies have shown that, on average, 30% of elderly people are taking the wrong or incomplete dosage of their medication.

There are many reasons elderly people may take the wrong dosage of their medication:

• They may find the regimen complicated
• They may forget why they need medication and stop taking it
• They may not remember when they took their last dose
• They may struggle to read the directions or dosage instructions
• They may forget to renew their prescription

Many seniors find it challenging to remember to take a variety of dosages at different times. So, instead of spreading their dosages out as instructed, they take them all at once, as it’s easier to remember.

Unfortunately, if they do not take the right dose of medicine at the correct time, it can often have a severe impact on their health. This can increase the chances of ill health or even lead to a medical emergency.  

Thankfully, a good pill dispenser can prevent all these issues and make life a lot more pleasant for elderly people.

Types of Pill Dispensers

There are many different types of pill dispensers available. Here are the main ones to look out for.

Pill Organizer

These are considered as the modular containers that have different portions for holding medicine for several days. Few can be divided into separate compartments to match dosage needs for several times in a day.

This way, they allow you to keep your medicine for the morning, noon, and night. You can organize a model for a week or arrange it like a monthly pill organizer. 

For those seniors who can keep in mind the right time to take medicines but just want proper tracking of their doses, this simple pill organizer can be very easy for them and is a very reasonable solution.

Alarm Pill Boxes

These are considered as the basic pill organizers; the only difference is that they allow you or your caregivers to keep visual reminders with a sound that helps to keep you alert on the right time to take your pills. You can set the alarm for four to several times a day.

Automatic Pill Dispensers

This is one of the most common and high-tech ways to handle medications with minimal errors. This automatic pill dispenser is considered as a protected system that is programmed digitally to notify the owner and produce the exact quantity of medication at the right time. 

There are also more advanced systems that behave like medical alert systems. Their primary function is a phone call or a text message or some other notifications that alert the caregiver or the patient when it’s time to take the dose. 

What to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Pill Dispenser

Price is among the main factors that one must consider before selecting the right type of a pill dispenser. (For pill dispensers, Medicare does not pay, but instead, they fulfill the medication management facilities in some areas).

It’s not only the cost that one must think, here are a few other questions to answer or consider when comparing different models:

Ease of use:

• Is it easy to fill the pills?
• Is the display bright and large?
• Are all the buttons labeled and adequately sized to use?
• What is the process of dispensing pills? Does a person need to push a button or just open lid?

Capacity:                     

• What is the capacity of this medication dispenser, or how many pills does it hold?
• Can it arrange larger pills and tablets?
• Can you store it multiple doses of the day?

Alarms:

• Can you use this alarm?
• Can you switch off these alarms?
• Can you see any different volume settings?
• Is there any way to use visual cues like flashing lights and also audible reminders like beeps and voices?

Portability:

• How heavy is it?
• Can it be taken when traveling or on trips?
• Is this medicine dispenser made to assemble on a counter, or can it be carried along?

Best Pill Dispensers and Organizers for Seniors

Whether you need a basic organizer or you are looking for an automatic pill dispenser that has a lock or remote control for its capabilities, I have put together a list of pill dispensers that meet all the essential criteria and will help you choose the one that is right for your needs.

These are the products highly recommended for the seniors that help them to take their doses on time. 

Sagely Smart Weekly Pill Organizer – Sleek AM/PM Twice a Day Pill Box with Free Smartphone Reminder App and 7 Day Travel Containers (Large Enough to Fit Fish Oil and Vitamin D Supplements)

This is one of the best pill organizers designed for seniors who want to easily track a medication routine that includes many large pills such as vitamins, capsules containing fish oil, and others.

Design

It contains seven containers that have two bigger than average portions coded in different colors. These help you to keep doses for two different times of the day, such as the morning and noon, or for different weeks.

The containers are fixed on a base tray via a magnet for stability but can be detached when required. 

The pill case is durable, long-lasting, and can withstand rough handling unlike most cheap pillboxes in the market today.

Other features

It also includes a free reminder app that works with your Smartphone to notify you when you need to take your medicine. All you need is to download the Sagely Pill Reminder App for free and install it on your Android or IOS device.

Then, specify the times you need to take each pill. It will automatically send you a notification on your phone when the time to take your dose comes.

MedCenter (70265) 31 Day Pill Organizer with Reminder System:

This can help you to keep monthly doses organized in dosages for each day. In a day, you can keep doses for four separate times, and the organizer tracking codes in green and red help you to remember which doses are complete.

Additionally, you may set the loud talking alarm to four settings to alert you when the time for a dose is due. It will mention the time and date, the specific medicine you are supposed to take, and how many times you’ve taken it so far. This helps you to take the right medicine at the right time.

There is a volume setting for the talking alarm system that helps to produce a beeping sound so that you don’t miss an alarm. It can save voice reminders, as well.

After taking the pill, you can press the button where the dose was placed, which is now red in color so that it confirms that the medicine is taken, and it does not need to beep again. This alarm can also be disconnected when required.

This MedCenter system alert is easy to handle and use.

MedCenter System Monthly Pill Organizer

This pill organizer by MedCenter System allows you to store your entire month’s pills or vitamins according to daily doses.

It has 31 pillboxes with lids that are easy to open. This makes it convenient for you to store and retrieve doses for each day. You can remove and carry the individual boxes if need be. It also features red and green color codes that alert you when a dose is complete.

MedReady 1700 Medication Dispenser

This MedReady 1700 medication dispenser is portable, simple to load, and use. With just an additional $18, you are allowed to use an extra tray that can be helpful for filling more pills, and it can be detached from the pill dispenser when required.

Within its 28 compartments that have a capacity of 9 pills, you can easily keep your medicine for several days in it.

MedaCube

This is an automatic pill dispenser that’s widely popular in Amazon thanks to its compact design and ease of use. It’s automatic and fully programmable, thus improving adherence to the set dosage amounts and time.  You can store 90 days worth of tablets for 12 different medications.

This device can be set to produce both visual and audible alerts that are sure to keep you aware of when it’s time for taking your medicine.

You can easily record the time and set voice, texts, or email messages as your reminders. You could also save a phone call to a relative or caregiver as a reminder. When the medicines are due, you just need to touch the screen with suitable pills, and the machine will dispense the stored pills.

The best thing about this model is that it gives electronic notifications of doses that you haven’t taken yet and supplies that are too low. It’s also possible to view a record of the activity of the patient online when required.

For its cellular connection, by just paying an extra amount of $30, you can easily use all the benefits of MedaCube on a Wi-Fi network.

MedELert Locking Automatic Pill Dispenser with Alarm and Clear and Solid Covers

This new and improved version of MedELert’s Automatic Pill dispenser provides a new way to track the timings of your medicine. With its six customizable alarm settings and alarm cutoff switch, you can rest assured that you’ll never forget your medication again.

Its 28 spacious compartments are managed by a motorized system such that once the alarm rings, a new compartment with the relevant contents are revealed. It also features customizable dosage rings, where you can store medicine for either a single dose or six different doses per day.

Organizing Your Meds: How a Pharmacist Can Help Seniors

For older adults, pharmacists are considered a precious source of extra guidance for one to pursue their medication regimens correctly.

You can buy your medications from the same pharmacy so that your pharmacist can track and keep a record of all the medicines you are taking. They can also guide you on how to handle your prescriptions.

You may find pharmacists very helpful in setting your pillboxes or organizers. This, however, will do on your request.

Alternatively, you can purchase blister packs for your pills that can help to remind you of the pills that you have taken already and the doses that are still remaining.