Samarth conducted a poll on how seniors are managing their medication, a very important part of the daily routine for most of them. Here are some of the insights that we gathered.
The high usage of medicines was apparent from the fact that 93% of the respondents were on regular medication, with 77% taking more than 3 medicines a day and 32% taking more than 6 medicines a day.
More than a third of our responding seniors have faced difficulty tracking and therefore, adhering to their medication. Inspite of being aware of the importance of medicines for them, more than 50% of seniors forget to take their medicines from time to time. Interestingly, the proportion who forget is significantly higher (71%) among those who take more medicines daily (6 or more) compared to those who take less (44%). A study published in the Indian Journal of Gerontology (2020) found that medication adherence was particularly lower among seniors who are living alone.
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The poll shows that nearly half (48%) of our seniors have trouble reading the medication labels on their prescriptions. It is an important message for pharma companies.
(You can also download the Samarth Community mobile App on the app store and use its magnifier to make it easier to read labels)
People who used more medicines (6 or more) daily, tend to replenish less frequently than those who use less.
A pill organizer with labels (27%) is one of the more preferred way for seniors to track their medication. Very few use any apps for reminder or tracking. If you do not have a pill organiser, you can consider getting one from the Samarth store.
Adhering to medicine schedule is as important as being prescribed the right medicine in any treatment. Ensuring that is an important component of Samarth’s care plans and we ensure timely supply as well as reminders and proper organisation to help them maintain their schedule. Our Samarth Privilege Plan members can also save tens of thousands of rupees every year on health expenses.
Following are some practical suggestions from our community members for managing medication for them:
- R.Goel purchases monthly medicines for 40 days so that there is a 10 day buffer to refill next month.
- Dipan Mukherjee prepares an excel sheet at the start of year and keeps it updated, following it religiously every day. Even if you can not prepare an excel sheet, keeping a hand-written schedule can be very helpful
- Margaret Devadason, Samarth Community leader in Kolkata swears by systematically using her pill organiser
- Sudhir Nagar sets up alarms in his mobile to ensure he does not forget taking medicines at the right time
- Many respondents have suggested linking medicines with meal times like breakfast, lunch and dinner
If you have any other useful suggestions, please mail us editor@samarthlife.org and we will share with the community.
The survey provided these and many other insights. Please stay regular with your medicines and keep smiling.
