How to Organize Medication and Your Medicine Cabinet

Knowing how to organize medication is essential for any caregiver. Medication mix-ups are far less likely when your medicine cabinet is organized.

Safely organizing medications is especially critical for senior health, and arranging the medicine cabinet is a suitable place to start. 

Knowing how to organize medication and your medicine cabinet doesn’t have to be difficult if you have the correct information. This guide can help caregivers ensure that drugs are used safely and effectively.

How to Organize Medication for the Elderly

Most seniors take several medications throughout the day, and it’s easy to get them mixed up. The suggestions below can help you safely organize the medicines of the seniors in your care.

Organize all Medication in One Place

It’s simple to lose track of medication if they’re all kept in separate places, so keep everything in one location. Thus, you’ll be able to monitor how drugs are taken and ensure that similar medications are not prescribed for the same health problem. Also, know when to discard expired meds.

Keep all current pill bottles and packaging in a clear plastic storage container to stay organized and increase drug safety. Likewise, store backup medication supplies or drugs that are only needed once in a while in a different container.

Store Medication Properly 

In general, you should store medications in a cool and dry environment. Thus, keeping medicines in the bathroom cupboard isn’t always a good idea because moisture and heat might degrade them. Follow the doctor’s or pharmacist’s directions for medication that requires special storage, such as refrigeration.

Make a Current List of Medications

Know what drugs your older adult is taking and the dosage to avoid dangerous drug interactions. Making an updated medication list will help you keep track of their medicines, vitamins, and supplements.

Sort Medications Ahead of Time

To assist your older adult in pre-sorting their prescriptions for the week, use a pill organizer. The suitable pill organizer for your senior citizen has enough sections to hold all of their daily medications. 

If you need to split any pills, do so ahead of time and keep the halves in the pill organizer sections. As a result, your elderly relative will no longer have difficulty with a pill cutter or remembering to break the pills before ingesting them.

Examine Medications for Potentially Harmful Interactions

Many seniors are on several different drugs. Therefore, you should make sure that none of them can interact to create harmful results.

An online drug interaction checker can help you identify potentially dangerous drug interactions. If you discover any, seek immediate medical assistance from your doctor or pharmacist and don’t make adjustments on your own.

Clearly Understand Medication Instructions

Understanding and following the medication instructions reduces the chances of harmful drug interactions, adverse effects, or reduction in drug effectiveness. 

For example, note prescriptions that the senior must take with food or on an empty stomach. If you have any doubts, seek clarification from the doctor.

Set Up a Medicine Tracking and Reminder System

An effective medication reminder and tracking system can assist seniors and caregivers in remembering to take the appropriate dosage at the proper time.

Consequently, set reminders using a basic alarm clock or a medication management app on the senior’s phone. Alternatively, prepare a chart to indicate the name of the drug, the dose, and time it must be taken.

Refill Prescriptions Ahead of Time

It’s critical to acquire refills on time for long-term prescription drugs so that your senior doesn’t run out and miss doses.

Ask your doctor to prescribe a monthly supply through a mail-order pharmacy or request automatic refills from the pharmacy. 

Another option is to include the refill dates on your calendar, so you don’t forget to order and pick up a refill before your senior adult runs out.

How to Organize Medication for Alzheimer’s Patients

People with Alzheimer’s disease frequently require assistance in taking their medications. The lack of focus and memory characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease makes it more challenging to know what to take and when. It is essential to learn how to manage drugs as the caregiver responsible for your loved one’s health and safety.

Here are some suggestions for organizing medication for someone with Alzheimer’s disease.

Pair dosage with activities like dinner, waking up, or going for a walk to make taking drugs a regular part of their daily routine.

If your loved one refuses to take medication at a particular time, distract them with something else and then provide the medicine later.

Because of its unpleasant taste, uncomfortable side effects, or difficulty swallowing, an Alzheimer’s patient may refuse to take a drug. Thus, check with your doctor to see if the medication has a liquid form or if it can be crushed and mixed with food. 

In the early stages of dementia, simple organizers such as pill boxes or containers can help Alzheimer’s patients manage their prescriptions and track when they should take their medicine. 

On the other hand, labeled pillboxes can be challenging to open for people with late-stage Alzheimer’s disease. So, consider electronic pill dispensers set to sound an alarm and administer the correct prescription at the right time.

Keep medication secure in a locked drawer or cabinet to avoid situations such as an overdose. Also, keep track daily of what drugs to take and when to take them. 

In the event of an emergency, have emergency numbers handy, such as on the refrigerator or in the medicine cabinet.

All medications should be discussed with a doctor, and you should have a good understanding of what to expect in case of overdose.

Make a list of any changes in your loved one’s behavior to discuss with their doctor later. During a single appointment, the doctor may not be able to identify all medication-related issues.

How to Organize Your Medicine Cabinet

Medicines are more easily accessible when the medicine cabinet is well-organized. Consider the following suggestions.

Empty the Medicine Cabinet

First, take everything out of the cabinet and take note of the expiration dates of the medicines as you remove them from the shelves. Place expired medications to the side for safe disposal.

In addition, check to see whether any personal items, such as shampoo, shaving cream, and toothpaste, could be stored in the bathroom.

Sort Your Medicine into Categories

Sort your medicine containers into categories. Separate children’s and adult medications. If you have a lot of medications, you should organize them by type. Allergies, colds/flu, sore throats, digestion, pain medications, and so on are just a few examples of possible categories.

Group Similar Items in Containers

Next, select boxes or baskets to keep the various medicine containers in. It is essential that they be easy to access for you but, at the same time, out of the reach of children or others you may not want to find them.

Medicine containers, as well as incidental items such as bulb syringes, thermometers, and measuring cups, can be organized in clear, short-sided containers.

Because most medicine cabinets are just 3 to 4 inches deep, look for narrow organizer trays that will fit into this small space.

To keep medicine bottle labels and other materials visible, choose acrylic organizer trays and bins.

If your cabinet is tall and has one or more difficult-to-reach shelves, keep your most often used items on the lower shelves.

Label each container to make it easy to find the right type of medicine when you need it.

Use the Cabinet Door

Put a note on the inside of the door with a dry erase board as a reminder to throw away empty medicine bottles and packaging. The board can also be used to hold a shopping list of drugs that need to be replenished, as well as prescription reminders.