MedSignals Helps Medication Management
INSIDER TIP:
A new user-friendly medication management system allows caregivers to program up to four alarmed pill compartments with custom-made reminders for each medication—and also track the opening of the pill compartments online.
MedSignals® is a new product on the medication management market and is designed to help older adults who are willing to take their medications, but are sometimes forgetful. Individual compartments can be personalized to remind the user of any contraindications or if any food or liquid should be ingested at the same time as their pill.
MedSignals holds up to four drugs in separate compartments—and each compartment can be programmed with its own specialized reminder and alarm. The company also offers multi-packs. Caregivers can set-up the alarm timing and personalized reminders for each compartment either on the device itself or by going online and managing the control settings for each drug via the company’s Web site. When MedSignals is placed in its cradle, the device updates itself via an existing phone line. The device is small enough to be placed into a purse or coat pocket.
When a dose is due, MedSignals beeps and a flashing light indicates which drug to take. Once the barrel-shaped lid is opened:
- a digital voice announces how many pills to take and any associated warnings
- the number of beeps matches the number of pills to be taken
- a light flashes the number of pills to take
- text appears on the screen, in English or Spanish, with instructions on such things as whether the pill needs to be taken with a meal
If MedSignals’s alarm comes at an inconvenient time, the user can press a snooze button once for a 30-minute delay or twice for the alarm to be silenced until the next scheduled dose. Each time a compartment is opened a time-stamp is associated with it. When the device is plugged into its cradle, the time-stamps are uploaded, allowing caregivers to access easy-to-read online charts that either shows the opening times of one particular compartment or all compartments throughout the day. MedSignal’s retail price is $199 for a one-time set-up fee and $15/month for once daily dial-ups.
GILBERT GUIDE READERS: Receive $12 off the $199 fee by going to MedSignals and using the promo code: GILBERT
Refresher:
MedSignals allows you to program four separate pill cases, each with its own set of written and spoken reminders, so that seniors take the correct dose of their prescriptions at the right time and caregivers can track the activity online
Extra Credit:
Learn more about drug interactions, medications that put you at risk for falls, tablet splitting and other issues in our Geriatric Pharmacology Expert Column.
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Caregiver Health Check
As the madness of the holiday season has finally wound down, we urge caregivers to take a moment and check in with themselves. As a caregiver you can only provide good care if you have your emotional and physical needs met also. Now is the time to set up appointments for your physician visits and to ensure that your health isn’t compromised as a result of your caregiving duties.
The Alzheimer’s Association provides a quick caregiver stress check so that you can determine if your stress levels are putting you at risk of caregiver burnout. And here at Gilbert Guide, we can provide you with the tips, tools and resources to help you avoid caregiver burnout.
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