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Savvy Senior: Best ways to organize, keep up with medications

Ways to organize medications to keep track
If you take medications only once a day, a simple pillbox with one compartment will do. But if ...
If you take medications only once a day, a simple pillbox with one compartment will do. But if you need to take medications multiple times a day, you’ll want to get a pillbox with two, three or four compartments for each day of the week. (Getty Images)
By Jim Miller Savvy Senior
October 31, 2024 - 8:10 am
 
Updated November 5, 2024 - 9:08 pm

Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend some good pillboxes and medication reminders? I’ve recently started taking several new prescription medications along with some vitamins I normally take and need to get a pillbox that helps me organize them. — Almost 70

Dear Almost 70: Pillboxes or pill organizers play an important role in keeping people healthy because they help you stay on top of your medication regimen. While there are many options, here are a few tips to help you choose, along with some top-rated pillboxes.

Identify your needs

When choosing an appropriate pillbox, ask yourself a few questions, such as:

■ How many pills do you take and how big are they? If you take only a few medications, a smaller pillbox may be sufficient. But if you’re taking multiple medications and large vitamin supplements, you’ll want to get a large-compartment pillbox that can hold your daily dosage.

■ Do you take your pills once a day or multiple times a day? If you take medications only once a day, a simple pillbox with one compartment will do. But if you need to take medications multiple times a day, you’ll want to get a pillbox with two, three or four compartments for each day of the week.

■ Do you have problems remembering to take your medications? There are organizers that have built-in alarms and reminding features, or you can download a medication-reminding app on your smartphone.

■ Do you have a difficult time opening your medication containers? There are easy-open pillboxes or automated medication dispensers that are ideal for people with dexterity problems.

■ Do you need a portable pillbox for when you’re away from home? There are smaller portable pillboxes made for traveling, some of which have sealed-shut cases that prevent moisture and dust from entering.

Best pillboxes

With help from The New York Times (Wirecutter) and USA Today (Reviewed), some of the best pillboxes in 2024 are offered by Auvon and Sukuos, which make a variety of single- and multiple-compartment pill organizers that are big, colorful and easy to open.

Their top-rated options include the Auvon Weekly Pill Organizer for once-a-day medication users; Sukuos AM/PM Weekly 7 Day Pill Organizer for twice-a-day use; Auvon iMedassist Moisture-Proof Weekly Pill Organizer for four times a day; and the Auvon Moistureproof Monthly Pill Organizer for those who want to organize their medications monthly.

These pillboxes cost around $10 on Amazon.com or Walmart.com.

High-tech organizers

If you need more help with your regimen, there are smart pillboxes that will organize your meds, remind you to take them, track your progress and even alert caregivers if pills are missed. A popular option is EllieGrid (elliegrid.com, $149), which connects the pillbox to an app on your smartphone.

There are also automated dispensers like the Hero (herohealth.com, $45 per month), an app-based system that will remind to take your pills and dispenses them to you.

Medication-reminding apps

If you’re interested in a medication-reminding app, some top-rated choices include MyTherapy (mytherapyapp.com) or Medisafe (medisafeapp.com). These are free apps that you can download in the Apple or Google Play stores.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org.

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