While these suggestions may work well for individuals who can give medications to themselves, there are still others that may help individuals who are in the home providing care one-on-one. These suggestions include:

• Using a dry erase or bulletin board to write the medicine schedule. You can color code if needed. Dry erase boards need to be mounted to a wall rather than carried around the house since they can be erased easily, thus contributing to more medication errors. Poster board can also be used for this same purpose. A simple grid with medications down the side and dosing times across the time will help keep you organized.

• There are several online communities that offer simple medication logs where patients and caregivers can track the medications they need to take and when they need to be taken. Insert the log into a three-ring binder and keep it in a place where it is easily accessible. Find one that works for your situation and use it on a regular basis.

Taking medications that center on events such as breakfast, lunch, dinner, or bedtime may be easier than trying to maintain an elaborate time schedule. There is less room for error and it serves as a good reminder of when medications may be needed. Plus, with the number of medications that need to be taken with food, centering some drug administration at meal times makes it more comfortable for the patient. 

These are a few ideas that will help get caregivers thinking about how to manage medications in the home. Certainly, there is no wrong way to develop a system as long as it meets physician orders and provides the necessary medications when they are needed. Being comfortable with the solution is just as important as finding the solution. To the extent possible, involve your family members in the planning process. They may provide insight and suggestions that you may have overlooked.

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