Carenote From Cathy

Welcome to CareNotes. In this special section we will feature a reader's letter and provide an opportunity for an interactive exchange that will help find some answers and possible solutions to concerns. 

My family has asked me to research vocal pill reminders. My father has advanced Parkinson’s. My mother and aide (M-F/9-5) are the primary caregivers. My 90-year old parents just moved into an independent living facility in a suburb of Memphis, TN. My mom is largely deaf but uses a cell and an iPad.

My sibs and I are looking for a company that will call my mother and then a family caregiver with a reminder if my dad's pills weren't administered on time. However, my dad's complicated pill schedule has made it difficult to find an alert system that will accommodate resetting the daily times for myriad dosing (6 to 8), which is always based on what time in the morning he took his first set of pills. My dad also takes blood pressure meds based on blood pressure readings periodically during the day. Another complication.

Medminder will make phone calls but isn't flexible in resetting the alert times. Medfoliopillbox can only send out text message alerts -- something my mom or caregivers could easily miss.

My sibs also were interested in any voice-activated home system that one can verbally set alarms. But we don't know which are reliable. I've looked at YouTube videos of them but are unsure of their reliability and ability to allow myriad/flexible alarms daily.

Do you and your fellow members have any advice on such systems for my parents? Most sincerely, Cathy (New York)

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